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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 2015)
‘Cinderella’ July 10 to Aug. 9 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday 2 p.m. Sunday The Peninsula Association of Performing Arts presents an Enchanted Edition of this classic fairytale July 10 to Aug. 9 at the Fort Columbia State Park theater Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Fort Columbia Theater Fort Columbia State Park, Washington papatheater.com/Cinderella-tickets YLFLRXVVLVWHU-R\SOD\HGE\=RH3RZHUVWKHSDLULVXUJHGRQ E\WKHLUFRQQLYLQJPRWKHUNQRZQVLPSO\DV7KH6WHSPRWKHU Marrying somebody with a bunch of money — say, some- played by Cindy Flood, to make Cinderella’s life miserable. one like a prince — makes the possibilities of acquiring design- 7KH VWHSVLVWHUV¶ MX[WDSRVHG FKDUDFWHU QDPHV *UDFH" -R\" er footwear limitless. Step aside, you ugly stepsisters. Jimmy SURYLGH D FOXH WR WKH KLODULRXV IDVWSDFHG EDQWHU GHOLYHUHG Choo, line up the glass slippers. Here comes Cinderella. throughout the show. On Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula, the aptly named The sounds of a 22-piece orchestra Peninsula Association of Performing Artists present Rogers ¿OO WKH WKHDWHU ZLWK WKH HQFKDQWLQJ PX and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” (Enchanted Edition). Open- sical score, thanks to the magical sounds LQJ)ULGD\-XO\WKHVKRZUXQVIRU¿YHZHHNHQGV²DW emanating from Sinfonia, a sophisticated p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday — preparing to orchestra computer/keyboard system. To enchant audiences of all ages. operate the equipment, a skilled musi- Cast auditions and rehearsals for Cinderella began in early cian must be able to follow the score, the April. The play is directed by the peninsula’s renowned and trea- computer screen and a keyboard all at the sured composer, teacher, director and music legend Barbara Poul- same time. shock. Her end goal is creating an atmosphere where cast, crew and Ron Thompson, experienced with audiences step back in time and enjoy the magic and the fantasy. the Sinfonia system, appeared at opening Both the location and the theater in which PAPA performs auditions. He was in charge of and per- EH¿W3RXOVKRFN¶VDLP7KHSHUIRUPDQFHDQGWKHVHWWLQJSURYLGH IRUPHGWKHPXVLFIRUVHYHUDOSDVW3$3$ a perfect opening scene. A former military entertainment center productions. (circa 1930), the theater is located on the grounds of Washing- But more magic was in the air. This year, he landed the role ton’s 593-acre Fort Columbia State Park. A narrow road climbs, of the dashing heart throb, the Prince. He shared his Sinfonia twists and turns its way up, up, up, rising steeply through a for- knowledge with fellow musician Michael Johnson, who took HVWRIPDMHVWLFDOO\WRZHULQJWUHHV$GGDVZHHSLQJYLHZRIWKH RYHUDQGLVQRZLQFKDUJHRIWKHPXVLFWKHNH\ERDUGDQGWKH PLJKW\&ROXPELDDQGYRLOD:HOFRPHWRDPDJLFNLQJGRP computer. The long hours put in by cast and crew, the big efforts and “Our Sinfonia program, our sound system and sound board WKHPLQXWLDOHDGWRWKHWDOHXQIROGLQJDURXQGDFHUWDLQRYHU worked scullery maid, who against all odds, captures the heart of a prince and, in doing so, the hearts of the audience. In the lead role, it’s Cinderella à deux. Two young women alternate WKHUROHRIWKHPLVWUHDWHGPLVVLQHYHU\RWKHUVKRZ:KHQSOD\ ing not the lead, they join the ensemble. Cinderella One is Hope %HOOLQJHUZKRKDVEHHQLQVHYHUDO3$3$SURGXFWLRQVDQGVWXG LHGYRLFHZLWK3RXOVKRFN&LQGHUHOODWRRDVLQDOVRLV&DUO\ .HRQHLQKHU¿IWKVHDVRQZLWKWKHFRPSDQ\ The troupe has rehearsed, memorized, blocked, staged, and GHVLJQHGVHWVFRVWXPHVDQGZLJV7KH\KDYHVXQJDQGWKHQ VXQJDJDLQ7KH\KDYHGDQFHGDORQHLQSDLUVDVDQHQVHPEOH — and in the case of the court jester, played by Jacob Jackson, on his hands. ³.HHS \RXU KHDGV OHYHO ZKHQ \RX¶UH GLSSLQJ´ FRDFKHG show choreographer Cindy Flood as Cinderella and the Prince rehearsed locking eyes and arms, whirling and dipping in a pal- ace ball scene at a recent rehearsal. “It’s hard to breathe, sing, dance and breathe again all at the Cinderella, played by Hope Bellinger, fi nds her Prince Charming, played by Ron same time,” said Grace Scarborough. In her role as Grace, she Thompson, in the Peninsula Association of Performing Artists’ production of “Cin- plays one of the two mean stepsisters. Along with her equally derella” (Enchanted Edition). Story by MARILYN GILBAUGH M Photos by Joshua Bessex Top: Cinderella, played by Hope Bellinger, dances with Prince Christopher, played by Ron Thompson at the ball. Middle: Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, played by Cindy Flood, right, dances at the ball. Right: Cinderella’s fairy godmother is played by Jane Schussman. 12 | July 9, 2015 | coastweekend.com DUHWRSRIWKHOLQH,W¶VDVJRRGDV\RXZRXOG¿QGLQDKLJKHQG professional theater,” said Thomson, multi-tasking during a re- cent rehearsal as the tech crew worked out the kinks in lighting, music and microphones. 7KHQLPEOHDFWRUVNHHSWKLQJVOLYHO\RQWKHVWDJHRIIWKH VWDJH DQG ZHDYLQJ WKHLU ZD\ WKURXJK the audience and back again. “Both DFWRUVDQGFUHZKDYHDJUHDWVHQVHRI FRPPXQLW\ (YHU\RQH KHOSV HYHU\RQH HOVHORRNWKHLUEHVWDQGWKH\KDYHIXQ doing it,” said Flood, hurrying onto the stage to assist 4-year-old Mia Powers in her debut role as a cat. It’s got legs — as in history, gams, and gumption The theme of Cinderella is classic folktale. In her book “Cinderella Tales from Around the World,” Heidi Anne Heiner cites similarly themed stories RI&LQGHUHOOD$FFRXQWVFRQVHUYDWLYHO\ UDQJHIURPWRRYHUYHUVLRQVIURPDOORYHUWKHPDS Western Europe, China, Egypt, Russia and Vietnam. The earli- est myth based on a Cinderella theme is noted by Greek histo- ULDQ6WUDERLQWKH¿UVWFHQWXU\%& 0RYLQJ DKHDG VHYHUDO FHQWXULHV ,Q )UHQFK SRHW and Mother Goose fairy tales author Charles Perrault created ‘Both actors and crew have a great sense of community. Everyone helps everyone else look their best, and they have fun doing it.’ Cinderella, played by Hope Bellinger, dances with Prince Christopher, played by Ron Thompson. Tickets available at Okie’s So get smart. Share also in the family-friendly magic of PAPA’s Thriftway Market in Ocean “Cinderella.” Step back in time to once upon a Park time… by cash or check Bickering after the ball, Cinderella’s stepsister Grace, played by Grace Scarbor- ough, pulls the other stepstister Joy’s hair, played by Zoey Powers. info@papatheater.org ‘Both $17.50 actors adults, and crew have a great sense of $7.25 children under 12 Discovery pass is not community. A Everyone helps everyone else required to park for the show look their best, and they have fun doing it.’ today’s familiar Cinderella storyline. The basics center on a super kind, astoundingly beautiful, miserable but game lone- O\RUSKDQJLUO&LQGHUHOOD7KLVLQKRXVHVHUYDQWLVPHUFLOHVVO\ PLVWUHDWHGE\KHUKHDUWOHVVFRQQLYLQJDQGMHDORXVVWHSPRWKHU and two stepsisters. With the help of a fairy godmother, against the odds, Cinderella and a glass slipper capture the heart of a perfect prince. Together Cinderella, her prince and the slipper ¿QGHDFKRWKHUDQGPDNHDOLIHRISHUIHFWO\PDJLFDODQGLQWKLV case, musical happiness. Bet you’re familiar with the “happily HYHU´DIWHUOLQH 7KH¿UVWYHUVLRQRI5RJHUVDQG+DPPHUVWHLQ¶V³&LQGHUHOOD´ ZDVZULWWHQIRUWHOHYLVLRQDQGVWDUULQJ-XOLH$QGUHZVDLUHGLQ 0DUFK7KHVWDJHYHUVLRQSHUIRUPHGLQ/RQGRQLQ DQG FDPH WR WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV LQ $ VHFRQG WHOHYLVLRQ YHUVLRQZDVUHFRUGHGLQDQGDWKLUGWHOHYLVLRQYHUVLRQ VWDUULQJ%UDQG\1RUZRRGZDVEURDGFDVWWRPLOOLRQYLHZHUV LQ %DVHG RQ WKH VXFFHVV RI WKH WHOHSOD\ WKH 5RGJHUV and Hammerstein Organization came out with “Cinderella” (Enchanted Edition). Three songs were added, three acts were shortened to two, and dialogue was updated. Two of the songs FDPHIURPSUHYLRXV5RGJHUVDQG+DPPHUVWHLQFROODERUDWLRQV ³/RQHOLQHVVRI(YHQLQJ´ZDVFRPSRVHGIRUWKHSURGXF WLRQ RI ³6RXWK 3DFL¿F´ EXW GLGQ¶W PDNH WKH FXW 6DPH VWRU\ IRU³7KHUH¶V0XVLF,Q<RX´IRUWKH¿OP³0DLQ6WUHHWWR Broadway.” The third song, “The Sweetest Sounds,” was by 5LFKDUG5RGJHUV+HZURWHLWLQIRUWKH¿OP³1R6WULQJV´ It seems it pays to hold on to your old works, especially if your name is Rogers or Hammerstein. Inside the opening page of PAPA’s “Cinderella” playbill, it reads, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales. When I examine my life and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has PHDQWPRUHWRPHWKDQDQ\WDOHQWIRUDEVWUDFWSRVLWLYHWKLQN Cinderella’s stepsisters Grace, left, played by Grace Scarborough, and Joy, played by Zoey Powers, complain after the ball. LQJ´7KHVRXUFHRIWKLVDGYLFH"$OEHUW(LQVWHLQ July 9, 2015 | coastweekend.com | 13