"Cinderella" Rises from the Ashes

"Cinderella"

Music by Richard Rodgers; book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; directed by Charles Repole; choreographed by Karen Azenberg; musical direction by Edward Reichert; scenic design by Dex Edwards; costume design by Joanna E. Murphy; lighting design by Martin E. Vreeland; sound design by John A. Stone; wigs and hair design by Gerard Kelly

Cast in order of appearance:

Deborah Lew, Cinderella

Gregory Sheppard, Herald

Lisa McMillan, Stepmother

Joyce Chittick, Joy

Natalie Joy Johnson, Portia

Maureen Brennan, Godmother

David Coffee, King Maximillian

Terry Burrell, Queen Constantina

Paul J. Gallagher, Chef

Nathan Scherich, Steward

Ryan Silverman, Prince Christopher

Andrew Pacho, Coachman

Debbi Fuhrman, Footman

Performances: Now through September 10

Box Office: 978-232-7200 or www.nsmt.org

Impossible things are happening every day.

If you need proof, just get yourself to the North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Mass. where the company is currently re-staging its acclaimed production of "Cinderella," closed last season after only four performances when a devastating fire all but destroyed the 50-year-old theater-in-the-round. There you'll see a pumpkin become an elegant lighted coach, a scullery maid transform into a beautiful princess, and an audience get swept away on a wave of optimism right before your very eyes.

Under the able direction of Charles Repole, this "Cinderella" glitters with special effects that make you gape and wonder, "How'd they do that?" But the real magic is in the music which, woven delicately within the fabric of an equally romantic book, touches the heart and lifts the spirit while never forgetting to entertain.

This Rodgers and Hammerstein gem, originally created in 1957 not for the stage but for television with Julie Andrews as its star, is not a cloying Disney-fied fairy tale suitable only for children. It is a smart, humorous, dare I say, even philosophical, fable that pokes fun at the aristocracy and their admirers while also celebrating the common ground of hope that turns mice into horses, princes into ardent lovers, and servant girls into royalty.

Repole and his talented cast blend the wit and wisdom of "Cinderella" beautifully in this lavish North Shore production. They all make it very clear that love is the show's heart and optimism its enduring soul. Earnest performances are the audience's reward.

As the title character, the lovely Deborah Lew is radiant. She acts with an engaging mix of innocence and spunk and sings sweetly with a beautiful, clear soprano. She is quietly captivating in numbers like "In My Own Little Corner," "Ten Minutes Ago," and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" She is later spry and determined in the thematic "Impossible," then winning and playful in "When You're Driving Through the Moonlight" and "A Lovely Night."

Ryan Silverman is Lew's dashing Prince Christopher, and he plays his role with the requisite amounts of charm and longing. He is unabashedly smitten when declaring his love for his mystery woman and equally bereft when he thinks he has lost her. He is also a genuinely adoring son who would rather endure a parade of ill-suited marriage prospects than disappoint his mother in her attempts to find him a bride by throwing a Royal Ball. Too bad his voice doesn't quite match his acting. He wavers a bit in his opening number, "Loneliness of the Evening," and simply doesn't have the richness he needs in "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" to enchant Cinderella – or the audience.

The supporting cast delivers the show's bounce and humor in spades. David Coffee is a comic gem as the reluctant aristocrat King Maximillian who'd much rather drink beer than champagne. Terry Burrell as his wife Queen Constantina tries hard to be stern with him but can't hide her undying affection. Maureen Brennan as the Godmother has an irrepressible wink in her eye every time she makes magic happen, and Lisa McMillan as the Stepmother shows a lovelorn, albeit randy, vulnerability beneath her social climbing exterior.

Ugly stepsisters Joy and Portia are played with sneezes, wheezes, whines and lisps by a graceless – and incredibly limber – Joyce Chittick and a lumbering Natalie Joy Johnson. While their "Stepsister's Lament" could use more over-the-top self-indulgent clowning, they, along with McMillan and Lew, make "When You're Driving Through the Moonlight" and "A Lovely Night" a duo of delightful shared romantic fantasies that creates a clever mix of unrestrained sibling jealousy and quirky female bonding.

A special nod also goes to Andrew Pacho and Debbi Fuhrman as the rats turned Coachman and Footman. Their acrobatics perfectly mimic the tumbling antics of rodents at play. Speaking of which – you won't want to miss the way that director Repole and his team of property specialists address the issue of having rats on stage. It was one of the funniest moments in this surprise-filled show.

Joanne E. Murphy and Gerard Kelly have created spectacular, character-defining costumes and wigs. Dex Edwards' set makes magic happen from above, below, around and beside the stage. Edward Reichert's 12-piece orchestra plays the lovely Rodgers and Hammerstein score with great enthusiasm and clarity.

The only real disappointments in this otherwise beautifully staged and acted production are the overall singing and dancing. The voices are generally competent, but only Lew's is truly worthy of the material. Even the numbers featuring the entire chorus fail to soar. Similarly, the execution of the dance numbers is sporadic. The choreography is appropriately grand and stately, but the members of the ensemble are not all in sync during what should be elegant and sweeping waltzes. Perhaps a few more performances will unleash the power of the vocals and smooth out the dance numbers. There may have still been some uncertainty with the timing of all the show's intricacies on opening night.

If you are tired of all the gloom and doom in the world and are looking for a healthy dose of optimism, "Cinderella" is just the antidote to make you feel more positive. Impossible, you say? Never. Just ask the audience members at the North Shore Music Theatre who applaud when a prince and a country girl share their first kiss.

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