Bad Cinderella

Yesterday I went to New York to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bad Cinderella, a retelling of the classic fairy tale. Wow! From the get-go, I was completely engrossed in what was happening onstage. There was so much to see and hear, I did not know where to look. All I knew was that I did not want to miss a thing.

First, there was the amazing cast. From the stars to the Ensemble to the Swings (see how I’m talking show lingo?), every single actor was a consummate professional. It’s not just a matter of learning lines and stage position. The dialogue, singing and dancing, and I mean dancing, were perfectly choreographed. This is hard work and the actors were totally fit. The singing and the ranges, were incredible. I also liked how well the actors showed their characters’ emotions, clearly visible from our seats: anger, love, sadness, resentment, greed and rivalry, and all their nuances. Equally impressive were the scenery and lighting and how seamlessly the crew moved to turn the Town Square into Cinderella’s Chateau into The Woods and other settings. It was perfect.

I loved reading about the Cast and Creative (more lingo), including how they started out what other shows they’ve been in and the brief little thanks and messages each included in each bio. Some of these performers are making their debuts. There are too many to name, but of course the lead roles were exceptionally awesome, including Linedy Genao (Cinderella), Carolee Carmello (Stepmother), Grace McLean (Queen), Jordan Dobson (Prince Sebastian), Sami Gayle (Adele), Morgan Higgins (Marie) and Cameron Loyal (Prince Charming).

The show is both funny and moving, with the all-embraceable theme of being true to yourself. There are also a few surprises and twists (if you ever plan to go, don’t let anyone tell you about them before you see it). I teared up several times and when the show was over, all I wanted to do was clap and clap.

I’m so glad I went!

Want the details? Here’s a description of the show from badcinderellabroadway.com: 

In the exceptionally beautiful kingdom of Belleville, the fields are idyllic, the prince is charming, and the townsfolk are ravishing. Only one stubborn peasant stands in the way of absolute perfection: Cinderella. To the flawless residents and royals of Belleville, this damsel IS the distress.

From ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER comes “a big, colorful, fun fairy tale rewrite” (The New York Times), featuring an original story and book by Oscar®-winning writer EMERALD FENNELL (Promising Young Woman, “Killing Eve”) and lyrics by Tony Award® winner DAVID ZIPPEL (City of Angels). Choreographed by JOANN M. HUNTER (School of Rock) and directed by LAURENCE CONNOR (Les Misérables, School of Rock).

My great blogging friend Books and Bakes saw the UK version, Cinderella, in July. Be sure to check out her review here.

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