BWW Discussion: BWW Orlando Editors Discuss Beautiful CINDERELLA at Dr. Phillips Center
By: Matt Tamanini Nov. 12, 2015
On Tuesday night, RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA opened a week-long stint at Orlando's Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Running through Sunday, I was fortunate enough to attend the tour stop's opening night, as was fellow BWW Orlando editor Kimberly Moy. As we did when we discussed THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, first show of the 2014-2015 Orlando Broadway Series, today we had a back-and-forth conversation about CINDERELLA, which you can check out below. As you will see, I tend to look at shows from a more historical and critical point of view, while Kim is an admitted fan girl, not only about CINDERELLA, but about PHANTOM as well.
Moy: I do not know what my expectations were for CINDERELLA, but I know that the touring production that's part of Dr. Phillip Center's Broadway season absolutely exceeded my expectations. So my first exposure to the music of CINDERELLA by Rodgers and Hammerstein was actually in middle school. CINDERELLA was the first performing experience I ever had, but I forgot about all that until I watched the 2013 Tony Awards. Sadly, I never saw the production in New York, but like many regional fans obsessed over the soundtrack.
Tamanini: First off, a Broadway show has a cast recording, a filmed musical has a soundtrack. Secondly, I grew up watching the 1965 Lesley Ann Warren and Stuart Damon-led TV version. That was, and still is, my mom's favorite musical. So, I've known that version of the score for nearly 30 years. I also saw a production in Atlanta a few years before the Broadway version kind of made the old script obsolete.
Of course when the other-worldly perfect Laura Osnes was cast in the Broadway adaptation, I immediately realized that this was a project to take seriously. Then by including Broadway greats like Victoria Clark, Harriet Harris, and Ann Harada, that only cemented it. I knew when Douglas Carter Beane was announced as the new bookwriter that this wasn't going to be the old, stodgy R&H CINDERELLA. From his work on LYSISTRATA JONES (starring BroadwayWorld's resident BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE expert Patti Murin), I knew he would be able to take an old-fashioned story and put a modern, comedic twist on it.
Moy: The show was a lot funnier than I expected. I also do not remember the underlying political plot, or the step-sister plot from the middle school production I was in. I think that these elements made the show stronger, and allowed for a lot more character development.
Tamanini: That's correct, those were completely created for the new Broadway version. In fact, other than the basic Cinderella plot, and the part where Cinderella gives the Prince water, pretty much every other plot point is new. Overall, all of the characters were much more well-rounded and sympathetic. As I said in my review, both Cinderella and Prince Topher had far more modern feels than they ever had in the older versions.
Moy: After interviewing Andy Huntington Jones (read Kim's interview here), I decided that I couldn't wait to see him perform as Prince Topher. The character truly suits his personality. So often in things involving a prince, he is portrayed as solid and manly, but this prince is kind and dreamy.
Tamanini: Prince Dreamy? Like a medieval GREY'S ANATOMY? It's true though. He was much more of a dork than princes normally are, and I mean that in a good way, as a fellow dork.
To be honest, I saw a lot of the original Prince Topher, Santino Fontana, in him. I didn't know much about Fontana before he was cast in this show, but he has become one of my favorite actors (check out my interview with the FROZEN and CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND Tony nominee from last week). Anytime someone is involved in creating a role, it's natural for his or her imprint to be left on the character. So whether it was having understudied Fontana on Broadway, or having been in the room as he help mold the character, Jones seemed very much like an extension of Santino's Topher.
While I thought Davidson shared some qualities with Osnes, including looking a bit like her, she seemed to be a little bit more unique from the Broadway original, not that I thought either she or Jones was bad in the their roles.
Moy: I adored Kaitlyn Davidson as Cinderella. She has that sweet ingénue voice that embodies Cinderella, but also that backbone that makes her a great role-model character. I keep fan-girling on those costume changes. I feel like if that were me, I'd need weeks just to rehearse those moments and still end up naked on stage after unbuttoning something. Kaitlyn made it look easy and didn't miss a beat. I loved that look of wonder and disbelief during "Impossible." I also noticed that Kaitlyn is a fabulous dancer. I spoke with her after the show, and she came up through the ensemble, so it makes sense that she knew the choreography inside and out.
Tamanini: Yep, she started in the show's ensemble on Broadway and until a month ago was playing step-sister Gabrielle on the tour. She was fabulous though. I was sitting a little closer than you were, but off to the side, so I noticed a few minor hiccups with her magic costume changes, but nothing that detracted from how spectacular they were.
I was pretty down on the recent live-action CINDERELLA, because I thought it gave off a terrible message about the way someone should handle being the victim of abuse, so it was refreshing to see a Cinderella take control of her own destiny. Obviously much of that has to do with Beane's new book, but a lot of it was also Davidson. She was able to maintain the naive, doe-eyed sense of wonder the character always has, but she also gave her a palpable desire to do the right thing. I thought she was a wonderfully compelling character.
I think the changes to both her and the Prince made for a much more believable romance as well.
Moy: Those moments where Ella and Topher interact are what love stories are made of. Aside from already shaking from the costume change, I got goosebumps watching the pair sing my favorite songs "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?," "Loneliness of Evening," and "Ten Minutes Ago." My CINDERELLA experience was very visceral, which I can say hasn't happened to me in a while.
Tamanini: Having sat next to you at PHANTOM last year, I am kind of scared as to what one of your more visceral reactions looks like.
While I wasn't openly weeping or anything like that, I did appreciate the more human, realistic emotions in this CINDERELLA. Normally, we are supposed to believe that they fell in love at first sight, which is fine, but it gets old. While this Cinderella and Prince had elements of that, they also had opportunities to get to know each other and to develop an actual relationship. I appreciated that.
But, I also think that the rest of the cast was great as well in terms of creating sympathetic characters. I actually found myself liking just about everybody at one point or another, even the villains.
Moy: I probably connected most with Crazy Marie (Liz McCartney) and Gabrielle (Kimberly Fauré). Fun fact, Liz McCartney was one of my favorite Carlottas in PHANTOM circa 1999. Both characters' goofy personalities and more sympathetic moments that served as catalysts for change had me rooting for them.
Tamanini: It always comes back to PHANTOM with you, doesn't it? I really liked Fauré's Gabrielle too. She actually reminded me of Riki Lindhome, who starred in J.J. Abrams' MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and is one half of the hilarious comedy music group Garfunkel and Oates.
Fauré was sweet, smart, and funny, something that the step-sisters don't often get the chance to be. However, I also loved Blake Hammond as advisor Sebastian. If you are unfamiliar with Hammond, he's been in nine Broadway shows, and is hysterical on the cast recording of FIRST DATE.
While I felt like things weren't as tight as they could have been at times, perhaps because of the recent cast changes, there really wasn't a weak link in the bunch; character, singing, dancing they were all extremely talented.
Moy: The choreography was good. I was so in love with the colorful ball gowns and the whole scenic design that I was totally whisked away. Everyone in the company had great energy, maybe because it was opening night with a great audience. I loved Lord Pinkleton (Chauncey Packer). He was probably the funniest character, and took his role interpretation to connect with this modern day audience.
Tamanini: Yea, he was great; a really incredible voice.
Moy: Ok, now I'm upset because I will only see this show five more times before it leaves. Not kidding, because I talked about it this morning to everyone, but I REALLY want to see Audrey (Cardwell, Ella's understudy and Jones' real-life wife) as Cinderella, and yesterday she told me she isn't scheduled. Oh, the humanity!
Tamanini: First, you are a crazy person. I know you enjoy ushering at Dr. Phillips, but this could be excessive. Second, looks like you need to find a way to get Kaitlyn some bad sushi or something at some point
Moy: Well, I may have said to Audrey, "Oh that's too bad. Who do I have to push down a flight of stairs?"
Tamanini: Way to keep it classy Kimmy.
Moy: The only thing that detracted from my enjoyment of the show, and I find this happens with popular musicals, is when fellow audience members feel the need to sing along. I was quite annoyed at my neighbor in row K seat 109 who sang the entire show. She was so distracting and terribly off-key. My sideways glances and straight up stares did nothing. Therefore, PSA to the world: I know that the music is incredible, but keep the singing to your car. People do not pay to hear you sing, and if they did, you'd be on the stage. End rant.
Tamanini: As I drove to the theatre with my mom, there was no chance she was letting me take anyone but her to this show, we listened to the 1965 soundtrack (and it was on TV, so it is a soundtrack), and she sang almost the whole thing, but she promised not to sing during the show. Thanks mom.
Join our discussion about CINDERELLA in the comments below, or by "Liking" and following BWW Orlando on Facebook and Twitter. You can also chat with me about the show on Twitter @BWWMatt. If you want to follow along with my "366 in 366" articles, you can check out #BWW366in366 on Twitter.
Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg
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