Are you looking for A Lovely Night filled with The Sweetest Sounds? You’re in luck, because Baltimore Center Stage (BCS) will be presenting ArtsCentric’s new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella (Enchanted Edition)” from Nov. 25 through Dec. 23.
“This version of the beloved musical, inspired by the 1997 teleplay starring Brandy and Whitney Houston, will be set in Africa and features an updated take on Cinderella’s magical transformation with the help of her fairy godmother, complete with outstanding musical performances,” reads the press release announcing the production.
“We are so thrilled to deepen our partnership with ArtsCentric after presenting their productions of Dreamgirls and Crowns in prior seasons,” said BCS Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb. “We are looking forward to welcoming the incredible local artists from ArtsCentric to join us on the BCS stage for this classic Rodgers & Hammerstein production, a show that still warms the hearts of children and adults alike.”
The original version of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” aired on television in 1957, starring Julie Andrews, and was the most widely viewed program in the history of the medium. It was remade in 1965, also to great success, with Lesley Ann Warren, and then again in 1997 with Brandy starring as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother.
It was this 1997 version that was called the “Enchanted Edition” of the show, reflecting several songs having been added, including “The Sweetest Sounds” and “There’s Music in You.” Sixty million viewers watched the Brandy/Houston version, earning ABC its highest Sunday-night ratings in 10 years.
The ArtsCentric production is directed by ArtsCentric Artistic Director Kevin S. McAllister, whose Broadway credits include “Caroline or Change” and “Come From Away.” The cast includes Jaiden Nuako as Cinderella, Nick Moore as Prince Christopher, Asia-Lige Arnold as Queen Constantina, Curtis McNeil as King Maximillian, Kenyatta Hardison as Stepmother, Malshauna Hamm as Joy, Nikki Owens as Grace, Tyrell Stanley as Lionel, and Jade Madden and Pam Ward will both be featured as the Fairy Godmother at select performances.
ArtsCentric, Inc. is an African-American performing arts organization “committed to reexamining traditional roles in the arts, advancing original stories of specific cultures, and fostering educational advancement to strengthen the community through the power of theatre.” They hold four to five productions of traditional, contemporary, and original musicals, plays, and concert works preseason. They also hold two summer institutes for young artists in addition to arts training courses.
Tickets to Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella (Enchanted Edition)” range in price from $20 to $45, and can be purchased by clicking this link.
