“A Lovely Night”

Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein’s classic musical, Cinderella, is a timeless tale of resilience, kindness, and the belief that dreams can come true. The Community Players of Pawtucket is currently opening its 103rd Season at Jenkins Auditorium in this rendition for audiences of all ages. The production, directed by Rachel Terceira, strikes a balance between classic elements and contemporary creativity with an up-to-date libretto by Douglas Carter Beane.

At the top of the cast is Brenna Griswold who shines as Cinderella, portraying the heroine with a mix of vulnerability and strength. Her vocal performances are particularly noteworthy; her rendition of “In My Own Little Corner” and “A Lovely Night” are both haunting and uplifting. Griswold has pristine vocals and acting chops that make for a true Cinderella – she is magical. Griswold brings sparkle to every scene in which she appears.

Patrick Koshewa plays the role of Prince Topher. The supporting cast, including the stepsister Gabrielle played by Trey Digioia, who is both kind, sincere, charming, funny and believable in this role; stepsister Charlotte, portrayed by Grace Gerard and Meghan Smith in the role of the mean stepmother. The Fairy Godmother, also in the role of Marie, is Larissa Laver, who brings a pleasant voice to “Impossible,” and “There’s Music in You.”  This reviewer would have liked to have seen more magical life and movement from Laver. Not sure why the several actors in this production do not look into each other’s faces when singing to each other. It is disconcerting to see actors looking up to the ceiling or over the heads of the audience. Singing on stage is, after all, a conversation. It should look like a conversation with human contact.

Other, notable roles are Mike Griswold as Sebastian with strong vocals and solid acting, and the sweet and tenacious Jean-Michel, the local activist of the people, played by Michael Mercado, Jr. The two puppeteers who provide a humorous touch to their scenes as a racoon and a fox are a delight. Lastly, this reviewer cannot give up the opportunity to call out a child actor, Elena Rose Taveras, playing a very minor role, dominated the stage every time she appeared. This little girl is a gem, and I look forward to seeing her in countless future productions.

The choreography, crafted by Zoe Gillis, is engaging and is tailor made for this fairytale. Gillis has some excellent dancers who include Sage Smith and Nathan Pothier. The costuming by Teal Griswold was lovely. Some very clever and surprising costume designs for Cinderella were beautiful and brought out the magic of this production.

The lush musical score, by Rogers and Hammerstein, complements the narrative. The live orchestra under the direction of Joseph A. Carvalho adds a rich layer to the experience, enhancing the emotional highs and lows of the story. The musical numbers are well-paced and serve to deepen the audience’s engagement with the characters. Bravo, Maestro! There were, however, technical sound issues in this performance. The music overpowered not only the vocals (especially the chorus right at the top of the show and throughout), but also many speaking parts as well. Although actors wore body mics, the sound hardly picked up the secondary players to be heard over the music. The keyboard was especially loud. To be fair, it was opening night, and the company has a new sound system. Let us hope that this technical sound issue will be corrected before next weekend’s run.

On another technical note, it is difficult to know whether it was a lighting design, the actors or a directional issue, but principals were often in the dark. Either the lighting was off, or actors could not find their mark or feel the heat from the light grid.

Two exceptional pieces of set design are the huge clock on the backwall during the ballroom scene and the pumpkin carriage pulled by “white horses” and footmen during the “Impossible” number. Nice job to set designer, Matthew Terceira and set builders for those two exceptional features to this show. And Griswold made particularly good use of her blocking while being wheeled around the stage in the carriage and singing out to the audience. At the top of the show, a single black curtain serves as the backdrop. Something to consider: for a fairytale, it would have been nice to have seen a more imaginative, colorful setting.

This production of Cinderella serves as a reminder of the power of kindness, perseverance, and love. Whether you’re revisiting the tale or experiencing it for the first time, this production is a sweet escape into a world where dreams can come true.

Who:         The Community Players of Pawtucket
Where:      Jenks Auditorium,  350 Division Street, Pawtucket
When:       November  8, 9, 15 & 16 at 7:30 p.m., November 10 & 17 at 2 p.m. 
Tickets:    Adults - $30, Students (with valid ID) – $18
www.thecommunityplayers.org  or 401-726-6860