Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella
at St. Stephens & St. Agnes School

Reviewed on March 11, 2022

Clare A'Hearn
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Godmothers, golden carriages, and glass slippers may seem "Impossible," but in St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School's production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, these fictitious elements came to life in their "Own Little Corner" of the world.

Rodgers and Hammerstein adapted this quintessential fairytale into a musical for television in 1957. Following the film's immense success, a stage production was produced which has now been performed around the world. The musical itself follows Cinderella, an orphaned girl who acts as a servant in her own household, as she journeys to meet her very own Prince Charming. Facing the obstacles of her stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella requires magical assistance to achieve her dream to "Waltz for a Ball."

With ease and authenticity Emmie Vajda portrayed the starry-eyed titular character. Vajda's lovely lilting vocals and graceful gait supported Cinderella's quaint kind-heartedness. Sam Tampubolon as Prince Christopher contributed vocal power to their numbers and was able to maneuver the more emotional moments between their characters. During "Ten Minutes Ago," the simplicity and excitement of a budding romance was admirably personified by Vajda and Tampubolon. Holding great truth behind their roles and trust in each other, they concocted a simply delightful portrait of a young love.

Charlotte Nichols commanded the stage while twirling a scepter as the Fairy Godmother. Her enchanting voice and polished movements bewitched the audience as Cinderella's iconic blue dress was unveiled. Nichols' mysterious Fairy Godmother supported Vajda's whimsical depiction of Cinderella and together they displayed an endearing kinship.

The often insufferable stepsisters Portia and Joy were artfully portrayed by Maren Knutson and Amber Dunton. The attention-seeking Portia was energetically performed by Knutson through exaggerated hand gestures while Dunton proved adroit commitment to her role by sustaining slight irritation through the duration of the production. Watched over by Mimi Shea as the Stepmother, the pair's antics were suppressed until they burst in the stepsisters' spirited lament.

Playing the King and Queen, Keith Bolen and Kirsten Johnson were the dynamic pair that grounded the show. To depict moments of lighthearted jest, Bolen employed comical facial expressions while Johnson contrastingly maintained composure through each mark.

The technical aspects of the production helped bring the magic to life. The Cinderella Pit Orchestra began the show with a splendidly performed overture and supported the occasions of emotional vulnerability and lively cheer with apt dedication. The choreography was impressively produced by Emma Lacy and the Cinderella Dance Team. Incorporating lifts into the intimate dances between Cinderella and Prince Christopher and utilizing the entirety of the space, the choreography allowed for unity in the ensemble and audience immersion in the enchantment. Despite a mishap with the lighting, Kurt Gehlhoff was able to create a starry night and replicate a mystical twilight with a dark blue glow between scenes. The individuality of the characters and the versatility of the ensemble were emphasized by the intricate hair designs featured on every member of the cast. Led by Haley Lehman, the hair designs revealed the absurdity of the stepsisters or the rigidness of the stepmother before they even spoke.

Although Cinderella's spell ended as the clock struck midnight, the charm of St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School's production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella stayed in the audience's hearts long after they left "Driving Through the Moonlight."

Liesl Winternitz
Lake Braddock Secondary School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

A twinkling carriage, rags twirling into riches, and a peasant becoming a princess, all providing the marvelous magic of a fairy tale; "It's Possible" in St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella".

Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1957 version of "Cinderella" was originally written for a television movie with the legendary Julie Andrews fulfilling the titular role. However, the production was quickly adapted for the stage. The story is one most children and adults already know by heart- sweet Cinderella is swept up in magic when her evil stepfamily denies her the chance to go to the prince's ball. She quickly falls in love with Prince Christopher but must leave before the clock strikes midnight- and before she can tell him her name. A wondrous tale suitable for those of every age follows, full of heart and wonder as the Prince searches for his lost love.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's production was magical from the first moments. The Fairy Godmother (Charlotte Nichols) demonstrated her poise and command of the stage as she entered. Whether she was providing a beautiful harmony or a spot of laughter, she infused the theater with a sense of enchantment. From ensemble members to the leads, the commitment of the actors to the story they were telling was the lifeblood of the show. The step-sisters, Portia (Maren Knutson) and Joy (Amber Dunton), brought a smile to everyone's faces whether they were ordering around Cinderella, fighting over Prince Christopher, or sullenly conceding that they'd lost at Cinderella's wedding. Their character choices were always spot-on and had the audience in stitches. The Queen (Kirsten Johnson) and the King (Keith Bolen) had an excellent dynamic that was established from the moment the lights came up on them. Their banter added a current of wholesomeness, and their vocal talents were not to be underestimated, especially when combined. The Staff ensemble (Maddie McDowell, Virginia Campbell, Danielle Hines, and Marc Fountaine) were always a welcome sight throughout the show, appearing here and there and always bringing energy with them.

If the joy and excitement radiating from the actors were not enough to draw you into the Cinderella fairytale, then the choreography (Emma Lacy) would certainly fit the glass slipper. The dancing and movement brought spirit to every scene, big or small. In numbers between Cinderella (Emmie Vajda) and Prince Christopher (Sam Tampubolon), this pep became something softer and more tender. During "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You Are Beautiful?", the dancing brought the two lovers closer, connecting on an intangible level. Both Vajda and Tampubolon danced beautifully, trusting each other fully with several stunning lifts and twirls. Although the audience anticipated what was going to happen in the story, they couldn't look away– a well-known fairytale was being told anew through dance.

The properties (Zoë Coval, Meghan Drzewiecki, Heather Hawkins) were icing on the wedding cake. The team had the difficult task of creating magic out of thin air, and they pulled it off. Glimmering lights on the pumpkin carriage, a ribbon twirled in the air, and the Fairy Godmother's glowing staff– it all made the fantastical that much more real. Even props more familiar to our world were stylized in a way that brought the audience closer to Cinderella's fairytale kingdom.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's production of Cinderella left adults and children alike feeling as though even the "Impossible" was within their grasp.

Rebecca Sullivan
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

This past weekend, the impossible became possible at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes High School through their enchanting production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Cinderella". Their auditorium, once dark and bare, was complete with shimmering stars and a glimmering moon, in which wishes and dreams were destined to become reality. Meanwhile, the audience was transported into a magical world with prancing steeds, a golden carriage, dazzling gowns, and slippery glass slippers.

Adapted for the stage in 1957, the show tells the classic tale of Cinderella, a beautiful and softhearted girl, who, after her father's tragic death, is trapped within an unloving step family. Whilst confined by her evil stepmother and stepsisters, she dreams of attending a ball and meeting a prince. Luckily, with the help of a fairy godmother, pumpkin, and a few mice, her wishes come true.

Through spectacular acting and charming vocals, the cast brought the fantastical world of Cinderella to life. Emmie Vajda, as Cinderella, added authenticity to the magic by engrossing herself into the fairy tale. Also of note was Sam Tampubolon's emotional performance as Prince Christopher. Throughout the show, he used powerful vocals to portray his character's keen desire for love. Charlotte Nichols, the actor depicting the Fairy Godmother, was commanding on stage. Not only did her vocals dance across the auditorium, but her physicality intensified her character's optimism.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes High School used the tech aspects to their full advantage. The lighting, designed by Kurt Gehlhoff, was incredible. The dark blue tint used for the scene allowed the twilight ambiance to linger. Additionally, by enlisting warm red lighting to portray love, and deep blue lighting to portray lust, they harnessed the mood of the characters. The choreography, composed by student Emma Lacy, was especially enrapturing. Through the performance, the ensemble performed the twirls, lifts, and waltz choreography seamlessly. However, Lacy's skills were especially shown during "10 Minutes Ago." Vajda and Tampubolon made the challenging moves look effortless, and thus, left feelings of pure love in the audience.

Their enchanting performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Cinderella" certainly created a "Lovely Night." From prancing steeds, shimmering stars, a golden carriage, dazzling gowns, a glimmering moon, and slippery glass slippers, the audience was engrossed in Cinderella's world of magic.

Micaela Wells
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

"In their own little corner" (i.e. onstage), St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School's actors showed that they "can be whatever they want to be," including a royal family, a fairy godmother, a wicked stepfamily, and a young woman dreaming of going to a ball.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, performed by St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School, is a beloved 1957 musical based on the classic fairytale. Forced into servitude by her wicked stepfamily, Cinderella's dreams of attending the royal ball come true when her fairy godmother grants her wish, and she ultimately falls in love with the prince.

One of the challenges in performing a show centered around magic is that the cast must commit to fully believing in the fantasy, in order to draw the audience out of the twenty-first century and into an imaginary world that is equal parts thrillingly new and comfortingly familiar. From the first note of the overture to the final bow, St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School maintained the illusion.

Appearing in a spotlight at the door to the theatre, underscored by the overture, the audience suddenly beheld the Fairy Godmother, played by Charlotte Nichols. Twirling gracefully through the aisles carrying a scepter before moving across the stage to wake up the townspeople, Nichols immersed the audience in the magical setting before a single word was spoken.

Portia and Joy, Cinderella's wicked stepsisters portrayed by Maren Knutson and Amber Dunton respectively, proved an engaging duo. As their characters constantly attempted to one-up each other, Knutson and Dunton built off each other's energy to propel their banter, while simultaneously maintaining their characters' individualism.

Cinderella (Emmie Vajda) and Prince Christopher (Sam Tampubolon) demonstrated impressive chemistry and control in several tender duo scenes. During "Ten Minutes Ago," Vajda's shoe fell off (unintentionally), and, admirably, neither actor faltered. Tampubolon continued to sing, following as Vajda retrieved the shoe, and they moved off together into a waltz. Such seamless recovery shows a great deal of composure and trust between the two. When the shoe drop came for real at the stroke of midnight, it was orchestrated so effortlessly as to leave the audience wondering how a glittering glass slipper simply appeared in Cinderella's wake.

St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School's pit orchestra tackled the challenge of an orchestrally difficult show with enthusiasm and repeatedly proved themselves one of the standout aspects of the production. Filling the space with soaring melody, the pit orchestra was occasionally in danger of overwhelming the vocalists, but the sound department (Madeline Wolcott) responded accordingly to ensure the actors' microphones could be heard. Although there was a technical glitch resulting in an unexpected addition to the music and another involving a slightly extended blackout, the actors kept their poise onstage as the issues were quickly resolved. The lighting department (Kurt Gehlhoff) used follow spots to draw attention to creative use of the theatre, such as when Cinderella rode through the aisle in her carriage.

As a result of evident hard work by cast and crew, St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School's performance of Cinderella made for "a lovely night."

Sophia Pandit
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Bound to the demands of her callous family, a simple "chimney sweep" asks herself if the impossible could become possible. Will she be proven right? The answer lies in a glass slipper.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella was made for CBS in 1957 as a musical, which starred Julie Andrews as the eponymous lead. What makes the school's take on the classic rags-to-riches story their own, however, is the fact that many of the aspects that are traditionally outsourced at the high school level (i.e.: choreography and orchestra) were done by the students themselves, only adding to the storybook magic of it all.

The cast, particularly the King (Keith Bolen) and Queen (Kirsten Johnson), maintained an air of professionalism throughout the show. Despite the intermittent technical difficulties, every actor continued to deliver their lines with conviction, making their sincere trust in one another evident. But what made this so much more impressive was the characterization of each role; even in scenes where certain characters did not speak at all, their portrayals felt true to the situations at hand. A leading example of this was Joy (Amber Dunton), whose slight eyebrow raises and eye rolls captured the snark Hammerstein intended for the Stepsisters.

It's worth noting the enthusiasm each role had as well. Emmie Vajda seemed to have lived out a childhood dream in playing Cinderella, twirling on the stage with a wide smile the way many audience members once aspired to. Cinderella's sager counterpart, portrayed by Charlotte Nichols, made the Fairy Godmother one of the most commanding characters in this production, whether that be in endearing expressions or seamlessly flitting throughout the auditorium with a scepter.

A performance that comprised a good portion of the chuckles heard was Keith Bolen as the King, whose animated eyes and pants-fiddling during the character's introduction made the King one of the most beloved of the show. The same can be said for the Stepsisters, Joy (Amber Dunton) and Portia (Maren Knutson); it was during Act Two that their physical comedy talents came out.

Vocally, the cast blended together in great harmony and were unwavering in spite of the challenging choreography. Charlotte Nichols' light soprano managed to resound through the air, while Mimi Shea shone as the Stepmother in "A Lovely Night."

In the technical department, one standout was Kurt Gehlhoff behind lighting. A striking creative decision was to use dark blue during scene changes rather than a complete blackout, which built a lofty atmosphere like that of the royal ball's twilight, where Cinderella met her prince. It was clear that careful thought was put into every shift. The lights reflected the fluctuating moods of the show, as seen with the cool indigo for Prince Christopher's (Sam Tampubolon) melancholy versus the warm red when Cinderella's shoe fits.

As for choreography, Emma Lacy and the rest of the Cinderella Dance Team made good use of the entire auditorium and worked to make certain that each routine was performed with incredible poise. But perhaps the most unique component of Cinderella was the orchestra. All nineteen of its members were timely and coordinated in establishing each scene, meaning each note was succinctly hit.

This rendition showed that sometimes the impossible becomes possible. It made an already known fairytale carry a stronger presence, placed the audience inside its world, and, most importantly, was as unforgettable as the sound of a clock striking midnight.

Kiana Collins
Meridian High School
Submitted for publication to The Voice

On a cold March evening, a school theater in Northern Virginia was transformed into a wondrous kingdom full of magic, hope, and the unbelievable. The classic story of Cinderella was brought to life by St. Stephen's & St. Agnes High School students, who embodied all the charm of the original as well as the enchantment we all need right now. By the end of the night, not only is the music stuck in our heads but the message as well; to "Keep building up impossible hopes" because "Impossible things are happening every day".

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is the made-for-television musical starring Julie Andrews based upon the original fairytale. The musical was later played on stage, including a run on Broadway. It tells the tale of an ordinary girl with dreams, who, with a touch of magic, escapes her evil stepmother and stepsisters and finds love and her happy ending. It's a story full of hope, one that teaches us the importance of having aspirations.

Bringing Rodgers and Hammerstein's visions to life were the stellar performances by the high school cast. The lead of Cinderella was a brilliant highlight - Emmie Vajda perfectly embodied the innocence, kindness, and wonder of the character we all know and love, as well as a magnificent voice. Her wicked stepsisters brought juxtaposition to her performance; Maren Knutson and Amber Dunton as Portia and Joy flawlessly brought comedic gold to their already humorous lines with their outstanding refusal to break character. They contrasted each other with differing types of comedy; Knutson's ability to bring her voice to earsplitting shrieks of excitement and Dunton's gift of looking completely bored and indifferent made the audience erupt in laughter enough so there was never a dull moment. Sam Tampubolon, playing Prince Christopher, also gave a notable performance. He brought authenticity to his role, as well as powerful vocals. He perfectly complimented the lead, as the two danced and sang to each other with the passion high schoolers may not typically possess. Then there was the brilliant ensemble. The stability of vocals during complicated dance numbers and the ability for each individual to maintain the same level of energy and excitement brought magic to the stage.

Another highlight of the show was the music. Completely performed by the Cinderella Pit Orchestra, they maintained stability throughout the musical and soundtracked the sweetest moments on stage without a hitch. The orchestra also shined when they produced beautiful tunes alongside brilliant choreography. Done by Emma Lacy and the Cinderella Dance Team, students had complete control. Talent shone on stage because of the seamless and mesmerizing dancing that reflected both 19th century Europe and also, hilariously, modern trends, in an amusing scene where characters performed the famed Renegade Tik Tok dance.

Then there were the technical aspects, including lighting by Kurt Genchoff. In between scenes, a moonlight blue was cast on stage as the crew rushed to transition sets; creating a twilight setting that perfectly matched the mood of the story and never took the audience out of the setting. The light colors and spotlight usage often reflected character emotions and directed attention where it needed to be, allowing for a smooth, romantic storyline.

The story of rags to riches, of a village girl who became a princess, has been told for centuries. Expertly performed by St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School, the classic is reimagined with every bit of glamour as the original. The heartwarming tale about following your dreams is one audiences will enjoy forever if they continue to be put on with this same amazing effort and passion.

Elliot Baird
Lake Braddock Secondary School
Submitted for publication to The Voice

Although there's no "Bippity Boppity Boo" in Rodgers and Hammerstein's version of Cinderella, St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's production was certainly touched by magic.

This telling of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, was first produced as a 1957 live television broadcast starring Julie Andrews. The music, camera work, and Andrews' performance were all nominated for Emmys, and the show was adapted for a Broadway production in 2013. It follows the iconic story of a poor daughter to an evil stepmother who magically comes by the means to go to a ball and fall in love with a prince, but only until she can be tracked down by the size of her shoe.

The immediate standout feature of this production was the student choreography, by Emma Lacy and the Cinderella Dance Team. The team's choreography was an integral part of the storytelling, especially during intricate ballroom scenes and while executing some of the show's magical effects. It was beautiful in a way that was accessible, meeting every dancer at their own level and elevating their performances.

The production was led, of course, by Emmie Vajda's Cinderella. An incredibly skilled dancer, Vajda brought a lovely grace, as well as charm and genuineness that made the character certainly one to root for. As the Fairy Godmother, Charlotte Nichols showcased her impressive singing voice and acted with an elusive magnetism, undoubtedly magical. Sam Tampubolon as Prince Christopher brought a groundedness and sensitivity to the production, as well as notable ballroom dance skills.

These leads were surrounded by a colorful supporting cast. Stepsisters Portia (Maren Knutson) and Joy (Amber Dunton) showed their incredible commitment, Knutson with wailing comedy and an unmistakable laugh, and Dunton with more subtle characterizations that stayed true every moment Joy was onstage, even as focus shifted. Keith Bolen and Kiersten Johnson's King and Queen proved to be unflappable, keeping the story progressing without a moment's pause in the face of technical glitches. The ensemble, especially the featured group The Staff (Maddie McDowell, Virginia Campbell, Danielle Hines, and Marc Fountaine) brought remarkably polished dance and an engaging energy that brought the production to life.

Technical elements supported and enhanced the story. Kurt Gehlhoff's lighting showed incredible attention to detail, creating effects such as a flickering fire and a starry sky. Properties, managed by Zoë Coval, Meghan Drzewiecki, and Heather Hawkins, used set dressings like string lights and suits of armor to sell the magical fairy tale time period. Stage manager Codie Campbell and the run crew executed intricate shifts with a speed and subtlety that made them feel barely noticeable. Lastly, the pit orchestra showed undeniable musicianship, creating one of the most integral pieces of the production.

If this production of Cinderella were to ever come back to St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, buy your tickets before midnight, because this is one show you certainly wouldn't want to miss.