If you come to see Players’s production of Cinderella, prepare for magic. And it’s not that of the Disney version you know. This is Douglas Carter Beane’s 2013 adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. There are new characters, including Jean-Michel, a soap-box speaking revolutionary with no status who dreams of solving the problems he sees in the kingdom. While the Disney movie emphasizes messages of class status and the value of small feet, this version is all about love and the importance of kindness, and Cinderella is not the only one with a happy ending. Her stepsister, Gabrielle (Giselle Buella ’28) falls head over heels for Jean-Michel (Lou Sasson ’27), simply for his humanitarian character. Marie (Gwen O’Bannon ’25), is a fairy godmother to everyone, who appears as a poor peasant. When Cinderella (Sammie Grolnick ’25) gives her a coin, she says, “You’re the only one who’s given me charity, generosity, and kindness. And now, I must make all the dreams we joked about come true.”
Prince Topher (Elliott Boldin ’27) doesn’t fall for Cinderella for her beauty—the ball where they meet requires masques—but for introducing basic kindness to the bourgeoisie of the land and enlightening him about the inequality plaguing the kingdom. The story follows kind-hearted and spirited Cinderella, forced to serve her wicked stepmother, Madame (Eden Charlson ’26) and her self-obsessed stepsisters, Charlotte (Zoe Halpern ’27) and Gabrielle. Meanwhile, Prince Topher, unsure of his future as king, throws a ball in search of a bride. With Marie’s help, Cinderella captivates Topher at the royal ball, but must flee when the clock strikes midnight, leaving only a glass slipper. As Topher searches for his mysterious love who spoke openly to him about the struggles of the kingdom, Cinderella faces obstacles from her stepfamily, but finds an ally in Gabrielle. I won’t give away the ending (if you don’t already know it), but the kingdom winds up with a more equitable and hopeful future. Turn back the clock to May of this year. As Players, we’d just found out that we’d gotten the rights to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Despite some anxieties over time and technical complexity, the excitement among the company was palpable. I spoke with Del Reid ’25, who runs the Reading Committee, the panel of company members that selects the upcoming shows, about the deciding factors of the musical. She told me that Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella has an appeal for families with kids and is accessible for younger audiences. It has a light, magical plot— a contrast against Players’s recent streak of dark shows. It has a richer plot than the Disney movie, and focuses less on fairy-tale magic. The designers involved, including myself, the costume designer, spent the summer researching, planning, and sketching ideas that blossomed into what you see on stage. It takes quite a lot of people-power to bring concepts from the metaphysical to the physical realm. With more than a hundred people involved and two and a half months of after-school dedication, rough sketches were transformed into detailed plans, which then became raw materials, ultimately resulting in sets, costumes, lights, props, publicity, and scenes—all entirely created and designed by students. Everything you see and hear is the result of student effort and creativity, culminating in a truly magical show. There’s a giant on stilts, three on-stage costume transformations, and even a golden carriage. The company invites you to experience the magic they’ve put so much hard work into creating.
Sure, the story contains a fairy godmother, a fox and raccoon turned footman and coachman, a pumpkin that becomes a golden carriage, and old rags that turn into two stunning gowns, but that’s not the focus. Rather, it’s the kind-hearted, determined people, making the world a more welcoming place to be.
Tickets are now on sale at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/lm-players/lm-players-presents-cinderella#
Show dates are November 21-23 at 7 PM, and November 24 at 1 PM
