Cinderella
Choreography by Graham Lustig
Music by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)
Once Upon a Time...
ACT I
There lived a gentle hearted girl named Cinderella. Since her mother had died and her father re-married, Cinderella's life has been hard, working everyday doing all the household chores. The only memento of her mother are a pair of treasured old slippers.
Her two step-sisters, Regina and Divina, are preparing to attend a masked ball given by the most eligible bachelor in the land, the Prince. They are both jealous of Cinderella's kindness and beauty and take pleasure in being cruel to her.
Although his life is now completely dominated by his bossy second-wife, Cinderella's father always carries with him a portrait of his beloved first wife. Joined by their tyrannical mother, Regina and Divina's merciless teasing of the father is interrupted by a strange bag-lady. Moved by pity, Cinderella offers the old woman the slippers which she gratefully accepts. Mocking Cinderella's generous spirit, the sisters continue getting ready until the dance teacher arrives. After their lesson, they are ready to go, leaving behind a terrible mess. As she cleans up, Cinderella dreams of dancing with the Prince at the Ball. The beggar woman returns and reveals herself to be Cinderella's Fairy godmother and transforms the old slippers into magical dancing shoes.
With a wave of her hand she conjures the four seasons who each bestow a gift onto Cinderella, transforming her into a radiantly beautiful Princess. There is only one condition, she must leave the Palace by midnight or all her finery will disappear. With an entourage of crickets and dragonflies, Cinderella sets off for the Palace.
ACT II
The Fairy Godmother has disguised herself as a waiter at the masked ball. As soon as the sisters arrive, they search for the Prince. Sending his two companions ahead to trick the guests, the Prince finally arrives. No matter how they try the sisters cannot get the Princeâs attention.
The Ball is pervaded by a magical atmosphere. A mysterious guest descends the stairs. Everyone is awestruck by her beauty and even her step-sisters cannot recognize her. Neither the Prince or Cinderella has ever seen another creature so beautiful and as they dance round and round, love is born in their hearts. Cinderella is so swept away by the Prince, that she forgets the time. Suddenly 12 dwarfs descend from the great clock as midnight has come and Cinderella rushes from the Palace. In her haste she loses one of her shoes. The Prince finds and presses the shoe to his heart, vowing that he will not rest until he has found her.
ACT III
The Prince's first step is to summon 4 shoemakers but not one of them has ever seen such a shoe or can imagine who its owner might be. Deciding that his Princess must come from some distant land, the Prince sets off on a journey. He is first transported to Arabia but the shoe does not fit anyone there. Next, he travels to the East but still he has no luck. Thinking his Princess to be hiding in his own kingdom, he returns home trying the shoe one every girl he can find. Finally it is the Fairy godmother disguised as a neighbor who directs the Prince to the street where Cinderella lives.
The power of love ignores the boundary of time; the Prince has traveled all over the world and through his realm but in Cinderella's house the dawn is just breaking. Cinderella recalls the Ball as if it were only a dream until she discovers the magic shoe, proving that it all really did happen. Divina and Regina have terrible hangovers but still boast about their conquests at the party and soon turn to bullying Cinderella. They are interrupted when several neighbors rush in to announce the Prince is outside in the street and coming in their direction.
The two companions and the love-sick Prince enter. In his anguish, he does not see Cinderella and allows each of the step sisters to try on the shoe. Even the stepmother's desperate attempts cannot make it fit. Suddenly the Prince's eyes are drawn to Cinderella and when she shows him the other shoe he is overwhelmed with recognition. The Fairy Godmother spirits the couple away to an enchanted world where they live happily ever after.
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