presents Rodgers and Hammerstein’s SEPTEMBER 29 - OCTOBER 17, 2021 WESTBROOK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 2 STUDY MATERIALS THE SOURCE MATERIAL Page 3 Classic Fairytale Versions of Cinderella Other Retellings THE RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN MUSICAL 5 History of Musical Productions Synopsis of Cinderella Enchanted Musical Version The Characters in Cinderella The Songs in Cinderella The Themes The Creators LINKS 10 On the Web ACTIVITIES 11 Discussion Questions after the Performance Play Mad Libs Write Your Own Story or Create Your Own Drawing Color This Picture 3 THE SOURCE MATERIAL Classic Fairytale Versions The story of Cinderella is derived from ancient folk tales whose many variants appear in worldwide culture beginning with the Greeks in 7 B.C. However, Western civilization is most familiar with the story of the abused and neglected step-sister whose dreams come true thanks to her fairy godmother through three literary versions of the tale: the Italian Cenerentola (1634) by Giambattista Basile, the French Cendrillon (1697) by Charles Perreault, and the German Aschenputtel (1812) by the Brothers Grimm. Of these three versions, the Perreault tale is closest to many of the modern adaptations, while the Brothers Grimm story retains some of the darker and more seriously troubling elements of the story. Synopsis of Cendrillon by Charles Perreault A wealthy widower marries a proud and haughty woman as his second wife. She has two daughters, who are equally vain and selfish. The gentleman has a beautiful young daughter, a girl of unparalleled kindness and sweet temper. The man's daughter is forced into servitude, where she is made to work day and night doing menial chores. After the girl's chores are done for the day, she curls up near the fireplace in an effort to stay warm. She often arises covered in cinders, giving rise to the mocking nickname "Cinderella" by her step-sisters. Cinderella bears the abuse patiently and does not tell her father, who would have scolded her. One day, the Prince invites all the young ladies in the land to a royal ball, planning to choose a wife. The two step-sisters gleefully plan their wardrobes for the ball, and taunt Cinderella by telling her that maids are not invited to the ball. As the sisters depart to the ball, Cinderella cries in despair. Her Fairy Godmother magically appears and immediately begins to transform Cinderella from house servant to the young lady she was by birth, all in the effort to get Cinderella to the ball. She turns a pumpkin into a golden carriage, mice into horses, a rat into a coachman, and lizards into footmen. She then turns Cinderella's rags into a beautiful jeweled gown, complete with a delicate pair of glass slippers. The Godmother tells her to enjoy the ball, but warns her that she must return before midnight when the spells will be broken. At the ball, the entire court is entranced by Cinderella, especially the Prince. At this first ball, Cinderella remembers to leave before midnight. Back home, Cinderella graciously thanks her Fairy Godmother. She then greets the step-sisters, who had not recognized her earlier, and who talk of nothing but the beautiful girl at the ball. 4 Another ball is held the next evening, and Cinderella again attends with her Fairy Godmother's help. The Prince has become even more infatuated, and Cinderella in turn becomes so enchanted by him she loses track of time and leaves only at the final stroke of midnight, losing one of her glass slippers on the steps of the palace in her haste. The Prince chases her, but outside the palace, the guards see only a simple country girl leave. The Prince pockets the slipper and vows to find and marry the girl to whom it belongs. Meanwhile, Cinderella keeps the other slipper, which does not disappear when the spell is broken. The Prince tries the slipper on all the women in the kingdom. When the Prince arrives at Cinderella's home, the --sisters try in vain to win him over. Cinderella asks if she may try, but the step-sisters taunt her. Naturally, the slipper fits perfectly, and Cinderella produces the other slipper for good measure. Cinderella's step-family pleads for forgiveness, and Cinderella agrees. Cinderella married the Prince as her step-sisters are married to two handsome gentlemen of the royal court. Differences Among the Variants Unique to the Perreault version are the Fairy Godmother and the glass slipper In the Brothers Grimm version, the father is more of a presence and bears responsibility for his daughter’s abuse at the hands of his new family. The step-mother increases Cinderella’s chores to prevent her from going to the ball, but a flock of doves help her. There are also crueler, more graphic scenes, such as both step-sisters cutting off parts of their feet to make the slipper fit and the doves blinding the two step-sisters at Cinderella’s wedding. In the Disney and other versions, Cinderella’s father has died, which helps to explain why the step-mother can so blatantly abuse her. Some Other Popular Retellings of the Tale Cendrillon, an opera by French composer Jules Massenet (1899) Cenerentola, an opera by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (1817) Cinderella, a ballet with a score by Sergei Prokofiev, originally choreographed by Rotislav Zacharov for ther Bolshoi Ballet (1945) Cinderella, a musical by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II, presented in various versions from 1957-present on television and Broadway Into the Woods, a Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim using the Cinderella story as part of its witty, ironic look at famous fairytales and the myth of happily ever after. (1986) Cinderella, Walt Disney’s animated classic film (1950) Ever After, a movie directed by Andy Tennant (1998) Cinderella, a modern film directed by Kenneth Branagh (2015) Three Wishes for Cinderella, a Czech/East German cult film (1973) If the Shoe Fits, a French film about a modern Cinderella set in Paris. (1990) 5 THE rodgers & hammerstein musical HISTORY OF MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote their original musical version for television in 1957; it starred Julie Andrews and Jon Cypher. A second remake in technicolor for television in 1965 starred Leslie Ann Warren and Stuart Damon with Celeste Holm as the Fairy Godmother. A third televised version in 1997 used a racially diverse cast that starred Brandy Norwood as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother. The show also enjoyed stage success, beginning in 1958 at the London Coliseum, and subsequently in New York and abroad. In 2013 it received its first Broadway production in a version that featured a new “modernized” book by Douglas Carter Beane with several songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalog added. Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana starred with Victoria Clark as the Fairy Godmother. Keke Palmer took over for Osnes becoming the first African-American to play the role of Cinderella. The Enchanted Version, which MSMT is presenting, is adapted by Tom Briggs from the1997 teleplay version. It uses the Fairy Godmother as narrator and deus ex machina, but adheres quite closely to the fairytale plot and original Rodgers and Hammerstein score. 6 SYNOPSIS OF CINDERELLA, THE ENCHANTED MUSICAL VERSION As a kingdom celebrates its Prince's decision to give a ball for the express purpose of finding a bride, Cinderella's two stepsisters and their mother enter. This less-than-lovable trio is followed by what seems to be a large pile of packages, but in fact is Cinderella carrying the ladies' ball gowns from a successful shopping spree. Cinderella will have the formidable job of making the Stepmother and Stepsisters beautiful for the ball -- in addition to all her other tasks as household drudge, including cooking, sewing, cleaning, and washing. Although she won't be allowed to go to the ball herself, Cinderella is happy for the others. She always tries to be cheerful and never complains. Sometimes, however, she retreats to her "own little corner" and dreams of a more exciting life. The Queen and King are not in complete agreement about the Prince's ball. The King doesn't want to have it at all, since it will be a great deal of trouble, a large expense, and why would a red-blooded boy want to get married in the first place? But the Queen has her heart set on it, and neither the King nor the Prince (who dreads the whole idea) can bear to disappoint her. The preparations continue. On the night of the ball, Cinderella helps her Stepmother and Stepsisters get ready. After they leave, she sits alone in her corner and imagines what it might be like at the ball. She's not alone for long, however, for her Godmother appears at the window. Despite this lady's sensible looks and practical manner, she is no ordinary godmother, though Cinderella doesn't suspect this. With help from the Godmother's "fol-de-rol" and "fiddley dee," Cinderella is magically transformed for the ball. Her carriage, changed from a pumpkin, drawn by horses that were mice a moment before, whisks her to the palace. The ball is the ball that everyone remembers from their storybooks: Cinderella is the most beautiful of Princesses; she captivates everyone and she and the Prince fall in love. But she must flee at midnight before her carriage changes back into a pumpkin. Before she escapes, Cinderella loses her slipper, which the Prince retrieves. It is his only clue to finding her again, and he mounts a search for the foot that fits the slipper. All efforts are in vain, however.