Carol Rosegg
Tatyana Lubov and Hayden Stanes in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA.
Cinderella and her Venetian glass slippers waltzed their way into Overture Hall on Oct. 4, in only the second week of a yearlong international tour. The musical, by legendary theater duo Rodgers & Hammerstein, has been updated with a modernized book, some additional characters, new plot twists and makeovers for many of the main players. It gives audiences more substance to go along with the traditional pumpkin coach and handsome prince in the classic fairytale. The result is completely delightful — a charming version that skips the clichés but keeps the magic.
There are a lot of reasons to like this production. Here are my top five:
1. The music. Cinderella’s rich score has plenty of tunes you can sing along to — or hum on your way out of the theater. The music features grand orchestrations and soaring melodies like the ones in the Broadway classics Oklahoma!, The Sound of Music and Carousel, infusing the story with beautiful duets, inspiring anthems and energetic chorus numbers. Several cast members with backgrounds in opera elevate their songs even further.
2. The stagecraft. The set pieces, costumes and effects are visually stunning: forests that look like they were lifted from a richly illustrated first edition of Grimm’s fairy tales; castle arches and medieval draperies that descend effortlessly; a golden coach lit from within by hundreds of tiny white lights; clothing that transforms from rags to spectacular gowns with a twirl.
3. The characters. Far from the stiff, one-dimensional heroes, beautiful helpless maidens in distress and haggard, evil witches, the characters in Cinderella are a bit more complicated and contemporary, thanks to an updated book by Douglas Carter Beane. Modern but not cynical, a fresh interpretation instead of a completely revisionist version, the changes make the story accessible and entertaining for audience members of any age.
For example, Topher (the princely Hayden Stanes) is charming and naïve as he searches for a purpose greater than slaying dragons. Marie (a stunning Leslie Jackson) isn’t just a sparkly fairy godmother; she tests people’s humanity by wandering the world as a beggar woman. Gabrielle (an awkward, rather than ugly, stepsister, played by Mimi Robinson) isn’t a cruel reflection of her mother; she’s a girl in love with a nerdy idealist agitating for social change (Chris Woods as Jean-Michel). And, of course, Cinderella (confident Tatyana Lubov) herself isn’t just a scullery maid with an overbearing stepmother; she’s a kind young woman who believes she can “go wherever she wants to go, do whatever she wants to do and be whatever she wants to be.” In short, this is a self-actualized princess that parents won’t feel conflicted about introducing their daughters to.
4. The choreography. Josh Rhodes (Broadway choreographer) and Lee Wilkins (tour choreographer) translated the elegance of the classic love story and the romanticism of the fairytale kingdom into the leaps, spins and lifts of a pas de deux. The ballet-trained ensemble performs intricate numbers with exceptional grace. And reminiscent of the “Shall We Dance?” waltz from The King and I, the women’s voluminous skirts are used to great advantage in the ball scenes.
5. The real Cinderella story. For me, and many in the audience on the first night of the Overture run, there was a parallel story presented onstage: a local girl from a small town went to New York and made it big. Tatyana Lubov appeared on many area stages before winning the lead in this national tour. But her delicate, clear singing voice and her flawless portrayal of the spunky heroine prove that she has the talent to pursue a career onstage that will take her far away from her Madison roots. Now that’s a happy beginning.
