Cinderella Final Week of Previews

[Up In One]

I've been following the posts all thru Cinderellas previews and went tonite with some trepidation. I felt after a questionable first thirty minutes the thing really took off tonite. So many of the things discussed or described here are gone and it didnt feel like any of the songs were shoe horned into the Cinderella story from R&H's trunk. The second act is now all about the Prince & Cinderella. An election is declared but Harriet Harris doesn't break a tie. We segue from the dinner to the wedding with an assuption that the revolutionary was elected Prime Minister by the clothing he arrives in to attend the wedding. I found the show touching and very moving. I loved the scenes around the glass slippers and especially loved when Cinderella leaves the slipper purposely as the only way for him to find her. I went in with negative expectations and came out totally enjoying it and tearing up over the love story. Go figure.

[bwayphreak234]

How were the transformations done for the costumes? Especially from rags to the ball gown (I tried to PM you, but you don't accept PMs)

[RaisedOnMusicals]

.
Phreak, I replied to your PM.

[finebydesign]

Press will be there tonight...show must be pretty locked.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Wow, finebydesign resurfaces after months of predicting doom and gloom for Cinderella prior to previews, and then silence.

[Up In One]

The transformations were nothing special, they pull your focus so you don't really catch all of the steps but it looked like Cinderella gets pushed or sucked into a tree at the side of the stage and into her white ball gown. She had a little trouble fastening the waist last night. The pumpkin is sitting on top of a low wall of stone and kind of pops out of a boxy thing. The horses are rolled on. The fairy godmother who plays the beggar woman from Sweeney Todd in the early scenes has a transformation from under the cloak she borrowed from the Witch in Into The Woods. Her dress has some type of spring loaded dirigibles which expanded when she took off the cloak. Post transformation it was a weird looking thing and the horn like flourishes in her hair made it look weirder. It's all a low tech affair compared to what we are used to seeing in these modern times. But I bought into this being your grandma's musical so the sets and costumes all had that slightly musty look. I would not call any of it sharp. It was an historical pageant slightly updated for our current tastes but in no way a modern production. It smelled like a revival. I loved it though, faults and all - its what it must have been like to see a show in the 40's or 50's. I hope that was on purpose. Because I usually love William Ivey Long's taste.

[ajh]

I saw the Saturday Matinee and the show seemed 100% ready to me; I had an absolute Ball (pun intended). I thought the new Book was sweet, funny and didn't belabour the politics, the songs fitted perfectly (the orchestra and choral singing sounded positively lush by modern standards) and the transformations, sets and costumes were all lovely (the fact that I had seen the misconceived Annie the night before may have cast a rosy glow over everything, I will admit).
The cast couldn't be better imho: Laura Osnes is a dream as Cinderella: angelic-voiced, warm, lovable and soooo beautiful; Santino Fontana makes an adorable Prince, not text-book handsome but warmly appealing, very funny and another terrific voice. Victoria Clark (her transformed costume IS weird though with those balloon-things on the sides), Harriet Harris, Ann Harada and Marla Mindelle are all excellent and get their moments to shine.
I felt this is a show for which the word "enchanting" could've been invented. The adults and kids around me seemed to be similarly enraptured. There was a real buzz in there. Really hoping it's a big big hit. Glorious.

[lachlanw88]

I saw it last night, great seats in the 7th row centre.
I loved it thought it was wonderful, I see many many musicals and I loved the score and cast, not to many big effects but doesn't really need it, I hope this does well and think it is very ready for opening on Sunday, only a couple of very minor things and a couple of lines that lagged otherwise it is worth seeing and I would see this again if I could!

[theatergeek3]

I also saw it last night. Douglas Carter Beane's changes to the book were really awkward though. I think they should have just left it as is. @BroadwayPhreak234-When Laura changed into her ballgown she wrapped around this tree onstage & just changed.
I enjoyed the show though. I wouldn't say it was my favorite but it was very good & of course the music was fantastic. Does anyone know if it will fall into the revival or original category for the Tony's? 'Cause this is the first time it's been on Bway but the music hasn't changed from the TV special. Maybe they will be in revival for music & original for everything else...

[jacobsnchz14]

More than likely, it will be considered a revival. What happened for the forty Broadway production of LITTLE SHOP with Hunter Foster and Kerry Butler. Beane's book would probably be eligible though.