Potomac Theatre's 'Cinderella': New Songs and Bad Puns

Above, Shannon Montague, left, as Poodilla, Jennifer Rutherford as the wicked stepmother, Stephanie Penet as Cinderella and Laura Yee as Growleena. At left, Troy Knighton, left, as Prince Charming and Sonie Mathew as the royal buffoon. (Photos By Marilyn Shockey)

Potomac Theatre Company has come up with a new version of the old Grimm Brothers fairy tale "Cinderella" for a mid-season children's production. There are quite a few versions around already, but if you want songs and you don't want to pay the Disney company steep royalties to perform them, then you have to come up with your own adaptation. That's what the Potomac Theatre Company's Marilyn Shockey did, and the result is "Cinderella, or, a Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Ball." It might as well be further subtitled "Grimm Brothers meet the Ritz Brothers on Tin Pan Alley."

Shockey penned 10 songs, mixing in a bit of tango, some soft shoe and a lot of old show-tune sensibilities. Example: Sparkle (Susan Donnelly), Cinderella's fairy godmother, singing about her magic wand, with such Borscht Belt lyrics as, "My wand, Wanda, she makes you kinda ponder . . . ." The corny numbers are mixed in with some simple but pretty ballads, with the actors singing to snappy recorded music tracks.

The familiar story is mostly intact, although with a comic sensibility that the younger kids may not appreciate. Here, the wicked stepmother (Jennifer Rutherford) is made to resemble Phyllis Diller more than a medieval mom. And her exaggerated accent is definitely New York, not old York. The beautiful but evil stepsisters are named Poodilla (Shannon Montague) and Growleena (Laura Yee), but Prince Charming is still Prince Charming (Troy Knighton).

Unfortunately, the kids in the audience don't really get to see some of the most familiar moments of this time-honored tale. We hear the pumpkin turn into a coach, but we don't see it. We hear mice turn into steeds to haul the coach, but we don't see them. In fact, we never see any coach or steeds at all. It's a pretty low-key production, with only a few desultory, one-dimensional backdrops against black curtains to hold the eye.

There are some colorful costumes, but with flat lighting throughout, and no visual effects, there is little to maintain the attention of the littlest ones. You'd better make sure your kids are old enough to follow the story and enjoy the songs, none of which are really written in a kiddie style, or they may get bored. Directed by Tom Savoie, the actors generally speak slowly and with exaggerated emphasis, a style children will recognize as storytelling, and that helps.

The older kids groan at the puns that Shockey has larded throughout the hour-long production. There's Prince Charming noting how much he enjoys looking out the castle windows, through "the royal pane." And when he's looking for the young lady whose foot fits into the glass slipper, he asks the wicked stepmother, "Are you sure there are no more young ladies here?" "No," comes the reply. "But, surely . . . " he begins. "Shirley doesn't live here either," she snaps, cutting him off. And so it goes.

Highlights include Stephanie Penet, as Cinderella, displaying a clear and pretty singing voice as she dreams of her prince; Montague's rich, powerful voice as horrible stepsister Poodilla; and Kathy Giese and Lara Samuels appearing frequently to complement the singing of the prettier love songs by dancing in graceful, gently choreographed movement. There are weekend matinee performances only, with the kids getting to mingle with the cast after each show, while snacking on treats and beverages.

"Cinderella, or, Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Ball" concludes this weekend, performed by Potomac Theatre Company at the Blair Family Center for the Arts on the campus of the Bullis School, 10601 Falls Rd., Potomac. Showtimes are 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For tickets, call 301-299-8571. For information, visithttp://www.potomactheatreco.org.