Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical stage adaptation of the classic story of Cinderella is a staple in theatre repertoire across the country, for better or for worse. While the story is, of course, old hat and the songs trend towards the saccharine, good staging and talented performers can make the show shine anew. That is not, however, what I experienced while attending the Russville High School’s fall 2025 production of Cinderella.
The production I witnessed whiffed on every opportunity to add nuance or innovation to the classic show. For instance, instead of diving into the complex familial relationships that cause the primary conflict, the director seems to have informed the cast to play these characters with the one-note grace of a kindergartener learning the flute.
And while we are on the topic of music: the pit band providing live accompaniment for the musical numbers appears to be comprised of a motley set of street people who only learned to play the trumpet yesterday.
And while we are on the topic of only learning something yesterday: I was informed by a reliable source that the actress for the Queen took ill with strep throat on opening night, resulting in a last-minute promotion of a chorus girl to the role. This girl squandered her once in a lifetime chance at the spotlight by fearfully clutching at a script in between lines. Perhaps there is a reason she was relegated to the chorus to begin with.
Overall, there were myriad issues with the production quality. Costuming for a show often sets a tone and can be the make-or-break difference between an immersive experience and a miserable slog. Instead of enchanting, detailed costumes that created a fairytale atmosphere, this production appears to have simply asked its teenage retinue to reach into their closets for last year’s prom dress. The result was a confusing mishmash of colors and fabrics that added nothing to the audience’s perception of character.
The experience makes me reminisce on the only production of Cinderella that ever truly moved me. It was 1993 in San Francisco, and the director made the bold choice to have the cast perform entirely in the nude, with a beautiful young goat in the titular role. The score was rearranged by the talented Italian hip-hop flautist Pagliacci Jepson, who reimagined the music in the style of Mongolian throat singing. Now that is how you do theatre. The cast of Russville High would do well to take note.
Two stars. My niece operated a spotlight.
Clarissa McDermott Shepherd-Smith
McDermott Shepherd-Smith is one of the most experienced critics in the modern art scene. She has spent decades covering music and is proud to be the newest addition to the Traffic Jam’s team.
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