Interview: Danielle Wade Talks Trading Her Ruby Slippers for Glass Shoes in Ross Petty's CINDERELLA

For Danielle Wade playing iconic, female characters on stage is a dream come true. Fresh off the national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of The Wizard of OZ - which played Toronto during an extended sit down, Wade is trading her ruby slipper for ones made of glass in Ross Petty's annual pantomime production. This year's whimsical tale is Cinderella: The Gags to Riches Family Musical!

"I was the girl who played hockey in a princess dress..." Wade told me during a break from rehearsal at the studios in the Elgin/Winter Garden Theatre complex.

Only a short time ago, Wade was working towards a fine arts degree at the University of Windsor. She became a house-hold name in Canada after competing on and winning the CBC reality TV show Over the Rainbow, a competition to decide who would play Dorothy in Oz.

"I had fun touring. I liked staying in Toronto because I was close to home (LaSalle, Ontario) and could go there for the weekends. But on tour you're busy all the time either sightseeing, or going out to dinner in a new place, and doing new things."

I spoke with Wade about the differences between working on a show that's already been performed, versus creating a new one. "It's really fun this way (doing the pantomime). I mean, The Wizard of OZ is a lot of fun too - but because this is a new show, you have a little bit more freedom. And it's fun to see what the other actors react to and say. And you get to figure out what is funny, slowly, and take out what doesn't work."

"Little things change here and there. Some of the songs have also changed (from what they were supposed to be originally) to become more appropriate to match what was happening in the scene. "

When asked if it's daunting playing iconic characters, she says "I think playing someone iconic gives you a connection to people. I mean, everyone wants to be a princess in real life."

This production won't be the same Cinderella you've come to know in the past, however. "This Cinderella has some fight to her, that's for sure. She's pretty brave." Those who've frequented a Ross Petty production in the past will already know that they always have a modern, pop-cultured influence that the entire audience loves.

Fans of Ross Petty shows past will also be pleased to learn that Plumbum (Dan Chameroy [Bobby from Theatre20's Company] dressed as a woman) will be retuning this year. "Plumbum this year is going to be my fairy god mother. It's the most ridiculous thing. Dan Chameroy is so hilarious. That's the character where I go "Omigod, what is he going to say? How will I keep a straight face out on stage staring at him?" He's a huge, tall, manly man dressed as a woman with makeup all over his face, and saying ridiculous things. There's a lot of cracking up in the rehearsal room. I'm trying to get it all out now so I'm fine by the time we're in front of an audience."

Wade also notes that "the show is for everyone. There are jokes for the kids, and there are jokes that will go right over their heads for the adults. It's really fun. It's going to be a good time, and a great way to spend the day with the family."

Cinderella: The Gags to Riches Family Musical is now playing at the Elgin Theatre through January 4, 2015. Tickets and more information is available online at RossPetty.com.

Follow Danielle on twitter at @daniellejwade.
Follow Alan on twitter at @alanhenryTO.

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