Article from The Dallas Morning News Thanks to Lisa for this information! http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/415743_cinderella_11o.htm l Wednesday | July 11, 2001 Spellbinding performances dazzle 'Cinderella' audience 07/11/2001 By Tom Sime / The Dallas Morning News The rush was on for booster seat cushions at Tuesday's opening of Cinderella. The short set was out in force for this Rodgers & Hammerstein musical and probably never noticed that Jamie-Lynn Sigler had dropped out of the title role. They wouldn't know The Sopranos from The Three Tenors anyway. Not that they knew who the strange lady playing the Fairy Godmother was, either, but at least Eartha Kitt showed up. True to form, she vamped and slithered in her headlining cameo role. But it was Ms. Sigler's understudy, Jessica Rush, who worked the crowd without trying so hard. She no doubt won everyone over, whether they needed a boost to see her or not. The musical was written for television in 1957, when it was broadcast live with Julie Andrews as Cinderella, the mistreated orphan who becomes a princess. In this version, she does it through determination first, magic second. Her Fairy Godmother makes sure she's willing to get to the royal ball on her own before she conjures up a pumpkin coach. Mark Schumann's program notes remind us that when it premiered, Cinderella was watched by more than 100 million people, a figure it would have to sell out on Broadway every night for 110 years to match. It's been remade for TV twice, and is now a touring stage staple as well, so it's likely to have been seen by more people than any other Rodgers & Hammerstein show. Fans of Oklahoma! and South Pacific might grumble about that, but for a relative trifle, Cinderella's a snappy, sweet and tuneful one. It's funny, unpretentious and brief. And now it has Everett Quinton, formerly of the renowned Ridiculous Theatrical Company, in drag as Stepmother. (Hey, Playbill people, he's an icon too; move his name up in the credits). He's hilariously funny, as are the two delightfully dreadful daughters, Joy (Alexandra Kolb) and Grace (NaTasha Yvette Williams). They don't get a prince, but the nasty girls sing one of the best tunes, "Stepsisters' Lament." And all three baddies join in on "A Lovely Night," when even they succumb to Cinderella's charm as she recalls meeting the Prince (Paolo Montalban). Design is a bit spotty; some of the sets are clunky and garish. But the golden coach is impressive, and the costumes are fine overall. The stepfamily finery is really inspired, taking a cue from nature in making the ladies gaudy enough to warn predators of the toxicity within. Cinderella's animal pals are manned by a team of puppeteers who stay in plain sight, but make the creatures convincing anyway. The chemistry between the young lovers is also believable. And the message to kids is credible too. Not "You can do anything," not "You can be anyone"; they get that stuff a lot. It's just Godmother's modest assurance that "There is music in you."