Cinderella September-through-November: "A Tale of Cinderella" (1995 filmed stage musical)
I had almost forgotten about this Cinderella's existence, but then I remembered having noticed it on various video store shelves in my childhood. Why I never bought it or rented it I don't know. It's a filmed stage production of a musical produced by the New York State Theatre Institute, with music and lyrics by George David Weiss (known for such pop and jazz standards as "What a Wonderful World," "Can't Help Falling In Love" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"), and additional music by Will Severn. It was videotaped in 1995, then released on VHS in 1997, and aired many times on PBS too.
The first and foremost way A Tale of Cinderella sets itself apart from other musical versions of the story is by setting the scene in 19th century Venice, and by peppering the lyrics and dialogue with Italian words and cultural details. The heroine is referred to interchangeably as "Cinderella" or as "la Cenerentola"... and just as in Rossini's opera La Cenerentola, her real name is Angelina. But this adaptation has other creative details too. It features an extended role for Cinderella's father Paolo, who loves his daughter and isn't weak-willed by nature, but whom the beautiful yet wicked stepmother Pulchitruda commands with a magical crystal amulet, which makes him hopelessly enthralled by her charms. Thus Cinderella has no defense against Pulchitruda or her bullying daughters Moltovoce ("much voice," or "loudmouth") and Seppia ("squid"). But she does have an ally in her beloved grandmother, La Stella, the mother of her own late mother, who urges her never to give up hope... and who is also her fairy godmother, stirring up magic with a wooden pasta spoon instead of a wand.
The handsome Prince Nicolo also has a fairy godfather of his own, a slightly pompous and bumbling yet benevolent gentleman called Il Compare, who carries a magic sword. The Prince and Cinderella first meet in the town square, he disguised in an elegant Venetian mask, and are instantly smitten with each other; after she departs, Il Compare's magic lets Nicolo hear Cinderella's singing from afar, which makes him fall even harder. This inspires him to extend the invitations of the already-scheduled masked ball from only princesses to every unmarried maiden in Venice and to have them all sing for him in hope of finding her. But when Cinderella finally steals and hides her stepmother's amulet to free her father from its spell, Pulchitruda refuses to let her go to the ball unless she returns it, and she sadly gives up the ball for her father's sake. Fortunately, La Stella conjures up a gown, crystal slippers and a gondola so she can go after all. And when Prince Nicolo searches for the foot that fits the slipper she lost, just as Pulchitruda lies that there are no other young ladies in the house than her daughters, Il Compare's magic makes everyone hear Cinderella's singing yet again, revealing her presence. Meanwhile, La Stella and Il Compare share an adorable, teasing December/December romance that unfolds at the same time as their godchildren's love.
The songs are numerous: "Buon Giorno," ""The Tale of Cinderella," "Hear Us," "Cinderella," "Poor, Poor, Poor," "In The Air," "These Graceful Hands," "Showoff," "Have Faith," "Make Magic," "Demons and Devils and Witches," "Peliculo," "Unmarried Women," "Out of the Ashes," "Bring My Porridge," "Some Sweet Day," "Can You Believe It?" "Love, Love, Love, Love," "Bells/Mi Dispiace," "The Amulet," "Don't Mess With La Stella," "Be Back By Midnight," "Compliments," "No One Ever Told Me," "The Prince," and "You Are My Love." While they don't equal Rodgers and Hammerstein in quality, all the same they make a tuneful, charming score. The Venetian-flavored costumes are equally appealing and the simple yet effective stage sets and magic effects serve their purpose well.
Christianne Tisdale, a veteran Belle from Broadway's Beauty and the Beast and Christine Daaé from Yeston and Kopit's Phantom, is an engaging Cinderella. Her voice is equally at home in sweet operatic tones and in powerhouse belting, though it can be thin at times, and she does a fine job of portraying the feistiest, most "modern" Cinderella since Libuše Šafránková in Three Wishes. While still kind, selfless, and vulnerable to sadness and yearning, this Italian Cenerentola is also witty, smart-mouthed, angry, and more than capable of defying her stepfamily or fantasizing about revenge. The rest of the cast is likable too, particularly Sean Frank Sullivan's lively Prince Nicolo with his bright tenor voice, Joel Aroeste's poignant, fatherly Paolo, and perhaps most appealing of all, Lorraine Serabian's warm, sassy, exuberant La Stella and John Romeo's endearingly swaggering yet insecure Il Compare.
This underrated Cinderella musical is definitely worth seeking out. It might not outshine the Rodgers and Hammerstein versions or Disney's animated film, but it's still charming from beginning to end.
@superkingofpriderock, @ariel-seagull-wings
