MONROE, CT — Rodgers and Hammerstein’s version of “Cinderella” delves deeper into the classic fairytale to capture the motivations of its characters. Masuk High School’s talented young cast will perform their rendition of the famous Broadway musical on March 20, 21 and 22. The Masuk production is directed by Michael Katz.
“It’s not the Disney version. There’s no singing mice,” Katz said during an interview in the school auditorium Thursday. “There’s all the magical elements: the pumpkin, horses and dress. It shows the humanity of these characters. It lets you dive deeper into who the known characters of the show are. The message of this show is, as long as you have kindness and believe in what is right, you will succeed.”
The March 20 and 21 shows will being at 7 p.m. and there will be 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. performances on March 22 in the Masuk auditorium, 1014 Monroe Turnpike. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students, seniors and children. For tickets, click here.
Masuk’s show is produced by Sharon Bartek. Sophomore Maya Fisher stars in the title role of Cinderella and fellow sophomore, Dan Fontana, stars as Prince Topher.
Fisher said Cinderella is more independent than the character portrayed in the original story.
“She’s more determined. She doesn’t want the prince to find her. She wants to be found when she wants to be found, rather than someone deciding for her,” Fisher said. “I love her. She’s very dreamy. She doesn’t care what people think. She’s very fun, care free and curious.”
In this adaptation of the famous fairytale, Cinderella takes her slipper rather than leaving it behind. Then later leaves it when she wants to be found. Fisher said Cinderella is about “having control over your own life and doing what you want to do.”
In Rodgers and Hammerstein’s adaptation of “Cinderella”, the prince is attracted to more than Cinderella’s beauty, according to Fontana.
“In the fairytale, he’s Prince Charming and sweeps her off her feet and she gets lucky,” Fontana said of the original story. “In this one, it’s her kindness that makes me fall in love with her.”
Fontana recently played the role of Gabby Gallagher, a mischievous Lincoln High School student in Masuk’s production of “You’re Only Young Once.”
“Usually, I play a goofy teenage character,” he said. “This is the first time I’m playing someone more sophisticated.”
In “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” Masuk senior, Muriel Bailey, has the challenge of playing the roles of two-characters-in-one. “The Fairy Godmother starts out as Crazy Marie, the town hag, and Cinderella shows kindness to her,” Bailey explained.
To reward Cinderella for her kindness, Marie transforms herself to her true identity, the Fairy Godmother who will grant her wish of going to the ball.
Bailey said it starts out with Cinderella and Marie laughing together, joking about attending the ball. When Cinderella says that will never happen, Marie shows her true self.
“It’s so much fun,” Bailey said of playing to starkly different personalities. “I like playing Crazy Marie, a hag with a funny voice, and the Fairy Godmother, who is whimsical and maternal with a British accent. Marie is so funny. I don’t get to play funny characters often, and I love her funny voices.”
As the Fairy Godmother, Bailey said she likes wearing a gold 18th Century Victorian era ball gown, which is the biggest dress she ever wore in her life. In one scene, she counsels a crying Cinderella.
“I feel maternal as one of the oldest cast members here,” Bailey said. “I like being a mother figure. It’s fun.”
Cinderella’s evil stepmother is played by Ava Alves, a junior in the role of Madame. It is Alves’ first leading role.
“I think in this version, she’s much more cruel,” Alves said of the musical. “She has a sense of humor, but it’s not a great sense of humor. It’s very different from my usual personality. It’s fun to embody her.”
Cinderella’s evil stepsisters are played by senior, Samantha Davoren as Charlotte, and junior, Adeline Kellogg as Gabrielle.
“I’m the more quirky, nerdy stepsister,” Kellogg said. “In the end, I become friends with Cinderella. I always wanted to stand up to my mother. She sees Cinderella being abused and knows it’s wrong, but it’s her blood family.”
Of Charlotte, Davoren said, “she’s very similar to the traditional story. She’s self-centered and bratty. She does everything her mother says to be in her favor. She wants to marry the prince and be No. 1.”
But Davoren said Gabrielle is their mother’s favorite. Though Gabrielle has another love interest and is kicked out of the house, leaving Charlotte as Madame’s last hope to marry the prince.
“It’s me and my mother against the world.” Davoren said. “I’m not necessarily mean to people, but I’m so focused on myself.”
While focusing on herself, Charlotte pays no attention to how her actions can hurt others who stand in her way.
Davoren and Kellogg have become close friends, while working on the musical together. Davoren describes the experience as similar to participating in a retreat, which created a bond among the entire cast.
In addition to the lead actors, “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” features a strong supporting cast of actors and crew members working behind the scenes, including set designer, Olivia Malewicki, a Masuk senior.
“It’s the first big show I’ve done,” said Malewicki, whose artwork was used in the show “Mean Girls” last year. “I take AP Art. I have a love for theater and design. Since I was a sophomore, I’ve worked behind the scenes.”
When Masuk Drama started to work on the production of “Cinderella,” Malewicki approached Katz and said, “is there anyway I could design the set?”
Katz took her up on the offer and they have been working together since January, brainstorming ideas, then painting backdrops for scenes, including the woods, the ballroom, the market shop and Madame’s house.
For the woods, Malewicki said fellow student, Alexis Brunelle, drew five 20-foot-tall trees. Of the backdrops she created, Malewicki said, “my personal favorite is the clock at Madame’s house.”
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