The Wayne Theatre will present a musical journey of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” for two weekends in August as part of its “Eras” season as the theatre celebrates its 10th and 100th anniversaries.
Artistic Director Lesley Larsen chose “Cinderella,” because it is a wonderful first show of a season and the story focuses on magic, exploration, self worth, identity and trying to find your place in the world.
“And it also enchants the audience,” Larsen said. “We all want to believe in the happily ever after. We all want to believe that there is magic all around us and that that magic can awaken music, art and love and excitement inside of us.”
The Wayne Theatre‘s production is based on the fourth iteration of “Cinderella” by the famous musical theater duo, originally performed in 2013.
“At its heart, it is the original story. [This production] just expands on some characters a little bit more,” Larsen said. For example, the prince is not just called the Prince, he has several names.
But audience members can expect something different while sitting in the darkened theater of The Wayne. According to Larsen, the production makes sure not to hide the magic they are creating for the audience: costume changes are seen on stage, as well as visible set changes.
“As we were looking to how do we enchant our theater audiences and our community, we really wanted to make sure that we were looking at different ways to approach the magic that happens in this show,” Larsen said. The audience will already expect magic, so the cast and crew do not need to hide how they create the magic.
“Cinderella‘s” transformation on stage from a maid to a princess is a tradition of the story.
Larsen said she hopes audience members take away from seeing “Cinderella” a feeling of enchantment with a love of artistry, theater and community, which The Wayne is trying to build. However, the production is also a celebration of life theater.
“Cinderella” offers an opportunity for families to connect, friends to connect, and to consider what it means to be brave and to speak the truth.
“It’s also a show that makes you feel like a kid again, whether you’re 6 or 60. This show is so fun,” Larsen said.
From a giant on stage to acrobatics, the production is an approach to theater that allows the audience to engage in an immersive experience.
“This is a production that really no one in the Valley should miss,” Larsen said.
The victim of her stepmother’s and stepsisters’ cruelty, the orphan “Cinderella” is brought to the stage by Merab Yeomans, whom Larsen said embodies the character.
“She is a real-life ‘Cinderella.‘ Just truly kind,” Larsen said.
Audiences have previously seen Yeomans at The Wayne as “Ursula” in “The Little Mermaid,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Judy” in “9 to 5,” and part of the ensemble casts in “Rent” and “Romeo & Juliet.”
“She’s surprisingly easy for me. I understand her a lot and I don’t feel that way about a lot of the characters I play. Ella has come really easy to me because I understand her and I’ve been through a lot of things in my life that are not identical but mirror things that she has gone through,” Yeomans said of how she prepared to bring the princess to life on stage.
The Wayne‘s production of “Cinderella” has made Yeomans realize that “Cinderella” is actually a smart young woman, which most adaptions do not give her credit for and some viewers may not realize. Yeomans said the character is socially smart and book smart.
“That’s the primary discovery that I have found with this. I was really excited to play her, but, I think a lot of the times she is painted in this light ‘oh a ditzy princess’ and that’s not what she is,” Yeomans said.
“Cinderella” is living in a time and place of politics, where many members of the kingdom are living in poor conditions and are unhappy.
“I think this version is really special because you do see a lot of the political side [of Cinderella‘s world], the struggle,” Yeomans said.
Yeomans said that she realized how intelligent “Cinderella” is from how calm she remains while others around her are worried or in a panic. She also discovered the character’s bravery and longing for a family, which is why she stays with her stepmother and stepsisters despite their abuse toward her.
“Also, a lot of my fellow actors in this production have developed their characters in a different direction than you typically see them too,” Yeomans said of the cast. Each actor dug deep and found the layers in their characters.
Yeomans said that she hopes audience members take away from the production the idea that even when things are really going badly, a way out of the bad always exists. “Even if it seems uncomfortable, even if you’re not sure. I think that another layer to ‘Cinderella‘ is that taking risks often do work,” she said.
The story of “Cinderella” is about a young woman who has lost her parents, lost everything and her situation could not be worse, but she continues to chase after what is possible.
“I don’t know if there’s a better way to live our lives,” Yeomans said.
Performances are scheduled for Friday, August 15 to Sunday, August 17 and Thursday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24.
The Wayne Theatre is at 521 W. Main Street in downtown Waynesboro. Tickets are available online.
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Rebecca Barnabi
