Cinderella

Playing at the Broadway Theatre located at 1681 Broadway at 53rd street. It runs for two hours and fifteen minutes with one intermission. This is an open ended run.

Cinderella is the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical written for television. It was broadcast live on CBS on March 31, 1957. Julie Andrews played the title role. The musical was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Single Performance, Julie Andrews and Best Musical Contribution for Television, Richard Rogers (musical score). It was remade for television twice, 1965 (Lesley Ann Warren) and 1997 (Brandy). In 1977 it won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction.

This production there is a new book version by Douglas Carter Beane.

The musical has never played on Broadway.

Laura Osnes was nominated for a Tony award in 2012 for “Bonnie and Clyde”.

Santino Fontana won a Drama Desk Award in 2010 for “In the heights”.

Victoria Clark won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Joseph Jefferson Award in 2005 for “The Light in the Piazza”. She nominated for a Tony Award in 2011 for “Sister Act”.

Harriet Harris won a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award in 2002 for “Thoroughly Modern Millie”. She is known for her television roles in “Frasier” (Bebe Glazer) and “Desperate Housewives” (Felicia Tilman).

Douglas Carter Beane was nominated in 2012 for a Tony Award (Best Book of a Musical) and Drama Desk Award (outstanding book) for “Lysistrata Jones”, 2011 for a Tony Award “Sister Act” (Best Book of a Musical) and 2008 for a Tony Award “Xanadu” (Best Book of a Musical). He won a Drama Desk Award in 2008 for “Xanadu”.

Mark Brokaw won the Drama Desk Award, Obie and Lucille Lortel Award for outstanding director in 1997 for “How I Learn to Drive”.

Anna Louizos was nominated for a Tony Award for scenic design in 2008 for “In the Heights” and 2007 for “High Fidelity”.

The story opens in the forest and Ella (Laura Osnes) is picking flowers. Topher, the Prince (Santino Fontana) is slaying a giant monster.

Cinderella (Ella) mean step mother Madame (Harriet Harris) and her two daughters Charlotte (Ann Harada) and Gabrielle (Marla Mindelle)are treated royally by their mother. Ella is considered a servant. They are living in her father’s house. Madame said she married him for his money.

In the meantime Topher is just drifting. His adviser Sebastian (Peter Bartlett) is running the kingdom to the ground.

Anna wants to marry the Prince. Gabrielle loves Jean-Michel (Greg Hildreth) the activist.

A ball is held were the Prince meets Cinderella and is smitten. However Cinderella can only stay untill midnight. Marie (Victoria Clark) the good fairy set a time limit. She has to get back otherwise everything will turn back into what there were before. The coach men turn back to a fox and raccoon.

The Prince says he will hold a banquet and Cinderella will have to show up. Again she can only stay till midnight. This time she drops her slipper.

The rest is history. They live happily ever after. Well we hope so.

This is an entertaining show.

The set is fantastic. Costumes are colorful and great. It’s amazing how Cinderella is poorly dressed one minute and the next she swirls around and poof her dress is beautiful, how magical.

I love the scene where Cinderella coach disappears and her coach men become a raccoon and fox being chased by the prince’s men. They are in human form with tails. The coach Cinderella and the Prince ride in are realistic and well done.

Laura Osnes, Victoria Clark, Peter Bartlett and Harriet Harris are remarkable in their roles. Each one shines in their scenes they are in. Ann Harada performance is great . She steals the scene she is so funny.

No matter what age you will enjoy this fairy tale. Even if you know the story you will still marvel at this wonderful production.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for recent photos. Click on recent photos for this and other shows.