Magic of 'Cinderella' Comes to Magruder

For some reason, the story of a young woman who is forced into a life of hard labor by her stepmother and stepsisters seems to connect with audiences. Could it be the optimistic nature of the ever hopeful lass? Or the fact that her godmother turns out to be magical and allows the maiden to go to the ball? Or could it be the relentless quest of the prince to find her?

Whatever the reason, one cannot deny that just about every adaptation of the story has a bit of magic. Magruder High School's version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" can be added to the list of magic makers.

A great deal of the musical's success should be credited to Lily Carlson as Cinderella. She was a delight to watch, exuding the sensitivity and cheeriness necessary to play the character, especially when she shared the stage with the equally talented Michelle Favin.

As the Fairy Godmother, Favin added a youthful twist to the character, who is usually depicted as much older. To see and hear the duo perform "Impossible" and "It's Possible" was truly a gift.

The show included wonderful performances by Austin Pate and Monica Harwood as the loving King and Queen and Andre Soussan as a hilarious Herald. The show had quite a few technical difficulties, and that could have overshadowed the performance, but the cast was consistent and bounced back every time, truly making it "A Lovely Night."

Freddy Mancilla

Albert Einstein High School

Magruder High School's performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical "Cinderella" was a show that the whole family could enjoy.

When it is announced that Prince Christopher (Alfonso Antonio) is going to have a ball in honor of his birthday, all of the young women in the kingdom plan to attend and, they hope, become the prince's bride. Initially, the only girl unable to attend is Cinderella (Caroline Wolfson in this production), who is under the control of her stepmother (Kaitlyn Powell) and stepsisters (Jennifer Panzera and Christina Stradone). However, Cinderella is able to go to the ball with some help from her fairy godmother (Michelle Favin).

Antonio had a clear and pleasant singing voice as the Prince. However, it was Favin, as the Fairy Godmother, who outshone just about everyone with a strong singing voice and stage presence. The two stepsisters added to the comedy as they bickered over everything.

The choreography with the song "Your Majesties" was a highlight, featuring many of the cast members. The chefs and stewards added to the quality of the performance.

The pit orchestra, under the capable direction of Mark Eisenhower, had to take on the difficult task of playing a score that was different from the familiar Disney movie, but their performance was outstanding. The costumes and sets enhanced the visual appeal of the musical.

This was an enjoyable performance.

Andrew Kullberg

Albert Einstein High School