Arts & Leisure
"Cinderella" at the Ogunquit Playhouse is pure magic
By Jennifer L. Saunders
Cinderella (Jessica Rush) and her Fairy Godmother (Leslie Uggams) travel to the ball by way of a magical carriage in the Ogunquit Playhouse's production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Cinderella," on stage through Aug. 26.
Courtesy photo
Jessica Rush as Cinderella and Paolo Montalban as Prince Christopher share a moment onstage at the Ogunquit Playhouse's production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, "Cinderella," ongoing through Aug. 26. The musical stars Leslie Uggams as The Fairy Godmother and boasts a stellar cast and wonderful special effects, costumes and music.
Courtesy photo
Cinderella (Jessica Rush) meets her Fairy Godmother (Leslie Uggams) in the Ogunquit Playhouse's regional premiere of the new Broadway script for Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical "Cinderella," continuing through Aug. 26.
Courtesy photo
Cinderella (Jessica Rush) sings "In My Own Little Corner" with her animal friends as she dreams of how life could be if she were someone else. Rush joins a stellar cast, including Leslie Uggams as the Fairy Godmother, in the Ogunquit Playhouse production of "Cinderella," which runs through Aug. 26.
Courtesy photo
That was the word used by one of the children in attendance on Friday, Aug. 11, to describe the Ogunquit Playhouse's production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella," ongoing through Aug. 26.
And "magical" was a word echoed by other children - as well as several adults - during the intermission of that performance.
You know the story - and you've probably seen dozens of versions, from Walt Disney's classic cartoon to modern-day adaptations like the upbeat 2004 film "Ella Enchanted," which starred Anne Hathaway, Minnie Driver and Cary Elwes and featured new takes on such favorite tunes as "Somebody to Love" by Queen.
But if you haven't seen the Ogunquit Playhouse version, which happens to be the regional premiere of the new Broadway script, then you're missing out - whether you're under eight or over 88 in age.
Director Gabriel Barre, Associate Director Steven Yuhasz, Musical Director Fred Frabotta and Assistant Musical Director Robert Manthey have staged a production that maximizes the strengths of the talented actors and musicians who comprise the cast and orchestra. Meanwhile, the alternately festive, funny and romantic choreography by Jennifer Paulsen Lee brings each varied scene of this delightful musical to life.
The production begins with York's own Sassy Dale as Young Cinderella, gracing the stage in a touching pantomime while the incomparable Leslie Uggams, playing the Fairy Godmother, hints to the audience of what is to come.
Flash forward about 10 years in the next scene, and the audience is transported to the village square where the luminous Jessica Rush as Cinderella, dressed in the drab clothes of a servant girl, sings of "The Sweetest Sounds" that she imagines in her mind while her stepfamily shops. Prince Christopher, portrayed by the handsome Paolo Montalban, shares this duet, appearing in a disguise as a pauper.
From this poignant duet, the stage erupts with energy, excitement and hilarity as the entire ensemble - including the stepfamily - performs "The Prince is Giving a Ball" upon the arrival of Lionel, the Royal Steward, portrayed with brilliant comic timing by Stanley Wayne Mathis.
The voices soar.
The stage is filled with color and light.
The characters are comic, delightful, charming.
The stepsisters, Danielle Chambers - who happens to be Uggams' very talented daughter - as Grace and the equally delightful Jennifer Cody as Joy, are an unstoppable comic team. The stepfamily clearly won over Friday night's audience with their physical and vocal humor - especially as the sister's asked the age-old question, "Why would a fella want a girl like her - a girl who's merely lovely?" in their duet, "Stepsisters' Lament."
Oh - and if you think you know the "wicked stepmother" of Cinderella fame, you may want to guess again. In this production, she is really a "he" - played at half the weekly productions by Ryan Landry and the other half by David Ilku. Landry's performance on Aug. 11 had the crowd in stitches as the stepmother demanded "restraint" at all times from the daughters in a flame-colored wig and clashing gown.
Queen Constantina and King Maximillian, portrayed by Leslie Becker and Wayne W. Pretlow, were delightful as the royal parents, and the ensemble boasted an array of equally captivating actors, singers and dancers bringing puppets to life as the mice, a loving cat and even Cinderella's dove - portrayed by two-time national figure skating champion David Tankersley. Tankersley's skating ability allowed the dove to soar across the stage thanks to his grace on in-line skates. The cat and mice, too, seemed to react to their very surroundings and the others on stage as their human counterparts brought these marionettes to life - even stealing scenes just as live animals have been known to do.
The cast members together boast credits too numerous to mention individually - from Broadway to Disney to movies to television - but let it suffice to say their combined efforts have resulted in a production that is a whimsical delight.
Rush is stunning as Cinderella, creating a warm, living character from fairytale lore in her performance of the charming, "In My Own Little Corner" with her animal friends. And with Montalban as her prince, the audience was happy to believe in this love story as the pair shared such duets as "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?"
Uggams' stunning smile brought thunderous applause, as did her wonderful voice and humor in "Fol De Rol" and "Impossible … It's Possible," a duet with Rush. As one audience member put it at intermission, the only regret was that Uggams was not on stage even more of the time.
The hilarity of the stepfamily and Lionel had members of the crowd laughing out loud. Others could be seen nodding in appreciation during Becker and Pretlow's duet, "Boys and Girls Like You and Me."
And the production qualities match the cast.
The costume design, supervised by James E. Crochet, ranges from the elegant with Cinderella's stunning ball gown and the royal family's evening wear to the hilarious, as exemplified in the stepfamily's clashing combinations of nearly-neon colors.
And the set design by James Youmans and special effects with lighting and sound design by Richard Latta and Ed Thurber are not to be missed as Cinderella transforms from peasant to princess right before your eyes. Mice and cats dance into the pumpkin shell that becomes the stunning coach, complete with coachmen and white horses.
This musical production combines a stunning musical score - fans of Rodgers and Hammerstein will recall many of these melodies even if they have never seen "Cinderella" on stage - with delightfully whimsical puppetry and a hilarious blend of fairytale fancies and modern humor.
Ogunquit Playhouse Executive Artistic Director Bradford Kenney addressed the crowd just before the performance's start, recognizing that "Cinderella" is the second to last production in this, the theater's 74th season. He urged theatre patrons to take part in planning for next years gala 75th anniversary by becoming members or assisting with the selection of shows and stars for the next season.
"Cinderella" runs through Aug. 26 at the Ogunquit Playhouse with evening performances Monday through Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 8:30 p.m., and matinees Wednesday and Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
For more information, call 646-5511 or visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.
