Through Sept. 10 the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical will play the North Shore stage in a production directed by Charles Repole with choreography by Karen Azenberg. The official opening night is set for Aug. 24 at 7:30 PM.
Deborah Lew stars in the title role with Ryan Silverman as her Prince. The company also features Maureen Brennan (Fairy Godmother), Terry Burrell (Queen Constantina), Joyce Chittick (Joy), David Coffee (King Maximillian), Natalie Joy Johnson (Portia), Lisa McMillan (Stepmother) and Gregory Sheppard (Herald).
The Cinderella ensemble comprises Tabb, Kristen Calgaro, Debbi Fuhrman, Paul J. Gallagher, Thom Graham, Kathleen Hatch, Garett Hawe, Arielle Jacobs, Jane LaBanz, Andrew Pacho, Katie Rayle and Nathan Scherich. Eleven children from local neighborhoods will also be part of the North Shore production, including Beverly resident Bethani Boccia; Everett resident Simone Senibaldi; Gloucester residents Katy Geraghty, Andrew Murdock and Ari Shaps; Haverhill resident Chantal Desjardins; Peabody resident Bernard Baldassaro; Rowley residents Natasha Ashworth and Sofia Diskes; Salem, NH resident John F. Breen; and Wakefield resident Emily Sheeran.
About the production North Shore Artistic Director and Executive Producer Jon Kimbell said in a recent statement, "We are thrilled to bring back the magic of Cinderella this summer. As we welcome many familiar faces, we are also excited to work with new cast members and creative staff. Their fresh vision combined with NSMT's theatrical magic, a beautiful Rodgers and Hammerstein score and memorable characters promise to make Cinderella a favorite for all generations."
The creative team for the production also includes Edward Reichert (musical director) Dex Edwards (scenic designer), Joanna E. Murphy (costume designer), Martin E. Vreeland (lighting designer), John A. Stone (sound design) and Gerard Kelly (hair and wig design). Featuring music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II, Cinderella is based on the 1957 television special starring Julie Andrews. Directed by Ralph Nelson, the "Cinderella" TV broadcast originally aired on CBS March 31, 1957. The program drew more than 107 million viewers. The cast featured Andrews as Cinderella, Howard Lindsay as the King, Dorothy Stickney as the Queen, Ilka Chase as the Stepmother, Kaye Ballard and Alice Ghostley as the Stepsisters, Edie Adams as the Fairy Godmother, Jon Cypher as Prince Christopher, Robert Penn as Town Crier, Alexander Clark as the Captain of the Guard, Iggie Wolfington as the Chef and David F. Perkins as the Court Tailor. Lesley Ann Warren (1965) and pop singer Brandy (1997) starred as Cinderella in the subsequent TV versions.
Song titles from "Cinderella" include "The Prince Is Giving a Ball," "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible," "It's Possible," "Gavotte," "Ten Minutes Ago I Saw You," "Stepsisters' Lament," "Waltz for a Ball," "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?," "When You're Driving Through the Moonlight," "A Lovely Night" and "The Search."
Tickets, priced $35-$70, are available by calling (978) 232-7200 or by visiting www.nsmt.org. The North Shore Music Theatre is located at 62 Dunham Road in Beverly, MA.
