Cinderella(s)

[Birdy]

We had a Rogers and Hammerstein Cinderella(s) marathon this week.

The kids voted
Best Cinderella singing - Julie Andrews, 1957
Prettiest Cinderella - Lesley Ann Warren, 1965
Prettiest Cinderella ball gown - 1965
Prettiest Queen - Ginger Rogers, 1965
Best fairy Godmother - tied, 1957 and 1965
Best sets: 1997
(They absolutely fell over laughing at the paper cut-out of the carriage flying, 1965)
Most evil stepmother: Bernadette Peters, 1997
Funniest Stepsister: Natalie Desselle, 1997 "I WANT A CHANCE AT HIM!"
Handsomest Prince: Ricardo Montalban, 1997 (Keep in mind, the kids are 8 years old)
Most ridiculous prince costume: 1965, pink tights

This was the first time I had seen the 1957 version which was shown live on television. It had some nice 'making-of' extras (who can resist Ms. Andrews talking about anything). I guess it was thought lost but was recovered. What luck!

Any votes of your own?
Birdy
(Beauty knows no pain, girls!)

[JackFavell]

What a great idea!

I've not seen the 1997 version, but can I play?

I've always just loved Pat Carroll, but that's because that is the one I saw first. She cracked me up at age 5 and still does.

Best prince - 1957

I agree about the best dress...I still dream about that dress.....

Ginger is the best queen.

Most innovative(if cramped) staging - 1957

[rudyfan]

Oh gosh, I grew up with the 1965 version. Pat Carroll and Barbara Ruick as the stepsisters, HILARIOUS. Walter Pidgeon and Ginger Rogers and Celeste Holm. I need to see the Julie Andrews version, I've only seen tiny snippets from Ed Sullivan.

[pvitari]

I had SUCH the pre-teen crush on Stuart Damon.

[mrsl]

.
'In my own little corner, in my own little world, I can be what ever I want to be" . . . Boy I really loved that show. Ginger was gorgeous as always, and nobody was a better king than Walter Pidgeon with his wonderful, full voice, and kingly stature. I think with this cast, including Stuart Damon however, I would have loved it even more with Julie Andrews as Cindy.

Most of the songs were repeated 2 or 3 times and by the end, I knew a lot of the words, so imagine my delight when my little Angel asked me to go with her to her schools' 8th grade final show of the season last year, and the 'orchestra' started playing the entrance music starting with the line above. As the show progressed, I found myself singing along (very quietly), but shocked that I remembered the words so well. I think it was a testament to how much I liked the show. Those words just stayed in the back of my brain for all those years buried very quietly until something woke them up.

I'll always prefer the Disney cartoon version as my favorite Cinderella, because I also love Jacques and Gus, but Rogers and Hammerstein run a very close second.
.

[JackFavell]

I know, mrsl...I can still remember lots of the word to the songs, and even more, I remember how the songs sounded, were orchestrated. I can hear the swell of the music in the ballroom scene, or the way the trumpets sounded in my head when I think of the show. And that is all without benefit of dvd because I don't own it. It's almost all from a childhood memory, which was intense, probably because these specials like Cinderella and Peter Pan really were SPECIAL.

[Birdy]

I know what you mean about knowing the songs - they've been in my head and in my heart my whole life. I was so thrilled when they redid it in 97 and then our kids fell in love with it. Unfortunately, I set myself up for having to sing them practically the whole score to go to sleep. (At least, the first verse of every song.) Now, we love it so much and I am trying to enjoy it before the older girls think they're too old for Cinderella. They get aggravated that the 4 year old wants to see it over and over...never mind that they used to do the same thing.

Community Theater is doing Cinderella in the fall and I'm hoping to try out. I'd love to get the role of the stepmother or queen, but will take 'villager'. "I wish I were a younger girl!" I'll be lucky if my schedule allows me time, though.

[JackFavell]

Break a leg, Birdy.... I will be keeping my fingers crossed that you get a good role!

[sandykaypax]

Birdy, let us know if you get cast in Cinderella! I was in a community theatre production of it many, many moons ago. I played Cinderella, which I thoroughly enjoyed, even though the production as a whole was not very good. Very bargain basement community theatre. Just one funny example of how sub-par it was--the clock was painted onto the wall of the set FREEHAND, so it wasn't a perfect circle--it was all wobbly looking. I thought, "Geez, couldn't someone have just held a BOWL up to the flat and traced around it?!" The hands were also permanently painted on set to 12:00. So much for the dramatic effect of midnight. LOL! I really do look back on it quite fondly, even if it was a bit of a mess.

Sandy K

[stuart.uk]

If you had it in Pantomine fashion, a tradition in the UK, the mother and daughters would be played by men (usually by a comic and called pantomine Dames) the Prince would be played by a leggy girl, who was known as the principle boy

I'm keeping the casting British, as the artists have played such roles in the past

Gemma Craven-Cindrella, who played the role in the 70s movie
The Prince-Cilla Black, who is more known for playing Aladdin. Barbara Windsor has played Calamity Jane and Lulu, Peter Pan. Cliff Richard was a good Alladin
Buttons-Tommy Steele
step mother-Arthur Askey, who's played Aladdin's mother, to Cliff, Tom Jones and Eng Humperdink.
Her children-Chris Biggens and Danny La Rue
Fairy Godmother-Annette Crosbie

In Goodbye Mr Chips, Robert Donat mentions music hall artist Dan Leno, who was a famed Panto Dame in the late 19th Century

[sandykaypax]

Stuart, I can't believe that as long as I've been involved in theatre, that I didn't really know about the British tradition of pantomime. Maybe I wasn't paying attention that day in Theatre History class. ANYWAY--a big THANK YOU for posting that, because NOW I finally understand why Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest is often played by a man and why Peter Pan is usually played by a young woman (Maude Adams in original Barrie play being the first.)

Sandy K

[Birdy]

I have seen a couple of things done in the pantomime tradition, which is very fun. I saw The Importance of Being Earnest done with all the roles reversed and it was a hoot. My theatre friends and I keep threatening to do Rent in pantomime. My friend and I like to sing "The Tango Maureen"; he sings Joanne's part and I sing Mark's! I don't think it'll ever make the stage, though. If CT did do Rent, my friend would want Angel's part so he could jump around the stage like a spaz, dress in drag, and die a dramatic stage death.

I don't know if I'll even have the time to try out for CT; It's a big commitment and a lot of gas money (as I live a little distance away.)
I'll keep you posted. I'm going to see Mame there in a couple of weeks and also attend the awards night party.
B

[Birdy]

BooHoo. Cinderella has been slashed from the theater's fall line-up due to a problem with the director. In it's place, Grey Gardens. While I'm certain I'm staunch and wouldn't mind performing with pants on my head, I'm not sure I'll have a chance. Pretty stiff competition for 2 parts while I might of made it in the chorus of Cinderella at least. Ah well...theatre...

[knitwit45]

Ms. Birdy, just for you:


[youtube][/youtube]

[Birdy]

Ah, the smell of the greasepaint, the roar of the crowd...

Thanks for the fun clip.
Ethel was impeccable, wasn't she?

B