Preview: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

My biggest inspiration is the show’s deep but simple message: kindness is a superpower. We focus on Cinderella’s quiet inner strength and how she bravely works to change her own life. This is a story for everyone; children love the magic of the transformation, while adults enjoy the witty humour, the beautiful music, and the reminder that being honest and hopeful always wins! And of course the magic too!

Rodgers & Hammerstein didn’t just create popular musical theatre shows, they essentially “built the house” that all modern musical theatre lives in. They own the vein of truly sincere, emotional performance, which can be seen in almost every modern stage show. That’s why their works are truly timeless, with melodies and lyrics that tug at the heartstrings and stay long in the memory.

Putting together a musical is always a much bigger challenge than people anticipate as not only do you have to focus on the acting and the blocking, but music and choreography as well. This demands a tightly-managed rehearsal schedule, where dedicated time is split between vocal sessions, staging scenes, and learning intricate choreography. The key is unifying these to ensure the cast delivers a single, cohesive performance that brings the production’s vision to life.

The thing I love about Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is that it doesn’t stray from the fairytale that we all know and love. Without giving away any spoilers, they do manage to add in a few twists and turns to keep us on the edge of our seats. And, of course, the beautiful music of Rodgers and Hammerstein is such a seamless addition to the story that it feels as though it should have been there all along.

Magical, uplifting, fabulous!