MORE NATIONAL REVIEWS FOR "RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA" WINNER: BEST SPECIAL OF THE YEAR - CINDERELLA. "Disney turns an the magic better than anybody else, and its highly rated 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella did it all. The show delightfully breathed new life into the TV musical -- as well as into ABC." --TV GUIDE, THE BEST OF '97 SPECIAL ISSUE "'Cinderella is fabulous.'' --CENTRAL FLORIDA ADVOCATE, ORLANDO "On Sunday, it's the young-- and the young at heart-- who get the most magical treat of all." --Jeanne Jakie, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, TEXAS "Colorblind casting that works as well as any other kind of casting. Which is the point. Bravo!" --Kinney Littlefield, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER "Programs like 'Cinderella' continue knocking down the old barriers that kept minorities outside the media mainstream (and) encourage children to dream. --Kevin Kilbane, THE NEWS-SENTINEL, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA "Strong performances by a rainbow cast will endear 'Cinderella' for a new generation. 'Cinderella' will never be the same again. Never has this dream-come-true seemed so romantic as in the hands of teen star Brandy and Paolo Montalban. Never has the score seemed so lush as in the re-orchestration. And never has the fact that the characters come from different races and ethnic origins seemed so inconsequential as in the teleplay rewritten by Robert Freedman." --Marion Garmel, THE INDIANAPOLIS NEWS "One movie is actually something to brag about: the much-publicized, colorblind 'Cinderella'. Tomorrow's version merits the buzz it has created. It's livelier, funnier, more romantic, more musical and much better mounted than the off-aired 1965 staging. Most impressive are Brandy and Filipino newcomer Paolo Montalban who, as Cinderella and the prince, bring the show's heart and soul to life." --Eugene Marino, DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK 'The phrase 'television event' is so overused - applied to so many inferior productions - it doesn't have much meaning anymore. It was meant to be used for shows like tonight's presentation of 'Cinderella` which is an Event with a capital E. This remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein's television musical is nothing short of fabulous - great music, great singing, great choreography, fantastic sets and costumes accompanying a classic tale." --Scott Pierce, DESERET NEWS, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH "'Cinderella's' back in town. Sit the whole family dawn for this treat. The musical by Rodgers & Hammerstein is bound to be an Emmy winner. It's been done by television, but never quite the same. And never with a fresher, more appealing Cinderella or a more capable cast. For Brandy, it's a breakout performance. For Whitney Houston, a fine fairy godmother, it's a double smash. Her song is a show-stopper. Bernadette Peter's 'Falling in Love With Love' is one, too. Peters is purely wonderful. She and Jason Alexander add a practiced touch as the comedic relief. This 'Cinderella' is first-class entertainment for the whole family. --Ana Hodges, THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, TEXAS "Tonight's long-awaited new version of 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' is awash in a rainbow of brilliant colors- in the Gustav Klimt-inspired sets and costumes and in the unusual casting. The ethnic diversity of this all-star cast is staggering. Brandy waltzes away with the honors for best performance. Her angelic, wistful Cinderella is a real star turn. What a voice!" --Elaine Liner, CORPUS CHRISTI CALLER-TIMES, TEXAS "Disney's newest 'Cinderella' is colorblind. Talk about your emancipated productions. Baby boomers who remember the frequently rerun Lesley Ann Warren version will be beguiled by the irrepressible Brandy from the moment she opens her mouth. Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg and Bernadette Peters are a hoot as Comic relief. The musical is creatively staged on sets as colorful and bright as a cartoon. And then there's diva Houston, singing sweet on the memorable Rodgers & Hammerstein score. She looks, in her costume, like she's been spun from silver and gold and moonbeams. --Steve Hall, THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR "Prepare to be swept off your feet by a fairy tale production of 'Cinderella.' The florid and fanciful Rodgers & Hammerstein musical is wrapped in sugarplum production values and brought to life by a marquee cast. But never before has 'Cinderella' received such a transformation. As if touched by a magic wand, this musical play has become a Disney extravaganza with all the trimmings. Comic and romantic elements are in balance throughout the film, and director Robert Iscove, to his everlasting credit, keeps all the stars from snacking on the scenery. The result is a pull-out-all-the-stops production that never slips over the line into camp." --THE WESTERLY SUN, RHODE ISLAMD 'The multicultural cast allowed viewers to look at the age-old 'Cinderella' story with fresh eyes. The new version sent a powerful message to its audience, both young and old: that a good story knows no racial boundaries...truly a beautiful mosaic. A good story is colorblind, even if society often isn't. Sunday's television broadcast was a reminder of what could be." --Editorial, DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK "Whitney Houston and Bernadette Peters win grins with their flamboyant characterizations and bombastic vocals. Jason Alexander sings and dances like the musical veteran he is. And Whoopi Goldberg puts heart over humor in her regal role. Cinderella dares to wish and this heroine discards 'once upon a time' and speaks to a new generation. --Lou Grahnke, THE CHICAGO-SUN TIMES "Superstar Whitney Houston weaves her melodious magic in a new spectacular all-star production of 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella'. Singing sensation Brandy brings a whole new dimension of wonder and innocence to the title role, while Whoopi Goldberg, Jason Alexander and Bernadette Peters lend their considerable Broadway talents to this fairy tale world where wishes really do come true. --DAYTONA TIMES, FLORIDA "Whitney Houston makes a grand Fairy Godmother. Paolo Montalban and Brandy crackle with youthful romance in this superb musical. This wonderfully whimsical remake has a feature film feel. The multicultural cast adds a sassy flavor and all give brassier portrayals than their predecessors." --Susan Young, THE SUNDAY RECORD, HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA "Did you see 'Cinderella' on ABC Sunday night? If you didn't, too bad, because you missed not only a delightful story for children, but a heartening lesson for adults as well. If it seems as though we're making a big deal about racial categories, that's because the TV movie didn't. Everyone seemed truly colorblind as good contended with evil and love triumphed in the end. Too good to be true? Maybe, but art imitates life, and life in America is becoming ever more multiethnic. To be sure, we have a long way to go in race relations (but) it's nice to see a positive sign of progress, even if it is just a fairy tale." --Editorial, NEWSDAY, NASSAU EDITION, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK NOMINATED; BRANDY, NAACP IMAGE AWARD, BEST ACTRESS: TV MOVIE, MINI-SERIES, DRAMATIC SPECIAL NOMINATED; WHOOPI GOLDBERG, NAACP IMAGE AWARD, BEST ACTRESS: TV MOVIE, MINI-SERIES, DRAMATIC SPECIAL NOMINATED; JASON ALEXANDER, INTERNATIONAL PRESS ACADEMY SATELLITE AWARD, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: MINI-SERIES/MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION NOMINATED; BERNADETTE PETERS, INTERNATIONAL PRESS ACADEMY SATELLITE AWARD, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: MINI-SERIES/MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION