Drama Club’s Modern Take on Cinderella Enchants Audiences

As blockbusters like Frozen threaten to take over the world, traditional fairy tales are often cast aside and forgotten. But from Friday, November 22 to Sunday, November 24, Scarsdale High School’s auditorium filled to the max as the drama club’s annual fall musical, Cinderella, captivated audiences like never before. 

A modern take on a classic tale, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella aired on television before the Tony Award-winning Broadway production in 2013. While the storyline has not drastically changed, this adaption has a contemporary feel due to the addition of several new songs, characters, and the evolution of certain roles throughout the play. Jean-Michel (Craig Carroll ’20), a revolutionary who fights for the peasants that are evicted from their land, serves as comic relief when everyone ignores his cracking voice for an invite to Prince Christopher’s (Liam Cochrane ’20) ball. 

The biggest change lies in the main character, Ella (Julia White ’20). While the original Disney portrayal of Cinderella taught children to never give up dreaming or give in to evil, the princess was still portrayed as a “damsel in distress.” In the drama club’s production, Ella dreams of an exotic life in her breathtaking rendition of “In My Own Little Corner” while voicing her concerns of social injustice to the Prince. 

A large cast of dedicated students combined with a pit orchestra transported the audience back into their childhoods as they experienced the classical tale Cinderella another time. Directed by SHS performing arts teacher Barbara Malecki and with the support of many students and teachers, it is no wonder that parents are still discussing the production nearly a week after it has ended.