So you think you know the age-old fairy tale “Cinderella?” Ha! Think again. Hillbarn Theatre’s production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s version – coupled with a new book byDouglas Carter Beane – is so quirky, funny and downright charming that it keeps the audience’s attention throughout!
Remember how Cinderella loses one of her glass slippers as she runs away from the Prince at the stroke of midnight? Nope. Not in this telling. She escapes with both feet fully shoed.
That only lengthens the play by 10 minutes or so because now the smitten Prince decides to have a banquet for everyone in the kingdom because he’s sure his Cinderella will attend. (She does and that’s when she decides to slip off a slipper, so to speak!)
Director Randy O’Hara has made sure he squeezes every ounce of humor out of this oft-told tale. It doesn’t hurt to have a delightfully sweet (and sweet-singing) actress like Solona Husband as Ella.
Husband isn’t the only one with a wonderfully melodious voice. There’s also the delightfully pixie-ish Sarah Jebian as Cindy’s Fairy Godmother. Paige Collazo as Charlotte, one of the wicked stepsisters, also stands out for their deliciously devilish facial expressions. Charlotte keeps hoping the Prince will pick her – once she pleads: “I’m still an option!” which was one of the many times the audience burst into laughter.
It takes a bit for Sidney Matthew Roman (as the Prince) to settle into his role. But once he does, he becomes everything you’d expect a Prince to be: Charming (of course!), handsome, earnest and ready to share his wealth with his countrymen once he recognizes that he has led a life of privilege while his neighbors starve.
First Nickolas Tabora as the uber-eager revolutionist Jean-Michel) and then Cinderella help the Prince see that he’s a better man by raising up the other people who live nearby.
Although there is no live orchestra, somehow music director Andrew Burden prompts his singers to start right on time.
And what would “Cinderella” be without the wonderfully melodic Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein songs? There’s “In My Own Little Corner,” sung by Husband, “The Prince Is Giving a Ball,” sung by Sebastian (Mark P. Robinson) and Tabora), “Fol-De-Rol,” sung by Marie (Jebian), “Impossible” by Marie and Ella, and “Ten Minutes Ago,” sung by the Prince (Roman) and Cinderella (Husband). And that’s all in Act 1.
Act 2 has Ella (Husband) singing “A Lovely Night” and the enchanting “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?” sung by the lovebirds, Ella (Husband) and the Prince (Roman).
Other cast standouts include Judith Miller as the very unpleasant (and wicked!) stepmother, Madame, Mark P. Robinson as Sebastian, and Ayanna Brewer as the very near-sighted stepsister, Gabrielle.
One more piece of theatrical trickery that happened three times in “Cinderella:” A quick change of costumes by having a character turn around full circle and magically attired in an entirely different costume! That’s always a crowd-pleaser.
For all these reasons (and more), theatergoers won’t be disappointed if they go to see Hillbarn’s magically delicious production of “Cinderella.”
“Cinderella” plays at the Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City through December 28. For further information click here.
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Rating: ***1/2 (For an explanation of TheatreStorm’s rating system, click here.)
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“Cinderella” by Rodgers & Hammmerstein. New book by Douglas Carter Beane. Produced by Hillbarn Theatre. Director: Randy O’Hara. Music Director: Andrew Burden. Choreographers: Zoe Swenson-Graham and Randy O’Hara. Set: Eric Olson. Lighting: Pamila Gray. Sound: Jeff Mockus. Costumes: Pam Lampkin. Wig & Hair Designer: Stephanie Dittbern.
Cast:
Cinderella: Solona Husband. Prince Topher: Sidney Matthew Roman. Marie: Sarah Jebian. Jean-Michel: Nicholas Tabora. Sebastian: Mark P. Robinson. Gabrielle: Ayanna Brewer. Charlotte: Paige Collaz. Madame: Judith Milller. Lord Pinkleton: Chava Suarez. Ensemble: Sydney Fisher, Mason Homer, Karen Law, Elyse Murphy, Mauricio Suarez, Colin Welter.
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