Interview: Spotlight on Hayden Stanes of Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA

Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, the smash-hit musical, arrived in Madison at the Overture Center for the Arts on Tuesday, October 6th. Hayden Stanes (whose recent credits include Disney Cruise lines.) plays the role of Prince Topher, the dashing and charismatic prince who woos Cinderella. Stanes spoke with me recently about landing this dream role and the new twists to this age-old classic that have made it a delight for all audiences.

Congratulations on your first national tour. Please tell me a little bit about landing this great role.

I actually had a bit of a crazy day on the last call back. I'm originally from Australia and I was going back for my brother's wedding until my agency called and said, "The creative team is heavily considering you, but they need to see you along with other people called back for the same role. Are you leaving?"

So I looked, it cost a little extra money to reschedule my flight. The callback was in Midtown Manhattan. I figured out, time wise, that the last minute I could be there was 3 p.m. on the dot, and sure enough, that final callback went all the way up to it. I went to them and said, "It was really lovely meeting you, I had a lot of fun today, but I've got to go." The creative team was very understanding, which was amazing.

I'm running out of the audition room, with a giant suitcase for my three-week trip to Australia, and down 8th Avenue to Penn Station in my jazz shoes to catch a train for Newark. It was crazy.

The minute the plane was about to take off from Los Angeles to Sydney, my agency texted, "It all paid off!" I was already strapped into my seat on the plane. I said, "I have to go. I've got an international flight, and I'm going to be on it for the next 14 hours." I turned off my phone and silently screamed. Once I landed in Australia I got to tell my family all in person, which was really amazing.

There are so many iconic songs in CINDERELLA. Is there a musical number in the show that stands out to you?

I love the song Music in You. My dear friend, Leslie, is incredible with it. She will break your heart and put it back together. She has a beautiful voice and the song happens when Cinderella is at her worst. It's definitely a moment when you're in the audience watching and you're thinking she might just give up here, and the song has such powerful lyric and is beautifully written. The message connects with me as well, just listening to that inner spirit in times of need is really important and it's important to be able to recognize when that music in you is speaking up; don't be afraid to listen to it

I understand the show has been updated with some new twists. What can you tell me about that?

There's a lot of that classic story that we've all grown to love, particularly in the score, it's all still Rodgers and Hammerstein, the stuff that was made for the TV version and also pieces that were taken from other scores and other Rodgers and Hammerstein classics like South Pacific. They've brought it all into this show with a renewed script.

It does have many contemporary references, and the way it's written still has that classic feel. It is pertinent to our humor now in 2016 and also our values, whether it be for finding love, of course, but also holding onto love and holding onto relationships.

Also that political side to it, too, that does add an interesting twist. That there is this drive to want to make the world a better place. And the characters find out how each one of themselves can achieve that. It's inspirational because I think audiences will be able to connect to all the characters in a different way and watch their journey and maybe take parts of their journey and be like, oh yeah, that reminds me of what's going on in my life right now.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA will run at Overture Center for the Arts from Tuesday, October 4, through Sunday, Oct 9. Tickets can be purchased at overturecenter.org, in person at the ticket office or by phone at 608.258.4141.

With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, this hilarious and romantic Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA combines the story's classic elements - glass slippers, pumpkin, and a beautiful ball 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. She is a spirited young woman with savvy and soul who doesn't let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. She longs to escape the drudgery of her work at home and instead work to make the world a better place. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams too.

One of Rodgers + Hammerstein's most popular titles, Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA was written for television -- debuting in 1957 starring Julie Andrews. In 2013, the show made its long-overdue Broadway debut. Along with CINDERELLA, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's legendary musicals include OKLAHOMA!, Carousel, The King and I, South Pacificand The Sound of Music.

Mr. Douglas Carter Beane's book for Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA 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?"

Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, ten resident companies, and hundreds of local artists engage nearly half a million people in educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture.org

Photo: Hayden Stanes and Tatyana Lubov

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