Friday, August 12, 2011

Cinderella's Fella at the Minnesota Fringe Festival



Cinderella's Fella! by Top Hat is a mild recommendation. There is some really nice singing, and Samantha Feinberg and Evan Boyce as Cinderella and her Fella are charming. It is always fun for kids to see kids do theater. But after two years of successfully moving out of their comfort zone with the dramatic Dracula's Castle and the witty Robin Hood the Musical, this show returns to the school recital format of adding characters so everyone can have a part, even if it makes no sense. Why have two stepsisters when you can have three. Why have one prince when you can have four? How about a fairy godmother and a fairy godfather?


The musical throws in a storyline about duchess and a girl named Olive who got lost at a zoo in Virginia and somehow ended up in the story. It's an interesting idea, but it can't be developed in a 50 minute show.


It's so messy that anyone who isn't related to a cast member might miss what is really cool about Top Hat-these young people are learning to be joyful performers. They are developing a healthy Broadway style vocal technique and they sing in tune.

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