“Rodgers' & Hammerstein's Cinderella" at the Spotlight Theatre -- December 5 through 14.
Friday, December 5, through Sunday, December 14
Spotlight Theatre, 1800 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island IL
A glorious stage fairytale boasting a legendary score by an iconic composing duo, the Tony-winning Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella will be presented at Moline's Spotlight Theatre December 5 through 14, this beloved classic with its fresh script by Douglas Carter Beane an entertainment, according to the Associated Press, that "crackles with sweetness and freshness, combining a little Monty Python's Spamalot with some Les Misérables."
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s enchanting adaptation of the timeless fairytale, Cinderella was their only musical originally composed for television. When the television program, starring Julie Andrews as Cinderella, first aired in 1957, it was, at the time, the most widely viewed TV presentation in the history of the medium. Since then, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella has continued to charm audiences in productions on stage and on television, with the Spotlight Theatre's production the Broadway version that received nine Tony Award nominations (winning for Costume Design) in 2013. Based upon the classic fairy tale, and particularly the French version Cendrillon ou la Petite Pantoufle de Verre, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s adaptation brings new life to the story of a young woman forced into servitude who dreams of – and achieves – a better life. Cinderella features some of its composing duo's most beloved songs, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago," and has earned numerous critical raves, with USA Today stating that the musical "will charm theatergoers of all ages."
Directing Cinderella is longtime Spotlight participant Sarah Greim, who previously co-directed Bring It On: The Musical and appeared in the musical versions of School of Rock and A Christmas Story. The venue's co-owners Brent Tubbs (the show's lighting and sound designer) and Sara Tubbs serve as producers, with additional members of Greim's creative team including: stage manager Grace Mottet; music director Christine Rodgers; choreographer Michelle Kabal; set designer Sara Wegener; and set builders Dana Lisenbee and Ted Brown.
Portraying the titular Ella is Ivy Jensen, recently seen in Bring It On and the Playcrafters Barn Theatre's Avenue Q, with additional members of the principal cast including Charles Murphy; Brianna Call; Dallas Foss; Regina Knobloch; Abbie Carpenter; Amelia Fischer; Jeremiah Viscioni; and Eli Swailes. Ensemble members include: Rachel Suddarth; Maesi Geigle; Andan Nguyen; Jackson Grubbs; Lillian Dawn; Kate Holsen; Maxwell Johnson; Brooklynn Nixon; Dorothy Turner; Linda Creighton; Ruth Ann Tobey-Brown; John Callazo; Matthew Downey; Ted Brown; Amaris Oliva-VanDeWalle; Heather Foss; Grace Wiborg; Christianna Crosby; and Zoe Zelnio. And 10 gifted student actors complete the Cinderella ensemble: Ian Suddarth; Brighton Greim; Reese Schaaf; Abigail Bennett; Caitlyn Creech; Charley Seneli; Izzy Lovel; Meyer Wikoff; Leila Trevino; and Nox McCarthy.
Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella will run in Moline from December 5 through 14, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Admission is $20-25, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)912-7647 and visiting TheSpotlightTheatreQC.com.
