Review - RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA - Valley Youth Theatre

Jessica Jacoby and Olivia Fearey
photo by Jenny Kaufman Xposed Capture

by Gil Benbrook

The songwriting team of Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) wrote some of the most romantic songs for the musical theatre. They also had several of the biggest hit shows during the Golden Age of Broadway, including Oklahoma!, The King and I, Carousel, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music. In 1957 they created the TV musical Cinderella. While that musical had two other TV remakes, and was made into a stage version, it never made its way to Broadway until 2013 with an updated book and the inclusion of a few additional songs that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote for other musicals and movies.

Valley Youth Theatre's production of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella is one of their best. With an exceptional cast, distinct direction that plays into the humor and heart of the show, winning choreography, and rich creative elements, it's a superb production full of magic, romance, and an abundance of joy of this fresh, modern musical take on the classic Cinderella tale.

While you may be familiar with the fairy tale of Cinderella and the main plot of the poor village girl who finds herself magically transformed with the help of her Fairy Godmother and who leaves her glass slipper at the royal ball for the Prince to discover who she truly is, this 2013 version also has a fun and modern sensibility to it. Douglas Carter Beane's book revises Hammerstein's original script and features a larger emphasis on the other members of the fairy tale land. While Cinderella is still focused on her romance with the Prince, she also opens his eyes to the injustice that is happening to those around him and introduces him to the less fortunate members of his kingdom.

The updated score features the songs "Loneliness of Evening" and "Now is the Time," which were both cut from South Pacific, and "There's Music in You," which was written for the film Main Street to Broadway and also included in the 1997 TV version of Cinderella that starred Brandy and Whitney Houston. Beane's update of the original book by Hammerstein is fun and fresh as he manages to put a twist on some parts of the fairy tale we take for granted, especially with how Cinderella leaves behind the glass slipper. The new book is also chock full of humor and several new characters while also managing to provide multiple layers to almost all of the characters in the show, turning them from what were previously fairly one dimensional and almost stereotypical individuals into more realistic people.

As Ella, Olivia Fearey evokes the right combination of sweetness, charm, and a deep connection with and care for her fellow characters in the show. Her vocals are clear and warm, with a nice connection to Hammerstein's lyrics. Her delivery of “In My Own Little Corner” does a wonderful job to project the excitement the character feels while also allowing us to get a sense of Cinderella's simple life and the daily struggles she faces. Charlie Hall is equally as good as Topher, the Prince. Hall clearly projects how Topher, at first, doesn't seem to care for much around him. When Topher begins to realize that he isn't being told the truth about the struggles some of the people in his lands have, Hall's ability to clearly depict that this is the wake-up call Topher needed as he becomes more in touch to the reality that is happening around him, is wonderful. Hall's singing voice shines on several of Rodgers and Hammerstein's most romantic songs, including "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Loneliness of Evening." Fearey and Hall have a lovely and realistic connection with each other that makes you root to see their romance succeed.

Beane has expanded the part of Cinderella's fairy god mother so it's now a woman named Marie who also lives in the village that Ella is already friends with. Jessica Jacoby is fantastic as this woman with two very different sides to her. Jacoby's singing voice is exceptional and it soars on her act two solo, "There's Music in You," and she and Feary have a wonderful and caring connection with each other. As Cinderella's wicked step mother, Giselle Sanchez Wilson does a great job in adding plenty of humor to this nasty character, and Donovan Denny is equally as good, with great comic timing, as the other villain in the show, the Prince's right hand, Sebastian.

In supporting parts, Autumn Stanley and Gianna Arrighi are both great as Cinderella's two step sisters, Gabrielle and Charlotte, respectively. Another change Beane made is to have Gabrielle sympathetic to Cinderella and Stanley is lovely in the role. Arrighi is hilarious as Charlotte, with great comic timing and a powerful singing voice that shines on "Stepsister's Lament." As one of the new characters Beane added, Luke Chester brings depth and a wonderful sense of honesty to Jean-Michel, the man who is trying to get the Prince to understand what's really going on in the kingdom. As Lord Pinkleton, Tanner Osborne's deep and strong singing voice shines. The large ensemble create an assortment of various characters with ease.

Under Bobb Cooper's smart direction, the cast all create believable story book characters. His pacing and scene transitions are perfect and he ensures the show has the right balance between humor, romance, and heart. Nathalie Velasquez's choreography is excellent. Her dance sequences at the ball are lovely and danced well by Fearey, Hall, and the entire cast. The music direction from Mark Fearey delivers a warm sound from the large orchestra and the entire cast.

The set is a rental but with two large movable pieces to depict Cinderella's home and the Prince's court, some large tree flats, along with a fairly large drop for the ball scenes and a lovely moveable horse drawn carriage, it's quite creative. The costumes from Karol Cooper are excellent, including several that transform in the blink of an eye. Dawson Bryce Buckholz's lighting is wonderful, with pops of color plus a great use of shadows for the night time scenes. The sound design from Eric Johnson delivers crisp vocals and some fun sound effects

While the main focus of Cinderella is still centered on the romance between the title character and the Prince, this fun and fresh update transforms the fairly simple fairy tale we all grew up with into one of social injustice as well as the battle of cruelty verses kindness. Valley Youth Theatre's production excels on every front in bringing this beloved, updated, classic to life.

Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella runs through August 27, 2023 at Valley Youth Theatre at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street in Phoenix. Tickets can be purchased by calling 602-252-8497 or at http://www.vyt.com/home.

Director: Bobb Cooper
Musical Director: Mark Fearey
Choreographer: Nathalie Velasquez
Costume and Make Up Designer: Karol Cooper
Lighting Designer: Dawson Bryce Buckholz
Sound Designer: Eric Johnson
Production Stage Manager: Morgan McCall
Scenery Rental Provided by Front Row Theatrical Rental

Cast:
Ella: Olivia Fearey
Topher: Charlie Hall
Marie: Jessica Jacoby
Sebastian: Donovan Denny
Lord Pinkleton: Tanner Osborne
Jean-Michel: Luke Chester
Madame: Giselle Sanchez Wilson
Gabrielle: Autumn Stanley
Charlotte: Gianna Arrighi
Giant: Sparkman
Fox/Footman: Jeremy Wood
Racoon/Driver: Tayson Toledo
Ensemble: Chase Carter, Rowan Cross, Gabi Etheridge, Chloe Finch, Lucy Glow, Kathlyn Grimwood, Michael Jaramillo, Maddie Sue Miller, Ava Morgan, James Nesbitt, Vivian Paige Nichols, Gracie Palmer, Owen Peiffer, Jaden Sparkman, Brandon Thompson, Tayson Toledo, Jeremy Wood Dance Captains: Maddie Sue Miller, Ava Morgan