The 82nd Dolphin Show, Cinderella, just concluded its run of five performances over the last two weekends. The performance illuminated Cahn Auditorium with its characteristic whimsy and reminded viewers of the importance of self-discovery.
Audiences of all ages know the story of Cinderella: a girl mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters finds her Fairy Godmother, meets her Prince Charming and becomes a princess after a midnight ball and a fateful search for a glass slipper.
The Rodgers and Hammerstein rendition of the tale is slightly different, though. While Ella, later called Cinderella, remains a kind soul, and her stepmother Madame and stepsisters Gabrielle and Charlotte are still cruel, the story turns focus to Prince Topher as he navigates uncertainty about his role as ruler. Through mutual empowerment, Ella and Topher’s love grows–-Ella inspires Topher to become a just leader and Topher encourages Ella to look beyond her low station.
This version of the story keeps the happily-ever-after but also champions the belief that change is possible, creating an updated take on the beloved tale.
I already knew the plot difference going into the show on Friday, January 31 and I was excited to watch the Dolphin Show’s take on it, but the performance got off to a slightly bumpy start. The pre-recorded welcome message began to play, but then it stopped, started over, and then stopped again. Eventually, they just gave up and had someone finish the announcements, ending with a resounding “That’s all.”
The overture quieted any laughs from the bumpy start, as balcony audience members leaned forward to take in the enrapturing orchestration led by Communication second-year Jordan Klein.
Some unique production decisions caught me off guard but ultimately paid off. Despite knowing the general songs and story, I thought the addition of puppetry to “In My Own Little Corner” was a surprise that brought Ella’s (Communication fourth-year Sofi Pascua) imagination to life. Initially, I was puzzled by the staging though: Why was Ella’s chair on the stage right platform, outside of her home on stage left?
However, as Prince Topher’s (Communication third-year Oliver Tam) throne was placed in the same spot during the next scene, I realized the cleverness of the choice; the characters, though physically distant, were linked by their shared search for identity.
None of the other characters cared about Ella and Topher’s identity crisis, though. How about a ball instead?
The ensemble truly shaped the atmosphere of each scene. Some jumped from being guards to townsfolk to puppeteers, and each change brought a new character to the stage. In “A Call to Arms,” the guards ran around the stage in an attempt to grab Cinderella and her coachmen, resulting in a Tom and Jerry-esque chase filled with mimed arguments between guards and characters running every which way. This was a standout scene for me because all the staging, lighting and music came together flawlessly.
Of course, no Cinderella performance is complete without a bit of magic. Both “Crazy” Marie (Communication third-year Devin Eichel) and Cinderella’s costume changes were nothing short of stunning. When “Crazy” Marie turned into the Fairy Godmother, the whole auditorium gasped as her worn and bleak dress became a green gown with a petaled skirt. Cinderella also had not just one, but two transformations. The first came as she twirled off stage and came back on in a blue dress, and the second occurred on stage as her dress went from pink to “gold” (though the dress still looked blue, confusingly). Kudos to costume designer Communication third-year Ezra Osburn and costume coordinator Olivia Czyz, McCormick and Communication second-year.
Some of the magic did falter at times. The follow spot’s timing was off, coming on too early and showing no one or too late when the actor was already singing in the dark. This could be faulty timing on the actors’ part, but regardless, it took me away from the performance.
In typical Cahn Auditorium fashion, the mics cut out at random times, which was especially unfortunate for ensemble members with quick voice lines. The actors couldn’t help the disruption, but the cuts made some audience members go “oh” and “huh” because they could not understand what the characters were saying.
The surprising humor of the show made up for the technical shortcomings. Most of the jokes were self-aware of its all-too-convenient plot while others got laughs because of the actors’ exaggerations. For example, when the Prince’s advisor, Sebastian (Communication second-year Jonah Mensch), told the Prince he would find his bride the same night as the ball, Topher responded, “Wow, that’s quick.” Almost every bit like this received laughter from the audience, either from surprise or from the hit-you-in-the-head kind of humor.
Communication sophomore Patrick Howard’s performance as Jean-Michel particularly stuck out to me, with his animated movements and ability to have the audience in the palm of his hand. Every time he pouted towards the audience, everyone replied with an “aw,” as if cued to do so. Communication fourth-year Becker Spear’s goofy Lord Pinkleton and Communication fourth-year Alex DeVito’s cheeky Charlotte received the most laughs because of their outlandish mannerisms and voice inflections. Every actor truly put their all into this show.
But why tell this story now? Cinderella may seem archaic, with the Prince giving Cinderella a new life, but this production puts self-discovery and compassion at the center. Topher fights for the marginalized during his new rule and implements a vote in the future, emphasizing that democracy and fairness bring people together.
The production left a profound message: If you just believe in yourself and fight for change to happen, you can make your dreams come true. As Marie/The Fairy Godmother said, “If you have a dream, then very soon thereafter you’re going to have to fight for it. Why otherwise, how would you know the dream is yours?”
