musical

Enchanted

This Cinderella does it all — including saving herself.

PHOTO BY CAROL ROSEGG

Ronelle Grier | Contributing Writer

Cinderella

T

he iconic fairy tale of the
beleaguered stepchild
who goes from rags to
royalty takes a modern-day turn
in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s
Cinderella, the Tony Award-
winning musical playing at the
Detroit Opera House Feb. 16-28.
This charming and funny
production delivers the best of
both worlds. While the classic
elements such as glass slippers,
the magical pumpkin-turned-
coach and beautiful ball gowns
are there, this Cinderella is much
more than a downtrodden beauty
in need of rescuing.
Despite the fairytale setting,
this chambermaid is a savvy,
spirited and soulful young
woman imbued with kindness,
compassion and forgiveness.
Whether she is wearing rags or
finery, she seeks to follow her
dreams and make the world bet-

ter, not only for herself but for
everyone around her, including
the prince.
It was important to produc-
ers Jill Furman and Robyn
Goodman, both Jewish, that this
Cinderella be different from the
passive damsel in distress depict-
ed in the original fairy tale.
Goodman, who worked on
Tony Award-winners Avenue
Q and In the Heights, was in
Israel when she was approached
about doing the show by Ted
Chapin, head of the Rodgers &
Hammerstein organization.
“I said as long as I could get
a new book writer who gave
Cinderella agency,” Goodman
wrote in an email. “Now she also
saves the prince. I wanted the
story to be modern and tell little
girls they can do or be anything.”
Furman, who had worked with
Goodman on In the Heights, was

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thrilled to work with a woman
who shared her views about
making Cinderella a strong and
independent heroine.
“It was important that she have
moxie and agency and be strong
in her own right,” said Furman in
a telephone interview from her
office in New York.
This production of Cinderella,
which debuted on Broadway
in 2013, is based on the 1957
television musical written by
the legendary Richard Rodgers
(who was Jewish) and Oscar
Hammerstein II, creators of such
classic musicals as Carousel,
Oklahoma! and The Sound of
Music. A new book by Douglas
Carter Beane, which was
nominated for a Tony Award,
is seamlessly blended with
Hammerstein’s original book,
resulting in a contemporary
story steeped in tradition. In this

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production, the Tony Award-
winning costumes are by William
Ivey Long, with scenic design
by Anna Louizos, lighting by
Kenneth Posner and sound by
Nevin Steinberg.
Most of the original score was
used in the production, includ-
ing classics such as “In My Own
Little Corner,” “Impossible/
It’s Possible” and the lovely
“Do I Love You Because You’re
Beautiful.”
“The music is just glorious.
It’s mostly original music, but
we also went into the Rodgers &
Hammerstein trunk and found
some things that were written but
never used,” said Furman, who,
in addition to In the Heights, has
produced numerous shows on
and off-Broadway and has also
worked in film and television.
When asked whether her
Jewish upbringing played a part

in her work, Furman said, “The
heroine preaches kindness, char-
ity, compassion, which are all
certainly Jewish values.”
Furman’s real-life stepmother
and stepsister, Marjorie Fisher
Furman and Alissandra Aronow,
who live in Birmingham (and are
nothing like their fairy tale coun-
terparts!), saw the show in New
York and enjoyed it immensely.
“Viewers can expect romance,
humor, beautiful costumes, set
and dancing, plus a story they
can be proud to share with chil-
dren,” said Goodman, “and the
men are often surprised at what a
good time they have.”

*

details

Rodgers + Hammerst ein’s Cinderella
comes to the Detroit Opera House
Feb. 16-28. $35-$89. (800) 982-
2787; broadwayindetroit.com.

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February 11 • 2016

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