

Vixen Verified: 8 Thoughts on Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Cinderella'
October 14, 2014 - 3:50 pm by Sharifa Daniels TWITTER
Rodger and Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway is a must! I was skeptical of how well of a production it would be being that this enchanted love story consisted of a lot of magic. I just knew the Broadway remake wouldn't be able to pull off this vision. Also the teen classic featuring Brandy and Whitney was a huge feat to fill. While I have to say Brandy is still my favorite Cinderella, Keke does begin to fill her shoes.
Throughout the entire musical, I laughed (a lot) and fell in love all over again with the timeless classic-turned-Broadway-production. It is a show for all ages, genders, and imaginations. If you've lost touch of the inner dreamer and child in you, you'll be reminded by the cast, crew, production, and storyline of the musical.
Flip the page to check out our eight thoughts on Cinderella.
All Photos Credit: Carol Rosegg via Broadway.com
Keke Palmer
Grade: B-
Surprisingly Keke Palmer was my least favorite on the stage. Her facial expressions made for a cringe-worthy sight and many times her tightened face put a damper on the what should have been a joyous moment. She's a talented actress and singer but she's not comfortable on stage yet and it is apparent. However on the bright side her voice is amazing! I were presently surprised to see her easily remember her lines and smoothly transition from regular conversation to musical verses. I hope over the weeks she'll get more and more comfortable on stage and loosen her face to make it an A+ performance.
Sherri Shepard
Grade: A-
Who knew Sherri could act that cruel and well on Broadway. If I was a betting person I would've lost lots of money betting against her. My only regret is that she would've sung like her cast mates, but the way they set up her lyrics in the songs, you often forgot she was merely speaking the words. She left such a positive lasting impression with her stage presence and I only hope Nene Leakes gives this role as much justice as Sherri did.
Step Sisters
Grade: A
The step sisters, Gabrielle (Stephanie Gibson) and Charlotte (Ann Harada) were by far my favorite characters in this Broadway and the best version of the step sisters I've seen yet. Between their comedic moments and their own story lines, the only regret I have is that we couldn't divulge more into their stories.
(Rest of the) Cast
Grade: A
The prince played by Joe Carroll and the rest of the ensemble meshed well together. Their great chemistry was apparent and each actor or actress in this small production was seen by the audience and well liked. Touche to the casting directors, Cindy Tolan and Adam Caldwell, they saw the vision when picking their townspeople and leads.
Costume
Grade: A
The clothes were appropriate to the storyline but the magic (literally) was in the quick changes. I don't want to spoil the magnificent surprise but if you're going for magical element and elegant gowns of royalty, you'll appreciate how they did this production.
Magic
Grade: A+
The ability for them to bring the magical aspect without real magic was awe-inspiring. If you blinked you would've missed the costume change because it was that fast and realistic. If you looked down for a second you wouldn't have seen the animals transform into humans and vice versa. For the movie to be a great deal of magic, this stage play recreated that aspect right in front of your eyes.
Stage
Grade: C
The entire production, I was wishing the stage was a bit bigger. The stage design, props, and cast was so extravagant but the stage itself was so pint-size. If they extend the production (I hope they do), I hope they take it to a bigger theatre.
Story line
Grade: A
It's a modern version of the many remakes and 1950 original. But it's an appropriate upgrade so that the story line is more relatable and humorous. Again, I don't want to give much away but if you're are going there hoping it follows more of Brandy's version than the original cartoon one, you'll love it and if you aren't a huge play and musical buff, you'll love it as well.