Many famous stage musicals, like Funny Girl, Rent and West Side Story, have been adapted for the screen. But Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella made the opposite journey. The musical version of the classic children’s tale was written for TV in 1957, and starred Julie Andrews in the title role. It wasn't until 2013 that the R&H Cinderella made its Broadway debut.
But Tuesday evening, the Broadway touring company of the show makes its debut at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts for eight performances. Stepping into the very big glass slipper that Julie Andrews once filled is Cottage Grove, Wisconsin’sTatyana Lubov. It's her first major role, and she says the show is captivating on a number of levels.
"It's still the classic story that everyone is familiar with, but [the show] takes it and turns Cinderella into this actual 2017 heroine," Lubov explains.
And while the musical still has the ball, the pumpkin and the fairy godmother, this heroine isn't passive. "She's a great role model for kids because she's not sitting around waiting to be rescued by the Prince," Lubov says. "She's actually very politically involved. She's very driven. It's very special for us to share with people."
Cinderellaopens Tuesday at the Marcus Center's Uihlein Hall and runs through April 2nd.
