Review: CINDERELLA at Orlando Repertory Theatre

Sometimes, when the stresses of life get too be too much, nothing soothes the soul more than escaping into a good story. This can be particularly true when that story is one that holds special meaning for you - one you read as a child, or that meant something to someone special. The story of Cinderella is one of those - beloved by children (and adults alike) because it oozes hope, kindness, fantasy, and most importantly love. And in Orlando Repertory Theatre's latest production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA - that magic and wonder comes to life on stage with a brilliance that is sure to thrill theatergoers of all ages.

CINDERELLA at the Orlando Rep begins with a unique, but extremely effective new scene - one of a girl, probably a High School Junior or Senior, weighed down with the stress of her life - classes, tests, what to do after graduation and looming adulthood (with all its baggage). Overwhelmed, she stumbles upon her childhood copy of Cinderella and escapes into that familiar story - tapping into a time in her life when nothing was "impossible." Thus begins the familiar story of Ella (Sarah Anne Mae) called scornfully "Cinderella" by her stepmother, Madame (Tay Anderson) who she lives with along with two stepsisters, Charlotte (Hannah Berry Matthews) and Gabrielle (Clare Lopez), and who all treat her more as servant than daughter/sister. Meanwhile, the royal head of state, Prince Topher (Zoa Glows) is advised by the Lord Protector, Sebastian (Stephen Pugh) that it is time for him to wed and so a ball is planned where Topher will select a bride from all the eligible young women in the kingdom. A dejected Ella, not allowed to attend the ball, soon discovers that Marie (Gail Bartell), the local beggarwoman is actually her Fairy Godmother who, with the wave of her hand, turns a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, cute woodland creatures into a footman and a driver, and produces a gorgeous gown (and Venetian glass slippers) for Ella to wear to the ball. The Prince and Ella meet, dance together and fall in love, only to be interrupted by the stroke of midnight causing Ella to flee before the magic ends. This is where the musical diverges a bit from the classic tale - rather than losing a shoe, Ella keeps them both, triggering the action for the rest of the musical. For this version of the story, there are also some added plotlines including a "revolutionary" Jean-Michel (Jose Rivera) who is protesting the unfair treatment of the poor in the kingdom, and who also happens to be in love with Cinderella's stepsister, Gabrielle. But don't worry, there is still a "Happily Ever After" for our heroine, just one that takes a slightly different route.

Steve MacKinnon's vision for CINDERELLA is fresh, engaging and beautifully realized. His direction is thoughtful and well-executed, keeping the action moving forward (with a magical flair) in a show that when guided by less skilled hands can easily drag. Mr. MacKinnon plays double duty as both Director and Music Director and in the latter role, he guides this extremely talented group of performers into delivering gorgeous group numbers and stirring and beautiful solo pieces as well.

The cast of CINDERELLA is an extremely talented bunch, with each and every one delivering solid performances. As Ella, Sarah Anne Mae, is fantastic. She embodies the character extremely well, making the audience root for her and shows off a beautiful singing voice as well. As Marie, the Fairy Godmother, Gail Bartell is quirky, loveable and delivers her songs quite beautifully. Zoa Glows embodies their Prince Topher with a wide-eyed innocence and loveable nature, while showing off a really nice voice in their songs, especially the favorite, "Ten Minutes Ago." Other standouts for me included the hilarious Hannah Berry Matthews as Charlotte, who had amazing comic timing and garnered many of the laughs for the evening, Dave Sierra, who made me laugh out loud every time he was on stage and Jose Rivera's Jean-Michel who was so energetic and sincere that it was hard to understand why anyone would dislike him. Finally, Tay Anderson's Madame was deliciously evil, especially in her scenes with Stephen Pugh's nefarious Sebastian. The rest of the ensemble is bright eyed, solid-voiced and nimble, a perfect mix for a show like CINDERELLA.

As for the remaining creative team, Myles Thoroughgood's choreography is lovely- with all the ballroom sequences you expect peppered with some acrobatic and athletic numbers as well. Cindy White's scenic design works extremely well with a beautiful marble staircase taking centerstage, framed by other well designed set pieces. Wes Jenkin's costumes are beautiful, especially Cinderella's gowns. Alyx Jacobs' lighting is effective, and his circular projections add a lovely punctuation to the stage. Anthony Marshall's sound design is equally strong.

Overall, Orlando Repertory Theatre's production of CINDERELLA is a beautiful and magical escape - one that reminds us all that nothing is "Impossible" and that sometimes revisiting a favorite story can be just what one needs to escape the stresses of life. And we all know that in today's world - that is something we all could use a little more of.

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CINDERELLA, presented by the Orlando Repertory Theatre runs through December 19th. Tickets start at $15. Performances are Saturdays at 1:30 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM and Friday 12/3, 10 and 17 at 7:30 PM. Orlando Repertory Theatre is located at 1001 E Princeton Street, Orlando, FL 32803. For additional information and to purchase show tickets visit https://www.orlandorep.com or call (407) 896-7365 or email boxoffice@orlandorep.com.

All Photos by Steve MacKinnon

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