Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Tom Ganser.
Got a bad case of the mid-winter blahs? For the perfect cure, plan on seeing a performance of the Whitewater High School Players production of “Cinderella” Feb. 18 (7 p.m.) Feb. 19 (1 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and Feb. 20 (1 p.m.) in the WHS auditorium.
General admission seats are $8 and can be ordered in advance by calling the Box Office at 262-472-8178. Tickets can also be purchased one hour before the performances.
Adding to the fun, an awesome Cinderella Tea Party will be held on Sat, Feb. 19, at 5:30 p.m. Come dressed as a fairytale character to share a cup of tea or juice, and sweets and treats, AND take home a goodie bag. There will also be a special photo opportunity with the Cinderella cast. Advance reservations $5 per person are required and can be made by calling 262-472-8178.
Led by Director Jim McCulloch and Stage Manager Kat Dunham, and assisted by student directors Marco Wence and Matt Zingheim, the cast includes Payton Bunger, Caleb Clapper, Ayden Clark, Alex Clarksen, Anders Clarksen, Josh Kirley, Brooke Mason, Audrey Mayer, Ben McCulloch, Chloe Prince, A’Lani Rogers, Lauren Rolette, Lucas Scherer, Skylar Staebler, Haley Street, Madison Strickler, Alex Sullivan, Evie Troxel, Anderson Waelchli, and Xavier Zei.
To offset the possible impact of Covid on the cast, Jim McCulloch opted for a dual cast production.
The talented members of the technical crews are Alejandra Diaz-Gallegos, Emerson Dunham, Kara Long, Miles Nicklesberg, Ava Nygren, Abigail Olson, Cole Schlicher, Claire Tourdot, Lucy Troxel, Sami VanDaele, and Emma Weigel.
With thousands of variants throughout the world, the origin of “Cinderella,” or “The Little Glass Slipper,” dates back to the first century in the Greek geographer Strabo’s story about a Greek slave girl who married the king of Egypt.
It is interesting to note that “Cinderella” was the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical written for television. It was originally broadcast live in color on CBS on March 31, 1957, with Julie Andrews in the title role at the same time she was playing Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” on Broadway.
The WHS Players are performing William Glennon’s adaptation of the Brothers’ Grimm folk tale published in 1812. Glennon’s “Cinderella” is the funniest and most enchanting version of the beloved story available. It has comedy, poignancy, charm, and enchantment in just the right amounts.
Cast in his first major role, 9th grader Xavier Zei, said, “I found it challenging at first to find a way I wanted to portray the Prince on stage,” adding, “The Prince is a very bold and loud person, unlike me. I tend to be more calm and to myself.”
“I was worried at first there would be pressure to be better than the other cast,” Zei shared, “but after a few weeks into rehearsal I found it’s super fun to be working with as many people as possible. I enjoy that I’m able to work on a show that I love and with people I like.”
Brooke Mason, a sophomore, plays Cinderella. “Acting is a very large part of my life,” she said. “I love being able to go to rehearsal surrounded by my friends and people who support each other. Being Cinderella has been an amazing opportunity for me. I’m beyond excited for the show and I can’t wait for opening night.”
The Whitewater Unified School District Summer School Playhouse will be performing “Willy Wonka Jr.” July 7-9, 2022.
