A more complex 'Cinderella' story

River Ridge thespians have chosen the Rodgers and Hammerstein version, whose characters are less stereotypical than the Disney version's.

By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 5, 2000

Broadway musical giants Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II collaborated on only one show strictly for television -- the 1957 adaptation of the French fairy tale Cinderella.

The black and white show starred Julie Andrews, fresh from her triumph in My Fair Lady, but it is probably the 1965 color version with Lesley Anne Warren that is better remembered.

More recently, ABC did a multicultural version starring Whitney Houston as the fairy godmother, Whoopi Goldberg as the queen and Brandy as Cinderella, which drew 60-million viewers, the largest Sunday night audience the network had drawn in a decade.

On May 12-14, the River Ridge drama department will present the beloved musical "just in time for Mother's Day," said director Tim Erickson.

The show features a cast of 28, with a full live orchestra directed by Jon Sever, choreography by Sheri Hacker, vocal direction by Darrell Huling, and direction by Tim and Lori Erickson.

Unlike the Disney version, which is filled with one-dimensional stereotypes, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella characters are complex.

The stepmother isn't all meanness. She has flashes of kindness, even though she remains steadfast in her quest to make good matches for her daughters.

The stepsisters aren't ugly and cruel; they're just simple-minded, self-centered and silly.

The fairy godmother doesn't swoop in to work instant magic. Instead, she sings that Cinderella's fantasy of going to the prince's ball is Impossible. Not until Cinderella pushes and prods does the godmother get to work and do her magic.

The king and queen aren't stick figures; they're real people with their own personalities and quirks.

The core of the story remains the same. Cinderella is compliant and meek under the thoughtless direction of her stepmother and stepsisters. Once she meets the handsome prince, it is instant L-O-V-E ever after.

The show is peppered with now-familiar Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes: In My Own Little Corner, Ten Minutes Ago and Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful? There are also some humorous ones, such as when the stepsisters wonder why the prince prefers Cinderella to them in the Stepsisters' Lament. "She's a frothy little bubble with a flimsy kind of charm, and with very little trouble, I could break her little arm," they sing.

Cinderella will be played by Amanda Zubillaga, a junior who has been in several River Ridge plays, including The Fantasticks, The Tempest, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Meet Me in St. Louis and Pippin.

Sophomore John Harris plays the prince. Harris has been seen in Once Upon a Mattress, Pippin, The Diary of Adam and Eve and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

The stepmother will be played by senior Sabrina Laskowski, a veteran of 10 River Ridge shows, including Arsenic and Old Lace, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Godspell, Oklahoma and The Sound of Music.

Senior Kristin DeCubellis, a veteran of six River Ridge shows, will play the Fairy Godmother. Senior Kelli Debbs plays the goofy stepsister, Portia; freshman Christine Perez will be the sourpuss stepsister, Joy. Ms. Debbs played Rose in Meet Me in St. Louis, among many other roles. Ms. Perez was Tootie in that same production and Lucy in Charlie Brown.

The court herald is Michael Rice.

Ensemble members are Alison Caffrey, Daniel Caffrey, Tasha Feemster, April Gabriel, Bubba Greene, Allison Henderson, Aubrey Huling, Maria Ippolito, John Krevens, Holly Lewis, Lisa Manfredi, Danielle Motroni, Hannah Pauley, Jennifer Phipps, Kendra Robson, Justin Sargent, Brandon Steiner, Mike Tarnawski and Doug Webber.

Stage manager is Holly Komula, assisted by crew members Jeannie Dellutro, James Geiger, Alley Kay, Anthony Libutti, Lisa Mercier, Jeremy McKenzie and Caitlin Qualters.

At a glance

WHAT: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella

WHERE: Center for the Arts at River Ridge, Town Center Road, New Port Richey

WHEN: 7 p.m. May 12 and 13; 2 p.m. May 14

TICKETS: $6. Call (727) 992-4210.

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