THEATER REVIEW: Cinderella's late, but show worth wait

The opening performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella at Little Rock's Robinson Center was as smooth as glass slippers.

The implementation? Not so much.

Friday night's sold-out show started about 30 minutes after the scheduled curtain time. A representative from Celebrity Attractions, which presented Work Light Productions' national tour, said the tour arrived late from its previous stop (this being Cinderella, perhaps it had trouble with its pumpkin-turned-coach?). Compounding that problem was the painfully slow ticket-taking process. They really could have used a fairy godmother, or at least more ushers.

But what happened on stage was nothing short of enchanting, from the storybook sets, to the fluffy frocks, to the satisfying rags-to-romance storyline. (Though we could have done without the political undercurrents. Can't our fairy tales just be fantasy?)

In the show, which has a running time of two hours and 15 minutes and includes a 20-minute intermission, eligible Prince Topher, played by fittingly charming Hayden Stanes, looks for love. But because this predates Tinder and reality dating shows like The Bachelor, he hosts a royal ball and meets guess who?

In the role of Ella (called Cinderella by her stepmother Madame as a slight), actress Tatyana Lubov is contagiously sweet -- not to mention a sensational singer. Particularly strong were her duets ("Impossible; It's Possible") with Marie, her fairy godmother and one-woman glam squad, portrayed by Leslie Jackson.

In spite of Ella's sincerity, we found ourselves rooting for outspoken stepsister Charlotte (Joanna Johnson), who managed to steal every scene -- notably the sour-grapes "Stepsisters' Lament" number -- with her sassiness.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella will be performed again at 2 and 7:30 p.m. today and 2 p.m. Sunday at Robinson Center Performance Hall, West Markham Street and Broadway. Tickets are $33 to $73, though all performances are expected to be sold out. More information is available at (501) 244-8800 or ticketmaster.com.

Metro on 01/14/2017

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