"KISS! KISS!" scream the kids to my right, demanding Cinderella and the Prince finally smooch. They do, and then there's a collective "Ewwwwww" from the crowd, followed by giggles. The young audience surrounding me is having such a good time, and I'm loving their reactions to this engaging show. Purchase tickets TONIGHT and get $5 off an adult ticket using code "fiveoff."
Whether you've got die-hard princess fanatics or slap-stick silly goofballs in your family, you must take the kids to see Cinderella: An Outrageous Fairytale!, opening Dec. 2nd, 2017 on the main stage of the Birmingham Children's Theatre. This show is a winner for all sorts of kids and parents alike.
You know the show is going to be hilarious when the wicked step-mother sports purple Dr. Seuss-styled hair and one of the wicked step-sisters has a beard. Yes, in fact, the step-sisters, Dorcas and Pearl, are both played by men (Luke Schares and Daniel B. Hulsizer, respectiviely). This is a nod to the history of theatre, when women were often played by men on stage. The ridiculous step-sister pair, combined with an equally funny and saucy step-mother (Toy Matthews), drew non-stop laughter from the audience every time they took to the stage. Because of this hysterical trio, even the most reluctant anti-princess professed kiddo will LOVE this version of Cinderella. I seriously cannot wait to bring my two boys. They will tell you to your face they do NOT like princess stories, but secretly, they totally do. And this one is going to crack them up.
Here's a little extra fun fact; this show is in the style of British Panto (pantomime), where traditional tales are told in an over the top humorous way, and particularly heinous women are played by men. The style always adds a holiday twist and throws in jokes and references to the city in which the show is being performed. It is also supposed to be participatory, with the audience frequently involved in the show and expected to sing along or shout out phrases. And that is exactly what happened with Cinderella. No wonder, it is super fun!
Wicked Stepmother, Dorcas and Pearl perform a song to delight the audience during the show. All photos by Tammy Stringfellow.
Though this fairytale has definitely been transformed into a comedy by the Birmingham Children's Theatre, there is no shortage of classic princess glamour, drama or beauty. The sets, costumes and music are a feast for the senses. Cinderella (Jameelah Leaundra) and Fairy Godmother (Brittney M. Williams) were both favorites, treated like celebrities by the star-struck young crowd, whenever they came down off the stage and out into the audience.
A garden of frosty, lighted trees made for a magical scene when Fairy Godmother grants Cinderella's wish to go to the ball.
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The expressive and beautiful Fairy Godmother performs a song for the audience.
Finally, as if an amazing performance were not enough, the Birmingham Children's Theatre likes to take things one step further, by including a STEM lesson. After the show, the cast interacts with the audience to learn about recycling. We learn the word "transformation," hear some facts about recycling and have a relay race to see which section in the audience can pass their recyclables down to the stage and separate them fastest.
There is so much to love about this show, but I don't want to spoil all the surprises! You will just have to come and see for yourself. Cinderella: An Outrageous Fairytale! opens to the public on Dec. 2nd, 2017, with additional shows Dec. 9th - 10th and 16th, all at 2:30 pm. Be sure to come early to visit and get your picture taken with Santa Claus for free! For a complete schedule, and to purchase tickets, click HERE.
Disclosure: Macaroni Kid South Birmingham was invited to review the show while it plays for local school groups. Admission to the show was given to the author to facilitate the writing of this review.
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Macaroni Kid South Birmingham is a free weekly e-newsletter and website focused on fun family events and things to do with kids in the South Birmingham region. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in downtown Birmingham, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Pelham, the Oak Mountain and 280 area, Helena and Alabaster.
