The Glass Slipper is a singing, dancing musical based on the Cinderella story to be presented by the kids from the Driftwood Theatre School this weekend.
“I like it because it’s wonky,” said director Ingrid Bilton who had heard some excerpts from it and began the search for the original script. Written by the children’s poet and author Eleanor Farjeon, the script is comical and uses some of the original Farjeon tunes. But it is the actors that really make it happen. The Glass Slipper moves along at a fast pace with snappy dialogue and some talented performers.
Cinderella, also known as the Princess of Nowhere, is played by Jaclyn Semaniuk and her handsome prince by Sam Stinson. Cinderella’s father is performed by Jadan Rostau. The stepmother is played with great poise and ability by Audrey Spithoff, while the stepsisters who generate good laughs are played by Meaghan Howley and Emmie Hendricks for three shows and Brie McNevin for three others. Zany, the court jester (Gabriel Ryan), is integral to the play and exhibits skill with physical comedy. The fairy godmother (Elisabeth Lyle) and the anxious herald (Elizabeth Hood) turn in good performances, with several of the actors showing their vocal talents to the piano accompaniment of Kelly Smit.
“The core is the junior drama performance group,” said producer, costume co-ordinator and publicist, JoAnne Bennison.
Their ages are 10 to 18, and in this case with a cast of 36, they have used actors as young as eight. The cast includes portrayal of the four elements, the ladies of the ball, harlequinade characters and the mice brigade.
The costumes are elaborate and colourful; hair and make-up are extravagant. Many of the Driftwood adult actors help out with stage management, props and scenery. It takes a lot of people to put on as ambitious a production as this one. See www.driftwoodplayers.ca for more about the Theatre School.
Performances run over two weekends at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons, starting this Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 30 at 1 p.m., then again on May 5, 6 and 7. Tickets for adults are $15 and students $10, available at Laedeli, Giggle ‘n Bloom, and The Blackberry Shop in Gibsons and the Sechelt Visitor Centre, and online at www.share-there.com
