Top 5 Reasons to See Cinderella and Fella at Alliance Theatre
Spring is coming to Atlanta, and what better way to celebrate the wonders of the outdoors than to see the a nature-focused world premiere for the whole family? Cinderella and Fella begins performances this week and it's a must-see. Here are five reasons why:
1) Creative Dream Team: Playwright Janece Shaffer and S. Renee Clark
After penning the script to the smash hit musical Troubadour earlier this year, esteemed Atlanta playwright Janece Shaffer is back with a fairytale world premiere for audiences young and old. Shaffer has received numerous awards for her groundbreaking work, including the Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award and Gene-Gabriel Moore Best New Play Award. S. Renee Clark, the show’s composer, is a fixture in Atlanta theater circles as a performer, music director, arranger and composer, with credits at Horizon Theatre, Theatrical Outfit, Atlanta Lyric, Shakespeare Tavern, as well outside the city at Virginia’s Metro Stage and Theatre Calgary, Canada’s National Arts Center. Together, they create some woodland magic!
2) A New Spin on an Old Classic
While many are well acquainted with the beloved story of Cinderella, Cinderella and Fella is more high-tops than glass slipper and is fueled by the magic of lightning bugs, singing cicadas, and oozing mud, with original music by S. Renee Clark. The young prince, who was raised by an overbearing parent, searches the kingdom for a best friend ready for adventure. Cinderella, who has spent countless days pulling her ungrateful stepmother around in her tiny house, fits the bill. “I wanted to revisit a story we all know so well and find new meaning in something that is so familiar,” said Playwright Janece Shaffer. “When I was a kid, I loved being outside – that’s where there was real magic – all the night sounds, creeks, honeysuckle. And with this Cinderella, I wanted to remind us of the magic available to all of us.”
3) Cast of New and Old Favorites
Fresh off the premiere of her one-woman show Ethel, which played on the Hertz Stage last year, Terry Burrell headlines this cast as the Step Mom/Musician, starring alongside India S. Tyree, who plays the title role of Cinderella. Joining them are Alliance favorites Courtenay Collins (The Prom, Courtenay’s Cabaret), Molly Coyne (Pancakes, Pancakes, James and the Giant Peach), Jeremiah Parker Hobbs (A Christmas Carol, Knuffle Bunny), Scott DePoy (Edward Foote, A Child’s Garden of Verses) and Marcie Millard (Shrek the Musical). Rounding out the cast is Alliance newcomer Brian Walker.
4) Tech Marvels
With a unique mix of classic and funky contemporary, the costumes for the show earn their own billing in the show. You may even catch an homage or two to favorite Disney princesses in the color and design. The set is filled with grand trees, giant columns and backdrops fit for royalty, as well as a detailed "tiny house." Also, creative puppetry takes the stage in the form of Cinderella's animal friends.
5) Alliance History in the Making
Cinderella and Fella is the last show to perform on the Alliance Stage in its current state. At the end of April, we will be closing our doors and taking all 2017/18 season productions to different venues around metro Atlanta while current theater space undergoes a complete renovation before reopening for our 50th Anniversary Season. Join us in saying goodbye to a space that has provided 48 great seasons of entertainment!
by A'riel Tinter, Brand Journalist
