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Regional Reviews: Florida - Southern A Lovely Night With Also see John's review of Back of the Throat
The story concerns a young woman named Cinderella whose father has died, forcing her into a life of servitude at the hands of her cruel, social-climbing stepmother. She dreams of a better life not just for herself, but for others around her. Armed with her belief in kindness, compassion and forgiveness, and assisted by her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is transformed into a Princess destined to find her Prince. Inspired by a rebel named Jean-Michel (her stepsister's secret suitor), she sets out to open the eyes of Prince Topher to the injustices in his kingdom. Prince Topher has till then trusted in the guidance of his Minister, not knowing that the Minister has been passing oppressive legislation in his name. With his eyes now open, the young Prince, who has been in search of his own identity, finds at last both purpose and love in Cinderella. The musical Cinderella was originally written for television by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on the fairytale of Cinderella, particularly the French version written by Charles Perrault entitled Cendrillon, ou la Petite Pantoufle de Verre. It was broadcast live on TV in 1957 starring Julie Andrews in the title role, remade for television in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren, and again in 1997 starring pop-singer Brandy Norwood. Both remakes added songs from other Richard Rodgers musicals. The musical was first performed on stage in 1958 in a holiday pantomime adaptation at the London Coliseum and also used songs from Me and Juliet. Stage versions began appearing in U.S. in 1961. The New York City Opera produced the musical in 1993 and 1995, with a revival in 2004. With a newly rewritten book by Douglas Carter Beane, and additional music by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella opened on Broadway on March 3, 2013, winning one Tony Award and three Drama Desk Awards. The production is expected to close on Broadway on January 3, 2015, after 41 previews and 770 regular performances. While the musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein have been described by some as antiquated and lacking in appeal to the contemporary audience, it should be noted that they not only wrote memorable melodies and poetic lyrics, but fearlessly addressed topics 50 years ago that are controversial even by today's standards. They gave us a villain in Oklahoma! whose dark, antisocial behavior is linked to his fixation on pornography, domestic violence in Carousel, racism in South Pacific, and the horror of Nazi occupation in The Sound of Music. It is therefore fitting that in the new book for Cinderella, Douglas Carter Beane has added the themes of social awareness and activism with the new character of Jean-Michel. Even the fluffiest of musicals is deserving of some depth! This touring production is the stuff of which every little girl's dreams are made. Frothy and sweet, it is filled with extravagant costumes, beautiful choreography, picturesque scenic design, memorable songs, magical special effect, romance, humor, and the happiest of endings. It is impeccably sung by Paige Faure as Cinderella and Andy Jones as the Prince. Their voices are stylistically matched perfectly to this show, her lovely, pure tones complementing his richer, romantic sound. Faure's dance training is evident in her elegant lines in the choreographed moments between them. The theme of social consciousness allows for both characters to have more depth than in the original script, and some self-effacing humor has been added to the portrayal of the Prince. A handsome Jones rises to the portrayal of the Prince without making the character too comedic. They are sure to fulfill every child's image of exactly what Cinderella and her Prince should look and sound like. Antoine L. Smith as Lord Pinkleton has the best voice in the house. Blake Hammond is pleasing in his dryly comedic take as Sebastian, the Minster to Prince Topher. David Andino is likeable as a well-intentioned, slightly clumsy Jean-Michel; and he's well paired with Ashley Park as the not so mean stepsister Gabrielle. Aymee Smith is delightful in her comedic portrayal of pushy stepsister Charlotte. She has a strong grasp of her comedic timing and physicality as well. Beth Glover is of course relishable (is that a word?) as the wicked stepmother, Madame—the woman we all love to hate. Kecia Lewis has a large and commanding stage presence as Marie, the Fairy Godmother. Her voice is imposing, but one is sometimes made too aware of her vocally negotiating around her break from chest voice to head voice. In feature roles such as this one, it should be more about the character and not the actress playing her, and, talented as she is, Lewis has some self-indicating acting moments which make it seem about her. While it contains such memorable songs as "In My Own Little Corner", "Ten Minutes Ago", and "Impossible", the music for this show is probably the most simplistic of Rodgers & Hammerstein scores. Though well played by the orchestra, there is the unmistakable sound of some synthesized orchestral layers in the arrangements that is slightly disappointing. A minor set mishap on opening night resulted in two pieces of a bridge not being pushed together completely at the end of the first act. It is unclear if the inordinately long intermission was a result of this glitch, but when added to the fact that the production started nearly fifteen minutes after eight, it significantly lengthened the evening for a crowd laced with children on a school night. Costuming by William Ivey Long is lavish, showing that his Tony Award for Costume Design was well deserved. There is a seemingly endless array of women in frothy and elaborate gowns paired with men in tights and tails. The lightning-fast, onstage costume transformations of Cinderella and her fairy Godmother are nothing short of astonishing. The extensive dances that have been added to the show are a wonderful marriage of choreography, costuming, and sets/props. From the beginning of the show, the scenic design by Anna Louizos is lush and magical. The costumes move beautifully within the balletic ballroom style choreography of Josh Rhodes. Wonderful lighting, swirling fog, puppet woodland animals, elegant columns, and a fairy Godmother who actually flies all come together to create a magical setting for this story of Cinderella—providing for all "A Lovely Night" indeed at the Arsht! Together, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific , The King and I, The Sound of Music, Cinderella, State Fair, Flower Drum Song, Me and Juliet, Allegro and Pipe Dream. Among their many accolades are thirty-four Tony Awards, fifteen Academy Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, and two Grammy Awards. Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella will be appearing at the Arsht through November 2, 2014. The Adrienne Arsht Center is located at 1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33132. For tickets visit www.arshtcenter.org, or call the Box Office at 305-949-6722. For more information on the tour, visit www.cinderellaonbroadway.com/tour. Set in the heart of downtown Miami and designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is one of the world's leading performing arts organizations and venues. Spotlighting legends and serving as a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage, the Center presents nearly 500 events each year across its eight flexible, state-of-the-art performance spaces. The Center programs 12 signature series, including the largest jazz series in South Florida, the biggest flamenco festival on the East Coast, and a robust program of new theatrical works as well as free programming for the community and an arts education program that serves nearly 30,000 children each year. Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has emerged as a leader in presenting innovative programming that mirrors South Florida's diversity as well as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area. The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations. Broadway Across America-Miami is presented in arrangement with Florida Theatrical Association, a non-profit civic organization with a volunteer board of trustees established to ensure the continued presentation of quality national touring Broadway productions in the state of Florida. Broadway Across America is part of the Key Brand Entertainment family of companies which includes Broadway.com and is operated by British theatre producer John Gore (Owner & CEO). BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring musicals and plays in North America, operating in 40 markets, such as Orlando, Costa Mesa, Fort Lauderdale, Tempe, Boston, Minneapolis and New Orleans. As a leading Broadway producer, BAA is dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse theatre. Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. They serve approximately 51 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,200 retail banking offices and approximately 16,200 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users and more than 14 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. They have several core areas of focus, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. As part of these efforts, employee volunteers across the company contribute their time, passion and expertise to address issues in communities where they live. Cast: Crew:
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