Sir Edward Thresh, or 14-year-old Cameron Krueger, is about to embark on a quest to slay a dragon and rescue a princess.

But in reality, 14-year-old actor Cameron Krueger is embarking on a different kind of adventure: preparing to perform in Matchbox Children’s Theatre’s “The Pale Pink Dragon.”

“It’s time to make new friends and hang out with old friends you met through plays,” Cameron said.

This is not Cameron’s first play. He, along with about 22 other cast members ranging from age 8 to 60, will perform at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Austin’s Paramount Theatre.

But it’s not just about making friends or having fun this year. In its 40th year, Matchbox is getting involved with Paint the Town Pink for the first time this year.

“We thought the ‘Pale Pink Dragon’ was just a perfect script,” said Jenny Dreyer, who is co-directing the show with Christine Wik. “It’s all about overcoming adversity.”

The Paint the Town Pink connection is part of Matchbox’s goal to be more involved with the community, according to Dreyer.

“This was just one of those things that helped lead us down that road of becoming more involved with the community around us,” Dreyer said.

For Prince Hal, or 15-year-old Hugh Olson, it was a chance to have fun and spend time working on a performance.

“It sounded like it was going to be a fun one, and it is going to be a fun one,” he said.

He has also performed in other Matchbox plays.

“It’s a good opportunity to meet people and it’s a lot of fun,” he said. “You get to know a lot of people.”

A few breast cancer survivors are working with the show, which helped fuel joining Paint the Town Pink this year. Carley Carranza — a local costume designer — created the pink dragon for the show, which is 10 feet tall and can cry, wiggle its arms and legs, and can talk. Carranza noted she had help, as she needed four hands to get it finished.

“Whenever there’s special effects, I’m all over that because you get to use your imagination and I get to be like a kid,” Carranza said.

Dreyer didn’t hesitate to utilize Carranza’s creative side.

“We asked her to make the dragon because she always has incredible ideas,” Dreyer said.

Carranza, who has been sewing since she was young, has worked with Matchbox before, as well as other local theater productions. She also made the costumes for Princess Pinkie, Princess Peagreen, and Pinkie’s cat. Normally she would create more, but the dragon took a lot of her time.

“It’s pretty cool,” Dreyer said in reference to the dragon.

Carranza’s own daughter, Cleo, 8, is also performing in this year’s play as Pinkie’s cat. Much of the set was also designed by John Wik, Christine Wik’s husband.

Audience members are encouraged to bring a camera or camera phone to take a photo with the dragon for a $1 donation. The money raised from the photos will go toward the Hormel Institute’s Paint the Town Pink breast-cancer research fundraising.

The show runs one hour and is family-friendly. Dreyer said it is a high-energy show with about 22 cast members from child actors to adult actors.

“We’ve got a really nice variety of people in this show,” Dreyer said. “It should be really fun.”

“There’s so much going on that little kids will like it, older kids will get a kick out of it,” she added.

The show features Princess Pinkie, who has disappeared, and the fearsome dragon responsible for snatching her away lurks in the forest. Audience members will follow Gallant Prince Hal, his bumbling squire and the king, the pompous chamberlain, and Pinkie’s fierce white cat, as they set out to destroy the dragon and avenge their dear princess. What they find may not be what they are looking for, though.

Dreyer was excited to do a show that was a fairytale, which she said are always fun because they usually incorporate princes, princesses, kings and queens, and every so often, a dragon.

“It’s a good time,” she said.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children ages 14 and under.