Baltimore Center Stage
Everyone must be familiar with the tale of Cinderella at this point in history. The story has been around since at least the early 17th century — at least that’s when the first published version came into existence — with the Brothers Grimm including it in their folk tale collection in 1812. The story has been presented as a pantomime show in London since 1804, various musical versions have been presented in London and on and Off-Broadway, and the story has been adapted either fairly straightforward or with a twist hundred of times on film and television. Walt Disney probably has the most famous non-musical version of the story with the 1950 animated classic and the 2015 live-action remake. The most famous musical version comes from Rodgers and Hammerstein, which was written for television and produced three times (the 1965 production with Lesley Ann Warren the most iconic) and has been presented as a stage production as well.
The third version of that television production from 1997 has also become iconic as well by putting a new spin on the old tale by casting Brandy Norwood as Cinderella, the first Black actress to play the role. With Whitney Houston on board as the Fairy Godmother, this production has become a favorite (and recently made its streaming debut on Disney+ to be discovered by a new generation). And it is this particular version of the musical, titled Cinderella (Enchanted Edition), that is now on stage at Baltimore Center Stage in a co-production with ArtsCentric, with some minor tweaks. The story is the same — an orphan is placed with her stepmother and stepsisters who use her only as their personal servant. The prince of their African kingdom (the setting is the major tweak to this version) announces a ball in which all eligible young women are compelled to attend. The prince, however, had no idea there was going to be a ball because it was all his mother’s doing to get him married off. Cinderella’s step-family intends to attend but forbid her from going. She makes a wish to be able to go, her Fairy Godmother appears, whips up a gown and a horse-drawn carriage for her, and send her on her way … with the warning that she must leave before the clock strikes twelve midnight. While the guests wonder who this young woman is, she and the prince grow closer but that pesky clock begins to chime and she has to run, leaving a glass slipper behind. The prince travels the kingdom to find the foot that fits in the slipper eventually ending up at Cinderella’s home where her stepsisters do all they can to get their foot in that slipper. Against her stepmother’s orders, Cinderella appears from the kitchen and … well, you know the rest.
Having never seen the Brandy/Whitney version of this story, I don’t have anything to compare. I know that the 1997 production filled out the story with songs borrowed from other Rodgers & Hammerstein productions and I believe those songs are retained in this stage presentation but I can’t say for sure as there is no information about the songs in the show’s program. But from what I’ve read, it sounds like the added songs are here, two of which are sung by the Fairy Godmother to bookend the show. So if you know the 1965 production and the 1997 production, you should be familiar with the songs.
A too-familiar story, with some recognizable music and iconic performances from previous productions can be daunting for a cast to tackle. The cast at Baltimore Center Stage are more than up to the task. Jaiden Nuako is perfection as Cinderella. She brings such wide-eyed innocence to the character, a charming awkwardness the first time she bumps into the prince (not knowing he’s the prince), and becoming a stronger, more confident young woman as her wish is granted then stepping out from the shadows to claim what’s hers. This is a Cinderella that you can’t help but root for and it’s not hard to see why the prince is instantly enamoured with her. And Nuako’s voice is stunning, lovely, smooth and powerful. Just a wonderful performance from start to finish. Nick Moore is also charming (wink, wink) as Prince Christopher, just as his mother the Queen taught him to be. From the first meet-cute with Cinderella to his frustration with his parents to falling head-over-heels for the mystery woman at the ball, you also root for the prince and Cinderella to finally get their happily ever after. Moore’s voice is also very powerful and he matches Nuako perfectly in their duets. Cinderella would not hold up with weak leads, and Nuako and Moore a big part of what makes this production work.
Baltimore Center Stage
Asia-Ligé Arnold and Curtis McNeil stand out in their scenes as the Queen and King, first trying to convince the prince that this ball is a good thing and then as they notice his attraction to the mystery woman, swooping in as they dance to gauge how things are going and if she is ‘the one’. Kenyatta Hardison (Stepmother), Malshauna Hamm (Joy) and Nikki Owens (Grace) gleefully chew up the scenery whenever they’re on stage … and off, particularly in one moment when the stepsisters take a seat in the audience to survey the situation between the prince and the mystery woman. Tyrell Stanley as Lionel, the prince’s steward, is also a standout as a man who knows his place and isn’t easily flustered, even when Grace and Joy are throwing themselves at the prince and the stepmother is throwing herself at him. Jade Madden performed the role of the Fairy Godmother at our performance (the character is played by Pam Ward at select performances) and she was fantastic. Her voice just filled the room, and she brought just the right amount of seriousness and sass to the role. And the rest of the ensemble cast is put through their paces, particularly in the finale’s ibg dance number. They lay it all out there on the stage.
One thing I appreciated about this production (and perhaps it is a carry-over from the 1997 version) is Cinderella’s backstory about the loss of her mother and the tree she and her father planted where her tears would water the tree and make it grow. And when the Fairy Godmother appears, talking about how she knew Cinderella’s mother and father, there are just enough hints in the dialogue — and in Madden’s performance — to suggest that she is indeed Cinderella’s mother or a version of her mother. I would say this interpretation is left for each audience member to decide but I’m choosing to believe the Fairy Godmother is the embodiment of the spirit of Cinderella’s mother. It just feels right.
Director Kevin S. McAllister brings this show to life by completely utilizing the entire space of the theatre. The actors are moved about on the stage, in front of the stage, and everywhere else there’s an open space with the actors entering and exiting at times through the seating area. It really is an immersive experience. Daniel Conway’s scenic design is simple but completely effective from Cinderella’s house that easily turns into the king and queen’s throne room with a 180 degree turn, to the large carriage that takes Cinderella to the ball and the large staircase where she makes her entrance and exit (and I loved the hugely creative moment with said staircase, the direction and Max Doolittle’s lighting that wows us as Cinderella ascends the staircase in her ball gown but is magically back in the original dress she was planning to wear in a split second as the stairs are rotated — a simple but really effective trick). If I have one minor complaint, it’s that at times the orchestra over-powered the singing, but that also could have been just my vantage point at the right side of the stage while most of the singing is being projected forward. That may be something that isn’t an issue depending on your seat, and it certainly wasn’t enough to tarnish the production.
If you love the story of Cinderella, or if you love the Disney films or the 1965 or 1997 musical versions, Baltimore Center Stage’s production of Cinderella (Enchanted Edition) is a must-see for all ages.
Cinderella (Enchanted Edition) runs about 2 hours 15 minutes with one intermission. The show runs through December 23, 2023. Baltimore Center Stage’s next production is Mexodus from March 14 to April 7.
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