The Cinderella play was held in Wellington last week.

Play review by Amber Countryman, Sumner Newscow — The Wellington High School Crusaders of the Stage performed Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Cinderella with a very talented group of students, directed by WHS drama instructor Joseph Fisher.

In this version of the Cinderella story, Prince Christopher Rupert Windermere Vladimir Carl Alexander Francois Reginald Lancelot Herman Gregory James, Prince Topher for short, was orphaned at a young age and raised by Lord Chancellor Sebastian. He improperly shields the prince from what is really going on in his kingdom. 

Cinderella’s stepmother doesn’t allow her to attend the ball. Marie, a crazy old lady who ends up being the Fairy Godmother, turns a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, and Cinderella’s dress into a beautiful white ball gown. Prince Topher and a mysterious woman meet at his ball, and at the stroke of midnight, the magic ends, and Cinderella returns to normal. 

Prince Topher decides that he must be with the woman with whom he spent the entire night dancing and talking at his ball. Without knowing her name, he and his men search high and low for her carriage, to no avail. Sebastian gives him the idea to throw a banquet, thinking his mysterious dance partner might show up again. Once again, the Fairy Godmother helps Cinderella with a magical spell turning a gown Madame destroyed into a beautiful gown. At midnight, she leaves behind a glass slipper. 

The prince asks every single woman in the kingdom to try on the slipper. After everyone has tried, it doesn’t fit anyone. Cinderella shows up, it fits her, and they get married and rule the kingdom. 

Cinderella opened with a brave group fighting a giant, whom Prince Topher, portrayed Luke Wylie, kills with a sword. After this, the group sees a dragon coming near them, and Prince Topher pulls out his sling shot and brings the dragon down. 

Wylie delivers a stellar performance as Prince Topher, and his singing was top-notch. Wylie, a junior at Wellington High School, has portrayed Laurie in Oklahoma, Tom in Radium Girls, and has appeared in other performances. 

Ella, or Cinderella, was portrayed by senior Claire Norris, who captured everyone’s heart with her classic rags-to-riches story. Norris nailed the part, and her singing was outstanding. Her past roles include Grace Fryer in Radium Girls, Marmee in Little Women, and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

New to the musical scene was junior Noah Schmitz, who played the part of Sebastian, Prince Topher’s advisor. Schmitz has acted in three other shows and offered a tremendous performance in his first musical experience. Other performances include 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Rise of Robin Hood, Radium Girls, and The Wizard of Oz.

Melanie Jayroe, senior, portrayed Madame, the evil stepmother. True to the original tale, Madame loved and adored her own daughters, but used Cinderella as a slave. Trying to prevent Cinderella from attending the prince’s ball backfired when the Fairy Godmother showed up. Jayroe did an amazing job performing the role. Past roles include Little Women and Rise of Robin Hood.

Sophomore Natilee Larkin portrayed Marie. Her angelic voice carried throughout the theater as she sang, and her acting abilities are first-rate. Other performances include Rise of Robin Hood, Little Women, and Radium Girls. 

Bella Angleton, a freshman, played the part of Gabrielle, one of Cinderella’s stepsisters. She and Cinderella form a friendship and keep each other’s secrets, as she is in love with Jean-Michel, a poor revolutionary with ideas on improving society. She seemed like a natural playing the part, and her heartfelt character was loved by all. 

Senior Rachel Ewing played the part of Cinderella’s stepsister Charlotte. Ewing never disappoints when she delivers her lines, and is an outstanding actress and singer. Past performances include Clue, Once Upon a Mattress, The Crucible, Rise of Robin Hood, Little Women, and Radium Girls. 

Robert Ledesma, senior, portrayed Jean-Michel, a poor revolutionary who shares his ideas for improving society in the town square. He falls in love with Cinderella’s stepsister Gabrielle, and runs against Sebastian in a political race for Chancellor. His performance in both acting and singing entertained the crowd. He previously played in The Wizard of Oz, directed by his father, Will Ledesma.

Farren McGuirk, eighth grader, played Lord Pinkleton, Sebastian’s second-in-command, and herald for all important events. Although an eighth grader, McGuirk sometimes stole the show. Previously, performances include The Wizard of Oz and Charlie Brown Christmas.

The ensemble consisted of Leota Holdaway, Madalynn Wonser, Blair Farmer, Audrey Conwell, Lorelei Stafford, Adalyn Rains, Ayden Smith, Lila Jones, Caylee Bringer, Natallie Cox, Andrew Alexander, Larisa Blackman, and Greylen Heersche. The chorus and choreography tied everything together. 

Jennifer Blackman, a WHS teacher, designed all of the costumes. Cinderella’s dress transformation from peasant dress to ball gown was magical. The formal that Madame rips the arms off of transforms into a beautiful gold banquet gown. She is truly a fashion design artist. 

The set was very impressive with Cinderella’s home, inside and out, a wishing well, Cinderella’s carriage, a tree, and the castle staircase, all hand-built by Fisher and his drama classes. 

Choreography was done by Ali Kells and Rachel Ewing, who provided the cast with perfect dance moves for every song. 

Other crew included: lighting – Chris Blackman, sound – Bruce Blackman, crew – Riddick Jeffries, Blake Anderson, Eric Blackman, Pyper Bruce, Kathleen Williams, Trenton Blair, Harper Seeliger, and Sam Reitz, who performed above and beyond their duties. 

After the show, the seniors each gave a speech, the crew was presented flowers, Blackman was presented with flowers and gifts, and Fisher was given a clock that was stopped at 11:59 p.m. so the magic never ends. 

Join the Crusaders of the Stage this fall for a play to be announced at a later date.