South Coast Repertory's Summer Players present Cinderella Aug 7-8 and 14-15
COSTA MESA, CA. – South Coast Repertory’s Summer Players will present Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella on the weekends of August 7-8 and 14-15, 2010. SCR Theatre Conservatory Diretor Hisa Takakuwa will direct, with Erin McNally as musical director.
According to Takakuwa, “This is our Summer Players’ fourth musical, and the experience has been rewarding. While our actors are chosen through audition, after completing at least one year of training, most of them have been with the program for several years. They’ve learned how to act a song and sing a scene.”
For the first time, the Players will present their summer show on SCR’s Julianne Argyros Stage. “They’re used to our much smaller Nicholas Studio,” Takakuwa said. “The Argyros Stage will be a challenge for them, but it’s one they’re looking forward to because it will allow them to stretch their acting muscles. The designers and I are very excited about the opportunity to work in this wonderful space. And, our Players’ shows often sell out, so we are thrilled that we can accommodate a larger audience in the Argyros.”
The fairy tale from long ago about a servant girl who is transformed into a princess has been an opera, a pantomine, a ballet, an ice show, a comic book and a video game. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella—thesongwriting team’s only musical written for television—was seen by over 100 million people in 1957, subsequently remade for TV twice and adapted for the stage. Takakuwa has retained the fairy tale aspect—with a 1950’s America setting.
Cinderella will be portrayed by Kailyn Dunkelman, with Akshay Sharma as the Prince (Christopher), Rachel Teague as the Fairy Godmother, Whitney Brooks as the Stepmother, Makenna Zur Schmeide and Valentina Gehley as the Stepsisters, Joy and Grace. The King and Queen will be played by Luke Tagle and Allie Mgrublian with Zach Yeates as Lionel, Mitchell Huntley as Charles the Cat, Kelsey Bray as Dove, Christopher Huntley as Royal Chef and Maxwell Weinberg as Master of the Revels. The Mice are Marissa Lee, Rachel Charny, Jamie Ostmann and Yulen Javier. Guy McEleney and Nicholas Huntley are Gentlemen of the Kingdom. Ladies of the Kingdom are Kaylee Wan, Lauren Cocroft, Sydney Lester, Shireen Kulkarni, Siobhan Allen, Jasmine O’Hea and Ashlyn Lozano.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA Music by: Richard Rodgers Book and Lyrics by: Oscar Hammerstein II Adapted for the Stage by: Tom Briggs From the Teleplay by: Robert L. Freedman Directed by Hisa Takakuwa Musical Director Erin McNally Sets and Costumes: Sara Clement Lights: Jeff Brewer Stage manager: Deborah Chesterman
A handsome prince finds—and then loses—his own true love. He’ll find her again (in spite of those mean step`sisters with feet too big for the glass slipper) in this song-filled version of the fairy tale about a servant girl who’s tranformed into a princess.
Dates: Saturday, August 7 and 14 and Sunday, August 8 and 15 at 1 and 4pm Tickets: $12 (may be purchased through the SCR Box Office at (714) 708-5555 or online at www.scr.org)
Casts by City
Anaheim Hills - Kailyn Dunkelman Costa Mesa - Lauren Cocroft Huntington Beach - Rachel Teague Irvine - Whitney Brooks, Akshay Sharma, Rachel Charny, Yulen Javier, Sidney Lester, Shireen Kulkarni Laguna Beach - Makenna Zur Schmeide Long Beach - Guy McEleney Los Alamitos - Jamie Ostmann Newport Beach - Mitchell Huntley, Christopher Huntley, Nicholas Huntley, Jasmine O’Hea Newport Coast - Maxwell Weinberg Orange - Zach Yeates, Kaylee Wan Salt Lake City - Ashlyn Lozano (past student, here for the summer) Santa Ana - Luke Tagle, Marissa Lee Seal Beach - Allie Mgrublian, Siobhan Allen Trabuco Canyon - Kelsey Bray Tustin - Valentina Gehley
