Reviewed by Amber Anger
Clio Cast and Crew product of Cinderella of Loreland, directed by Shane Wachowics, is a 70’s retelling of the classic fairy tale we all know and love, with a comical twist that will delight families and cat-lovers everywhere.
We meet Cinderella, played by the young and beautiful Gracie Burger, living under the care of her greedy step-mother (Catherine Styles), who views our protagonist as more of a personal servant than a member of the family. The household also consists of her two step sisters, Gladiola and Tilliebell, who are as demanding as they are spoiled; as well as her ever loyal companion, Ashes the cat. Despite Cinderella’s bleak living condition, she remains determined to make the best of her situation; her grit and resilience is rewarded with a visit from her fairy godmother, played by the fabulous Kaitlyn Honnen. who offers to use her magic to help Cinderella attend the Prince’s birthday party, (with a midnight deadline of course). This is accomplished with the help of her fellow fairies through a delightful dance number performed by an ensemble of nearly a dozen youth actors showcasing some real talent. Although it must be said that the subsequent scene change went on far longer than necessary, allowing the audience to become rambunctious and distracted by their phones; this perhaps could be forgiven, if the following set was drastically different than the first, which was not the case, though the extravagant gowns with a flair from the 70’s, all but make up for it in the following scenes.
In Act II, Cinderella braves the Prince’s birthday party armed with the perfect outfit, carriage, and her furry friend Ashes, but panics when she realizes she forgot to bring the young prince a present.
Ashes saves the day by offering up himself, which ends up delighting the prince more than any other gift. As the party progresses, Cinderella seamlessly enchants everyone, including a reluctant king (Alex Vocoun) who is determined to marry his son off to the Princess in Gold (Bethany Taylor), known worldwide for her beauty (but not her humility). As the clock strikes midnight, the magic fades and Cinderella returns to her glum life, minus one furry friend.
Fortunately, the ever loyal and generous Ashes hasn’t forgotten her and aids the Prince in his search for the mysterious beauty with unusually tiny feet and a missing glass slipper. In doing so, this feline finds himself living happily ever after in a beautiful palace with two owners who absolutely adore him. What more could a cat ask for? Except a full house at the next performance.
It is impossible not to notice how Style’s years of theatrical experience bring her character to life creating a boorish demeanor that sets the tone for Cinderella’s miserable circumstances throughout the play. Unfortunately, her efforts are occasionally overshadowed by the loud and over the top performance of Taylor Kennedy as Tilliebell, who has great vocalization but could improve on stage presence. However, the true star of the show proved to be one miss Abby Schlosser, whose lively performance as Ashes keeps the audience on their toes and occasionally their backs from laughing so hard.
Cinderella of Loreland continues its runs through April 21, 2004 at Clio Cast and Crew.
Call 810-687-2588 or go to cliocastandcrew.com for tickets.
Flint Area Theatres 