Review: Have a Ball At CINDERELLA At Broadway At Music Circus

Cinderella - it’s a tale as old as time. Oh wait, wrong show. It’s pretty close, though. The story has roots as far back as 200 B.C. in Egypt, but the most well-known version dates to the 17th century, which is the one made famous by Disney in 1950. Broadway at Music Circus is showcasing a new adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella that features a revised book by Douglas Carter Beane. Originally made for television in 1957, Beane’s vision strays from that by incorporating modern elements that appeal to an evolving society while keeping some of the old fairytale flavor. Modern Cinderella opened on Broadway in 2013, the first time ever for any rendition of that title, and ran for two years. Now, it’s here to continue Broadway at Music Circus’ streak of being the place to be in the summer since 1951.

This is not your mother’s Cinderella (or mine), and that’s what makes this production so special. There is still plenty of the starstruck love story left intact to appeal to traditionalists and make little princesses happy, but it gets just enough of a facelift to appeal to a world that has made a lot of progress since the 1950s. (Cinder)Ella is still oppressed and working her fingers to the bone for her cruel stepmother. Her stepsisters, Gabrielle and Charlotte, are spoiled, lazy, and entitled. That is, until Gabrielle meets Jean-Michel, a portly revolutionary who captures her heart with the promise of a date to a soup kitchen. When the prince announces that he will be having a ball in the hopes of finding a wife, Ella longs to attend. Spurned by her stepmother, she is left alone in disappointment until Marie, the crazy homeless woman-turned-fairy godmother, comes to her rescue. In a few magical turns, Ella is transformed. Her rags are now a beautiful gown, her mice are majestic horses, and her woodland friends are coachmen. When she gets to the ball, Prince Topher’s greedy assistant, Sebastian, suggests a roasting session. Ella responds to insults hurled at her with kindness, impressing the prince and confusing everyone else at the ball. Good times can’t last forever, though, and the clock strikes midnight, sending Ella away in a panic. This time, there is no glass slipper left behind, so how will the prince find Ella? His solution is to announce a grand banquet, with every maiden in the kingdom ordered to come; however, an invitation is needed, and Ella doesn’t have one. Cue Marie again, another magical transformation, and a new cause for social justice to spur her to action. Backed by Jean-Michel and Gabrielle, she returns to the castle and reveals herself to the prince, only to be foiled again by the stroke of midnight. This time, she does leave her slipper behind – on purpose – effectively making sure he has a way to find her and taking control of her destiny (kind of).

Opulent scenic design by Martin Flynn and breathtaking costumes by Mary Folino highlight an all-star cast led by Kathryn Brunner as Ella and Brent Thiessen as Prince Topher. Brunner’s kind and gentle demeanor belie powerhouse vocals and complement Thiessen’s charming naivete and earnest desire to do good. Rebecca Robbins makes her Broadway at Music Circus debut as the fairy godmother Marie and is enchanting in her teal and black confection as she tells us, “You’d be surprised how many beautiful gowns have crazy women in them.” Kelley Dorney’s Gabrielle and Jared Gertner’s Jean-Michel win the cutest couple award as they fight tyranny and learn to use their voices to affect change. Brittney Mack, alumnus of the original Broadway cast of Six, is hilariously obtuse and unwaveringly salty as the brash stepsister Charlotte. My favorite character is actually one of the most repulsive: the opportunistically despotic Sebastian, who takes advantage of Prince Topher’s trust in the worst ways. However, Stuart Marland’s slimy Sebastian is also the funniest addition to the script, with deadpan suggestions such as, “You are going to give her some of your things, so she doesn’t start a revolution and take all of your things.” The rich, velvety voice of Phumzile Sojola’s Lord Pinkleton and Terry Burrell’s deliciously evil Madame round out the principals of this must-see show, while an energetic ensemble effortlessly backs them up with athletically mesmerizing choreography by Gerry McIntyre.

Old favorites are given new life, such as “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible,” “It’s Possible,” and “The Stepsister’s Lament.” This beautiful production not only delights in nostalgia, it also breathes progress and power. It’s an uplifting, hopeful, and magical lesson in kindness, compassion, and perseverance.

Cinderella plays at Broadway at Music Circus through July 2. More information and tickets may be found online at BroadwaySacramento.com, by phone at (916) 557-1999, or in person at the Box Office at 1419 H Street in Sacramento.

Photo Credit: Charr Crail

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