Paper Mill Playhouse gives the best Holiday gifts – this year, it’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella!” And while the original book was written by Oscar Hammerstein II, the new book by Douglas Carter Beane is refreshing and, since it was written in 2013, Beane seems to have had his finger on the pulse of current events to-be. Combining the classic music with a modern feminist perspective had me thrilled in my core for the young women and young men learning how to treat one another in the world.
Several Paper Mill favorites are in the cast–like Donna English as (Crazy) Marie, the gifted and gifting fairy godmother; Dee Hoty, who makes a devilicious Madame, the benighted Stepmother; and Christopher Sieber as the louche and dark Sebastian, whose designs were the blueprint for Machiavelli. These folks stirring the pot for our impossibly star-crossed lovers make an extra layer of enjoyment for the grown folk in the audience. Add in Ella, played in the performance that I saw by Erin Burniston, and dashing young Prince Topher (Billy Harrigan Tighe) and you’ve got the recipe for the best Holiday gift EVER!
Let me say how delightful it is to have an orchestra playing the music we all love. Conductor Michael Borth is busy the entire time and the presence of the horn, when Lord Pinkleton (Michael Wayne Wordly) makes his announcements, gives extra panache to the proceedings. Anna Louizos’ Scenic Design and Charlie Morrison’s Lighting Design complement one another and the carriage for the ball is particularly splendiferous. Paul Huntley’s hair and wigs are flawless. William Ivey Long’s costumes are an unsung hero of the piece. Kudos to the actors for the quick changes and some of the old fashioned stage craft that has always been part of the magic of a show.
I particularly loved the innate wisdom of Ella as she navigates the shoals of the ugly relationship with Madame. “Real” daughters Gabrielle (Rose Hemingway) and Charlotte (Angel Lin) are alternately dismissive, with Charlotte truly being her mother’s daughter in the cruelty department. However, Gabrielle’s vision alters when she falls for Jean-Michel (Andrew Kober) and we see how sometimes our vision should exceed our sight. While sentimental moments abound and adults are likely to bark some unbidden laughter at times, the greatest message and gift of the season are in the penultimate part of the second act when Ella confers three truly magic words on Madame–“I forgive you.”
Time is fleeting and you only have until December 29, 2019 to climb on board the magic pumpkin– uh– coach for the ride of the season! Visit www.papermill.org NOW for the best seats! This is the gift of the season!