Boston Herald Thanks to Dan for this information! ARTS & CULTURE `Cinderella,' Kitt & caboodle, is a hit by Terry Byrne Friday, January 18, 2002 ``Cinderella,'' at the Wang Theatre through Sunday. The magic in Rodgers and Hammerstein's ``Cinderella'' comes primarily from Eartha Kitt. She is a fairy godmother with attitude. No fairy wings or wand for this woman. She's wearing a slinky sequined gown slit up the thigh and high heels. Director Gabriel Barre has cleverly added moments to the musical specifically to show off Kitt, and really, we can't get enough of her. She is sexy, smart, sly, silly and remarkably limber at age 75. And when she encourages Cinderella to make an impression at the ball, Kitt drawls, ``I've never been big for fitting in. I've always preferred standing out.'' Honey, with a fairy godmother like this, anything's possible. But even when Kitt is not onstage, this production of the sweet musical sparkles with joy. Barre does an excellent job of balancing the cartoonish characters with the down-to-earth principals. Paolo Montalban reprises the role he played in the 1997 TV remake of ``Cinderella,'' and he and Jessica Rush as Cinderella make a lovely couple. Vocally, they are reliable, with Rush providing simple charm in ``In My Own Little Corner,'' and the duo doing a nice job on ``Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?'' and ``Ten Minutes Ago.'' Barre also has added an element of puppetry to the proceedings, with the story's four white mice, cat and a dove appearing, manipulated by six neutrally dressed puppeteers. This aspect was done tastefully and delighted my kids. The stepmother is played in drag by Everett Quinton (looking like Mel Brooks with makeup), who hams it up to the hilt, as do Natasha Yvette Williams and Sandra Bargman as the stepsisters. Williams and Bargman also do a great job with their duet, the funny ``Stepsisters' Lament.'' Brooks Ashmanskas, who appeared last season in the Huntington's ``Amphitryon,'' plays the Prince's servant Lionel with a flourish that competes somewhat with Quinton's stepmother. Scenic designer James Youmans and costume designer Pamela Scofield go for a look that is part Dr. Seuss, part ``Wizard of Oz,'' with lots of oranges and blues, greens and yellows. Youmans' spare settings rely on a few simple set pieces (a front door, a fireplace, a staircase), with bold abstract areas to create the fairy tale mood. Andrew Lippa, who wrote a version of ``The Wild Party'' that played at the Manhattan Theatre Club, has added a syncopated beat to his arrangements of the Rodgers and Hammerstein score, which are a bit overdone. In spite of that unnecessary tinkering though, the simple beauty of the score shines through.