cinderella the musical Essay Example

cinderella the musical Essay Example cinderella the musical Essay cinderella the musical Essay cinderella the musical BY 10021991 Walt Disneys 1950 animated feature film Cinderella, which was based on the fairy tale Cendrillon by Charles Perrault and the Grimms Fairy Tales. Everyone knows the story, and the animated film is a beloved classic. The challenge then for Resorts World Manilas production of Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella is to measure up to such high standards. Just an aside: Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella is a 1957 musical written for television, starring no less than Julie Andrews. Its been remade for television twice, ith one version featuring Brandy Norwood, Whitney Houston, Bernadette Peters, and our very own Paolo Montalban. Its also been adapted for the stage numerous times. Most recently, Lea Salonga played the title role. Stepping into the glass slippers this time is Karylle Tatlonghari, with Christian Bautista playing Prince Charming (or rather, as his character is named, Prince Christopher). The chemistry between the romantic leads is crucial, and Karylle and Christian have it in spades. Having partnered up before in West Side Story, Rama Hart, and Kitchen Musical, its obvious they are naturally at ease with one another, hich helps them portray the breathless exhilaration of falling in love without appearing corny (perfect casting for a telenovela! ) And their stellar vocal chops allow them to hit the difficult high notes of the songs. Rodgers and Hammersteins songs are very pleasant and hummable, with organic lyrics that are essential to narrating the story. Standout songs include In My Own Little Corner, Impossible/lts Possible, and the haunting Do I Love You Because Youre Beautiful? Playing Cinderellas stepmother, Sweet Plantado chews the scenery (but in a good ay) and steals the show with every lip curl and cutting one-liner. The two bickering stepsisters (Gianina Ocampo and Maronne Cruz) display a flair for physical comedy and slapstick. The comic relief provided by the villains is a nice antidote to all the sweetness. Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, the glamorous fairy godmother, appears at a critical time and in grand fashion, landing from the sky. Cinderella wishes she could go to the Princes ball, along with all the young ladies in the land. Applying reverse psychology, the fairy godmother gently chides her for fixating on wishes and dreams and ncourages her to be responsible for her own destiny. Cinderella starts to form a plan. What if she hitched a ride along the next carriage, or fixed the dress that her stepmother had callously ripped? But before she can fgure out a plan, the fairy message of female empowerment is not pushed far enough, unlike in, say, Ever After. One wonders how the story would turn out if Cinderella had taken control of the situation. But then we would have missed the magic. With the aid of smoke and fog, a bit of pyrotechnics, and a super-quick costume change, the mice are transformed into orsemen, a white carriage arrives (but alas, no pumpkin! ) and Cinderella gets a makeover, changing from peasant to princess. These transformations were much appreciated by the audience, who clapped with every dramatic presto change-o. Aside from the performances, the shows winning formula is the fantastic stage design by Andrew Botha. How do you measure up to Walt Disneys Cinderella? With the clever use of animation, of course, the stage scenery includes a massive video wall that shows flat and 3D animated illustrations of the different locations, from the town, to Cinderellas house, to the palace. This presents endless possibilities for setting and scene changes. The quaint illustrations, similar to that of a storybook, are jazzed up with layers, motion, and precise transitions, creating an immersive world. There are also video screens flanking the stage, providing a live feed of the action onstage, as well as close-ups. The more traditional set design includes a grand staircase and an enormous fireplace. The songs, performance, and multi-media stage design all come together to bring the fairy tale to life. It may not achieve the perfection of the Walt Disney animated film, but it holds its own.