Running time: 55 minutes

The Time: 1815
 
The Place: A small kingdom
somewhere in Europe

"You won’t find more professional theatre—for children or adults—anywhere in the Los Angeles area then at the Santa Monica Playhouse. Family theatre is but one facet of the Playhouse’s extensive repertoire, and its modernized musical version of Cinderella delivers fairytale enchantment, visual wonderment and flashing humor in a top-quality production.

"This Cinderella is a modern, independent miss who won’t allow the Prince to ‘look her over like a grocer’s tomato’. Cinderella’s witty sarcasm is lost on her stepmother and stepsisters, but not on the audience. The kids love it when Cinderella taps them on the head with her feather duster while she cleans the cottage.

"The handsome, resplendent Prince disguises himself as a valet so that the kingdom’s maidens will like him for himself. He and Cinderella meet, fall in love and almost lose each other through a mix-up. However, all ends up happily, with the stepsisters repenting their ill treatment of Cinderella and the Prince’s father promising them other royal matches."

This charming musical comedy shows young people the importance of tolerance, and how to develop a positive self-image and interact successfully with others, both with their peer group and in the home, while discovering the dangers of stereotyping and the power of kindness and patience. The stepmother and stepsisters are portrayed as humorous rather than evil, serving to increase children’s awareness that “stepmothers are people, too”. As in the original story, this version offers the philosophy that “it is not your financial or social status, but who you are on the inside, that counts”. Perhaps today, more than ever, this is a necessary belief for our young people to own.

"Students, teachers and parents raved about the play and found the cast delightful… wherever you perform the audience will leave satisfied they’ve seen quality on the stage."
Emerson School