Classic Fairy Tale

Performance Dates
Friday, April 6 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, April 7 at 2:00 pm
Saturday, April 7 at 8:00 pm
Morrison Center

Music by Sergei Prokofiev
Choreography by Peter Anastos
Costumes by A. Christina Giannini
Scenery by Michael Helms
Lighting by Burke Brown

Act 1
Act 1 begins in the kitchen of Cinderella’s house. Cinderella rushes about the room trying to accomplish all her chores.; Her two terrible Step-Sisters burst in – they are arguing, as usual, this time over a shawl each wants to wear. They abuse poor Cinderella and give her more work, then storm out like twin hurricanes.

Cinderella, alone, tries to mend the shawl, but leaves off to enjoy a moment to herself. The Step-Sisters burst in again, this time with laundry they want washed. Seemingly, there is no end of chores for poor Cinderella, until she finds a clever way to dispose of her Step-Sisters’ knickers.

A beggarwoman appears at the door seeking food. Scorned by the Step-Sisters, she goes to Cinderella, who kindly presents her with the last piece of bread from her own supper. The beggar woman thanks her deeply, then looks back at the Step-Sisters meaningfully and leaves.

It is now time for the two Step-Sisters to dress for the ball being given that night at the palace of the Prince. A small army of dressmakers, hairdressers, tailors and jewelers and their servants assemble to beautify the two Sisters. A Dancing Master arrives to teach them a gavotte, which is less than successful. In a great flurry of excitement the two Sisters depart for the ball, leaving havoc in their wake.

Left alone, Cinderella dreams of going to the ball herself and dances a fantasy waltz with her only friends, the little mice who live under the kitchen. Mysteriously, the beggar woman reappears – only this time, she reveals herself to be Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother. In gratitude for Cinderella’s earlier kindness, she transports her to an Enchanted Garden, where the Fairy commands the Four Seasons to dance for Cinderella. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter in turn presents themselves. They are an Allegory for the passing of time. The fairy tells Cinderella that she will indeed go to the ball, that she will be dressed by the Four Seasons as a great lady, but that she must return home at the stroke of midnight, for at that moment, she will turn back into a poor girl in tatters. Cinderella is swept off to the ball by the Four Seasons entourage.

Act 2
Act 2 opens in the Great Ballroom at the Prince’s palace. Guests from all over the kingdom begin to arrive. The Four Companions of the Prince arrive with their Ladies. The Prince himself enters with great flourish – he is a very handsome and carefree fellow and he flirts with many of the ladies at the party. He commands a special divertissement be danced by six of the most beautiful ones. Soon, strange and quiet music is heard as an unknown lady makes her entrance to the ball – she is radiant and very beautiful. The guests imagine her to be some Princess from a far-off land. It is Cinderella herself and she is so beautifully transformed that even the two Step-Sisters don’t recognize her. The Prince is captivated by her and invites her to be his partner for the waltz. She then dances a solo for all the guests, followed by the Prince, happy in his new-found romance.

Now servants arrive with platters of oranges, a rare and exotic fruit in this kingdom. According to custom, the exchange of oranges with another is a symbolic courtship and all the guests being to pair off. By this time, Cinderella and the Prince have fallen in love and they continue to dance as if in a dream world. Just as the ball reaches its height of pleasure, midnight begins to strike. Cinderella is seized with fear as she tries to find an escape from the ballroom before turning back into a poor servant girl. In her hast, she drops one of her glass slippers – the Prince finds it on the floor, the only token of their magical evening together and vows to find Cinderella again.

Act 3
Act 3 begins outside the Prince’s palace. The Prince with his Four Companions are attempting to discover the origin of Cinderella’s slipper. They have called in every cobbler in the kingdom to find a match for the slipper. But none can duplicate it. And so they set out to travel the length and breadth of the kingdom in search of Cinderella.

The Prince arrives at the home of the wealthy merchant and his three daughters. All eager to marry the Prince, each of the three tries on the slipper, but it fits none of them. The Prince continues to search.

He next comes to a dark and deserted park. Among some shady characters in capes he comes upon a Mysterious Lady, a femme fatale, who darkly and strangely resembles his beloved Cinderella – or so he thinks. She flirts with him, he falls for her charms and they dance a waltz. But at its conclusion, she derides him for his romantic foolishness and rudely kicks the slipper away. The Prince is humiliated. He goes off once more on his quest to find true love.

Back at Cinderella’s house, the poor girl is again toiling away in the kitchen. She takes the remaining slipper from her apron and caresses it – her only memory of the previous evening’s wonderful ball. Again, the two Step-Sisters come in to abuse poor Cinderella and again, they erupt into a fight. This time it is over a little souvenir they took with them from the party. Suddenly, the Prince himself arrives at the house in search of the girl who fits the glass slipper. Naturally, the Step-Sisters push their way forward and boldly claim the lost slipper. Cinderella, embarrassed and ashamed at her appearance, hides in the corner of the kitchen.

As the Step-Sisters try harder and harder to make the slipper fit they erupt into a violent quarrel.& Cinderella attempts to separate them when, suddenly, the other slipper falls from her apron. The Prince sees it, but cannot believe she is the right girl until he looks into her eyes, lifts her face to his and finds at last his beloved Cinderella.

The Fairy Godmother now arrives and transforms the scene back to the Enchanted Garden where Cinderella and the Prince live happily ever after.