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FLASH FRIDAY: PRETTY WOMAN! A Cavalcade Of Charming Cinderella Stories - Rodgers & Hammerstein, Disney, Kenneth Branagh, INTO THE WOODS, EVER AFTER & Beyond

By: Mar. 27, 2015
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Today we are celebrating the many stage and screen iterations of CINDERELLA.

On The Steps Of The Palace

The story of an impoverished girl with a heart of gold saddled with a wicked stepmother and evil stepsisters who is granted a brief reprieve from her dirty daily doldrums via a magical fairy godmother who transforms her into a glamorous debutante and grants her the means by which to attend a gala royal ball - with Prince Charming himself in attendance, no less - has been told countless times over the centuries, in any number of effective and entertaining manners. Of course, French storyteller Charles Perrault's original iteration of the scenario came first in 1697, although an earlier version of a somewhat similar story appears several decades earlier by the pen of Giambattista Basile. Then, the Brothers Grimm captured lightning in a bottle all over again with their telling of the Perrault tale more than a century later. The rest, they say, is history. The stage and screen adaptations of CINDERELLA are fascinating and illuminating to compare and contrast - Rodgers & Hammerstein's version alone has enjoyed at least five major productions between the 1950s and 1960s TV versions as well as the star-studded late-90s TV film starring Brandy and Whitney Houston, not to mention the successful recent New York City Opera mounting and the subsequent Broadway adaptation that recently closed after playing nearly 800 performances, now poised to embark on a national tour. For each new generation there seems to be desire to experience a new CINDERELLA - or, more often than not, several.

Looking back at the dense history of CINDERELLA onstage and onscreen, ballet and classic music-based interpretations of the classic can be found in the hallowed canons of Rossini, Pavesi and Prokofiev, to name but a few, while cinematic visionary Georges Melies made a mark in the early silent film era with CENDRILLION, with screen icon Mary Pickford starring in an American silent film version of the fairy tale a little over a decade later, in 1914. Soon thereafter, Elmer Fudd made a preliminary onscreen appearance in CINDERELLA MEETS FELLA as part of MERRY MELODIES and Walt Disney gave his first go at the story with a Laugh-O-Gram short film in 1922. The 1930s welcomed another musical adaptation of the Perrault original with FIRST LOVE starring Deanna Durbin and Robert Stack, as well as the gender-bending stage musical MR. CINDERS achieving success across the pond to such an extent as to inspire a filming of the production that same decade. Famously, the 1950s kicked off with Walt Disney's iconic animated movie musical CINDERELLA, and, later in the decade, an original TV musical was created by the legendary songwriting team of Rodgers & Hammerstein for a live presentation of their go at CINDERELLA, starring Julie Andrews. After that, the 1960s saw CINDERELLA hit the small screen once again in an entirely new production led by Lesley Ann Warren, with Off-Broadway musical CINDY finding an audience during the same timeframe, plus the titular leading lady at last met the Muppets in the TV special HEY, CINDERELLA! at the end of the decade. In the 1970s, The Sherman Brothers gave their own spin on the classic fairy tale with THE SLIPPER & THE ROSE, which was followed by 1978's predominantly African American reworking of the tale for TV musical CINDY starring Charlayne Woodard and Nell Carter and scripted by no less than James L. Brooks.

In the modern era, CINDERELLA has been treated similarly grand with Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine making her an elemental part of their beloved fairy tale-themed musical INTO THE WOODS - hitting the silver screen with much success late last year showcasing Anna Kendrick and Chris Pine as the unlikely lovers - with the Disney-produced, Kenneth Branagh-directed feature film adaptation of CINDERELLA starring Lily James and Cate Blanchett a current resounding success at the box office, too. Coming up, mainstage musical adaptations of two CINDERELLA-themed properties are set to debut - first, the Paper Mill Playhouse production of EVER AFTER, with songwriters Zina Goldrich & Marcy Heisler's uniquely contemporary take on the material, along with a newly proposed stage version of Garry Marshall's celebrated 1980s comedy classic PRETTY WOMAN, originally starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, announced for the Broadway treatment some season soon, as well. Needless to say, Cinderella may very well be in her "own little corner," but it turns out that it is a particularly popular one, especially these days.

In My Own Little Corner

So, now, let's take look at some of the most memorable and notable CINDERELLA adaptations, old and new.

First, Mary Pickford stars in 1914's silent film CINDERELLA.

Get a gander at MR. CINDERS onstage in its original 1929 staging.

Next, view Walt Disney's first CINDERELLA via this Laugh-O-Gram.

Now, see Walt Disney's iconic 1950 feature film version's trailer.

THE GLASS SLIPPER was another 1950s treatment of CINDERELLA.

Also, Rodgers & Hammerstein gave the world their CINDERELLA in 1957.

Don't miss the 1965 production of R&H's CINDERELLA, as well.

Check out Brandy and Whitney Houston in the 1997 TV musical.

Peruse Laura Osnes and company on the 2013 Tony Awards.

The Muppets meet Cinderella in 1969's HEY, CINDERELLA!

Sample The Sherman Brothers original movie musical THE SLIPPER & THE ROSE, as well.

Sneak a peek at 1978's TV musical CINDY.

Don't miss "On The Steps Of The Palace" from INTO THE WOODS.

EVER AFTER is poised to come to the stage very soon.

Similarly, PRETTY WOMAN may make it to Broadway some season soon, too.

Lastly, check out the trailer for Kenneth Branagh's CINDERELLA.

As a special bonus, hear 110 IN THE SHADE curiosity "Cinderella" featuring Audra McDonald.

What is your absolute favorite take on the classic CINDERELLA story out of all the many adaptations from over the centuries? Furthermore, what is your ideal musical version? With great minds such as Rossini, Prokofiev, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Disney, Sondheim, Brooks, Branagh and beyond having offered up their interpretation of the material in the last century or so, who knows what brilliant new CINDERELLA stories await on the steps of the palace in the future.

Photo Credits: Disney, Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization

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