‘Cinderella’ was a ball

Crowds of people flocked to the Black Hills Playhouse for the premiere performance of their third play of the summer, ‘Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.’ This fairy tale family musical sweeps the audience to a realm where true love and a little magic can change everything. “A place where imagination takes flight, and the realm of possibilities is endless,” as director Justin Speck put it. 

‘Cinderella’ holds all the familiar sentiment of the original fairytale while simultaneously being enriched with fresh new twists. 

Ella, portrayed by Sanchi Pandey, is a beautiful young girl with a kind heart. Although overworked by her stepmother and ridiculed by her stepsisters, from her own little corner Ella can imagine that anything is possible. However, her corner of the world is about to expand in ways she never planned. 

Meanwhile, Prince Topher, portrayed by Payton M. Johnson, is your average giant hunting, dragon fighting, handsome prince with a name so long that it is better to hear it in song. Underneath the guise though, Topher is struggling with his identity and purpose as the future king. He has taken the council of others for so long that he does not truly know who he can be. 

Throughout the play, there are strong themes of the power of kindness, fighting for your dreams, taking control of your life, believing in yourself and forgiving others. Running gags and one-liners made the adults roar with laughter and magical costume changes made little girls gasp in wonderment. For another added touch of class, the entire musical is performed to live music produced by Vonnie Houchin, Meredith Meersman, Lon Schnitgrund and Alan Temple. 

The setting shifted seamlessly between the forest and castle as well as outside and inside Ella’s home. There were moving doors, “horse” drawn carriages and hidden compartments for quick escapes. In addition, there were just enough props to complement each scene. 

Nevertheless, the singing and dancing were the most notable features. Each cast member sang with a richness and depth that harmonized with their fellow thespians to create a masterful blend of sounds. The soloists managed to capture the audience’s attention within a few notes, and during many songs a hush fell over the crowd so nothing would be missed. 

Somehow while singing with such power, this creative cast simultaneously danced intricate pieces that required switching partners multiple times, high kicks, tight spins and a few lifts and flips often in ball gowns and suits. A close look revealed many cast members were even wearing professional dancing shoes to expand their range of motion.

This musical was performed by a cast of 15 talented thespians, including Pandey, Johnson, Michael Reitano, Bart Williams, Kaitlin Gant, Alex Rudd, Andrea Moore, Emily Dean, Lydia Prior, Genevieve Cortez, Brandon Doan, Casey Fay, Alex Vito Fuegner, Abby Naden and Zay Williams. Each cast member transformed themselves into their character(s) so seamlessly with emotions and gestures that the audience was never drawn out of the story. As a result, they were met with a standing ovation and many cheers for their thrilling performance at the curtain call. 

‘Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella’ is approximately two hours long divided by a fifteen minute intermission between acts. With a G rating, it is perfect for kids while including plenty of twists and quips to keep adults engaged. You will not want to miss it or the midpoint plot twist of the fairy tale that broke with all tradition.