Interview: Andy Huntington Jones of CINDERELLA

I haven't seen this production of CINDERELLA before. Is it a fractured fairy tale much like INTO THE WOODS?

I would say that this is your classic fairy tale with a modern twist. This is the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein score that has been around for the past 60 years. With the story that everyone knows, that everyone loves: the rags to riches story told through a slightly different lens. So instead of being a fractured fairy tale, I would say that it is a fairy tale that's gotten a facelift.

So, is Prince Topher the original Prince Charming?

I'm not sure historically where Prince Charming came to be. In our version Prince Topher is a little less of this tall, slim stereotype and a little more of this regular person who happens to be wearing a crown. So in this version, we have Cinderella who is a peasant and she is in a terrible situation. It's a setup that we're all familiar with. She lives with her stepmother and her two stepsisters. And she is the lowest of the low, and we're used to seeing her walk into the ball with this beautiful makeover, and it's almost because of the dress that the prince falls in love with her. But in our version, something that sets her apart is her kindness and she, even in her surroundings of fear and malice, she is endlessly kind and that sets her apart. The prince notices that in her, and in this version, Prince Topher is about to become king. He has been born into this situation, and he has no idea what he is doing. He has the best intentions, but he has an advisor who doesn't have the right priorities and he doesn't have the parental figure to guide him along the way. It's not really until he meets Cinderella and notices her unbelievable kindness that he sees that perhaps this is the way he can rule his kingdom. There's an answer after all. And it happens to be with this beautiful woman who happens to be wearing this beautiful gown. Umm..I guess to summarize all of that... this is a version where the stereotypical, archetypal characters have a little more of a pull in the real world. They are characters that have these holes in their hearts and they fill each other. They truly make each other better.

What about children? Do you think that they will be delighted or confused by this version?

I think delighted! Our version of CINDERELLA in every way is a classic fairy tale. I feel it's even more successful because there's this modern sense of humor. We're used to seeing a fairy tale where you sigh and you smile, and you think, "Wasn't that darling?" This has the same message, but it goes a little bit farther because it is not saccharine. In every way, it is beautiful and lush and not only family friendly, it's family ready. It is at the same time not something for kids to smile at and parents to groan at. It's absolutely great for the whole family. I have a lot of dads and moms that come to the stage door afterwards and say to me, "Hey, I want to let you know that I came expecting this to be another IceCapades or something that I wasn't really expecting to enjoy. I had a great time. I laughed. I was surprised that I laughed. I knew the story, but things happened that I wasn't expecting to happen. I am really glad that I came!"

I understand you have your own fairy tale going on. Tell me about your special relationship with a cast member.

My wife and I met doing a production of the SOUND OF MUSIC six summers ago. We have been together since then, but we haven't had the same job. As actors, when you have different jobs, that means working in different cities, so we've spent a lot of time apart. For us to get not only a job in the same city, but in every city together...before we even got married, it was a dream come true and we've been incredibly supported by this company. It has been a true fairy tale for the two of us. She has played the role of Cinderella almost a 100 times now, so I've gotten down on one knee many, many times before I actually proposed to her. It is unspeakably wonderful to not only work with the love of your life, but to get to play this love story...this love at first sight... this story where two people make each other better and have fun together and literally change the world by being kind and finding each other. Working on that story together has been wonderful as friends and as husband and wife. It's been a true fairy tale.

Your whole life sounds like a bit of a fairy tale.

I've been very fortuitous. Something that I'd wanted to do as a kid, I've been able to pursue and able to find my wife and work together, and a lot of magical things have happened. I have no idea what's to come next, but I'm looking forward to it. And I'm looking forward to coming to Omaha!

How did you get into the business?

I have been hooked on this forever. I got a Bachelors of Fine Arts from University of Michigan. I moved to New York, and for the past five years I've been doing various things around the country. I made my Broadway debut in the original company of CINDERELLA three years ago. I was the understudy for Prince Topher and --this is also kind of interesting, our Price Topher of the original company was Santino Fontana--he was also the voice of Hans of FROZEN. And that came out while we were on Broadway. He had to be away from the show from time to time to promote the movie or record some voiceovers. When he was out, the producers were able to see me perform the role of Prince Topher, so that's how I got this opportunity. It's been magical.

University of Michigan has a high success rate for Broadway, doesn't it?

Yeah, it's one of the top schools in the country. I chose the University of Michigan because of its incredible theater training within one of the largest liberal arts universities in the country. We actually were just in Detroit the past two weeks and everyone went to the campus. Your college years are such formative years. It's overwhelming to think of all the changes that happen from 18 and 21, even without a sort of guidance or education. I feel really lucky that I spent those years at Michigan. We have a lot of graduates in the show, as well. Two of my college roommates are also on the tour with me. The tour is closing in May. It will be good to work on something new and get back to the city and to our apartment there, but this experience really has been almost an extension of college. I'm living and touring and working with my wife. I have all of these new friends that I've made in the show, but I'm also working and living in various apartments and hotels around the country with two of my college roommates. The stars have aligned.

What's your favorite part of the show?

My favorite part of the whole show is when Cinderella transforms from a peasant into the beautiful princess. Technically speaking, you're seeing someone spin around, they don't go behind anything, they're just in the middle of the stage and all of a sudden the dress transforms. I think the reason it's so exciting in the show is that it's not just a moment in a magic act where all of a sudden something impossible happens and everyone claps and that's incredible. It's a moment in the show where this girl who is so good to the people around her finally gets the opportunity to grow into who she's meant to be. Her clothes finally look like how she treats everyone. She is literally a princess wearing peasant clothes. To see her transform, both figuratively and literally, right in front of you is overwhelming. It defies logic to see these dresses transform. And it's all the more special because it means something to these characters.

A question from my Facebook friends was "have you experienced any negativity" in your path to Broadway?

Well, funny enough, my parents were incredibly supportive. All of my friends have been supportive. I am one of the lucky few who has had unflinching support through my unconventional decision to go and join the circus, so to speak. Kind of the only thing to get in my way or the words of discouragement that I've received have been from myself. Whether it was inadequacy or fear of not knowing what the future holds, it's something that I'm still learning about and working on. No one knows what the future holds. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. As an actor you have no choice. When you are on tour, you are in a different city every week. As an actor you go from job to job. We never know what the next couple of years are going to look like. That is hard, but I think it's also a gift that we're given. No one knows what the next couple of years will look like; people just think that they do. For us, we have no choice but to accept this this moment as fleeting and special.

You sound like you really are Prince Topher! It's a perfect fit.

Photo Credit (Andy Huntington Jones with Kaitlyn Davidson): Carol Rosegg

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