Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA is Coming to Melbourne Next Year

Lyndon Terracini for Opera Australia and John Frost for Crossroads Live today announced that the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella will play at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from 20 May next year, and at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 23 October.

Leading the cast of this lavish production will be Shubshri Kandiah (Aladdin, Fangirls) as Ella (Cinderella); Ainsley Melham (Merrily We Roll Along, Aladdin) as Prince Topher; Silvie Paladino (Mamma Mia!, Les Misérables) as Marie, the Fairy Godmother; Tina Bursill (TV's Doctor Doctor, Wentworth) as Madame, Ella's stepmother, and Todd McKenney (The Boy From Oz, Shrek) as the Lord Chancellor, Sebastian.

Daniel Belle (My Fair Lady, Les Misérables) will play Lord Pinkleton, the second-in-command in the Royal household, while Josh Gardiner (Billy Elliot, Rent) is Jean-Michel, the poor revolutionary who is in love with Gabrielle. Completing the cast will be William Brougham, Mackenzie Dunn, Danielle Evrat, Luke Haberecht, Matthew Jenson, Lauren Jimmieson, Leah Lim, Rubin Matters, Joshua Russell, Greta Sherriff, Lewis Shilvock, Suzanne Steele, Tom Struik, Daniel Szesiong Todd, Alexis van Maanen, Dean Vince, Daniel Wijngaarden, Erica Wild and Emily Wood.

John Frost and Lyndon Terracini are delighted to finally bring to the Australian stage one of the most beautiful musicals of all time. "We're so excited to announce the dates for the Premiere of this Broadway favourite. Cinderella is one of Rodgers & Hammerstein's greatest scores and this production with beautiful orchestrations, magnificent costumes and sets, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love from the classic story, will have audiences clamouring for more.

"We're also thrilled with our outstanding cast led by Shubshri, Ainsley, Silvie, Tina and Todd, and know that they are going to relish bringing this much-loved story to life. Audiences will be enchanted by this glorious and uplifting musical. Rush to get a ticket!"

Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the production of Cinderella in Sydney would give the state's visitor economy a welcome boost by creating jobs and bringing visitors to the Harbour City.

"Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella is a spectacular modern adaptation of a much-loved favourite and will appeal to many audiences, from young fans to seasoned theatre-goers, who will enjoy the magic of much loved classic with a contemporary twist," he said.

"The NSW Government is delighted to support Cinderella in Sydney, as we know events like this help to turbocharge our visitor economy by creating job opportunities for cast and crew, enticing theatre-goers to visit our city to stay in our hotels, visit our attractions and spend locally, and they add to our cultural richness, supporting our goal to cement Sydney as the cultural capital of Australia. We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to Sydney to see this classic tale with a modern twist come to life on the stage in 2022," Mr Ayres said.

With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella combines the story's classic elements - the glass slippers, pumpkin, a beautiful masked ball and more - along with some surprising twists. More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size, this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. A spirited young woman with savvy and soul, she not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realise his dreams too.

One of Rodgers & Hammerstein's most popular titles, Cinderella was written for television, debuting in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance. More than 100 million viewers saw the broadcast, more people than any other program in the history of television at the time. Cinderella was re-made for television in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren in the title role, Ginger Rogers and Walter Pidgeon as the King and Queen, and Celeste Holm as the Fairy Godmother. A further television remake followed in 1997 with Brandy as Cinderella, Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother, Bernadette Peters as the Stepmother, Whoopi Goldberg as the Queen and Jason Alexander as Lionel.

The stage version of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella made its long-awaited Broadway debut in January 2013, featuring a new book by Douglas Carter Beane and direction by Mark Brokaw, and it ran for two years. Mr Beane's book blends masterfully with the musical's cherished score, with songs including In My Own Little Corner, Impossible/It's Possible, Ten Minutes Ago and Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?

Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella is a romantic and exciting experience for anyone who's ever had a dream. Waitlist now to be the first to buy tickets at www.cinderellamusical.com.au.

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