Cinderella
Multiethnic Cast A Thrilling Fit For 'Cinderella'

Date: November 01, 1997
By Tom Jicha, TV/Radio Writer

From Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Submitted by: Larry A.


Sweeps periods teem with well-hyped programs, but true events are rare. The Wonderful World of Disney's production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella belongs in this elite category. Long after November's movies, miniseries and "very special episodes" have drifted into the black hole of off-hours syndication, prominently showcased encores of this latest Cinderella will be bringing joy to new generations and legions of old friends.

Cinderella has been mounted twice before on television. An adaptation starring Julie Andrews in 1957 attracted more than 100 million viewers _ Super Bowl numbers even in today's universe. The classic fairy tale was revisited in 1965 with Lesley Ann Warren. The latest edition offers something neither of those did: a multiethnic cast reflective of society.

Pop singer Brandy, star of the UPN sitcom Moesha, steps into the title role. Her Prince Charming is Filipino-born Paolo Montalban, a Broadway journeyman making his TV debut. Musical-stage veteran Bernadette Peters plays Cinderella's cross stepmother. One of Cinderella's stepsisters, Calliope, is played by Caucasian actress Veanne Cox; African-American Natalie Desselle is the other step, Minerva. The King and Queen are Victor Garber and Whoopi Goldberg. Seinfeld's Jason Alexander, whose heart and background is in musical theater, has a supporting role as Lionel, the Prince's servant. Whitney Houston plays Cinderella's fairy godmother.

This project has been four years in the making, launched in the aftermath of CBS' artistic triumph with Bette Midler in Gypsy. Executive producer Houston originally had envisioned herself as Cinderella. However, scheduling conflicts kept pushing production back until Houston realized she had outgrown the role. She personally recruited Brandy.

The mixed ethnicity of families might be jarring to adults, but the producers are betting children will be less logic-driven. Besides, how can you make an issue of parents and siblings being of different races in a fairy tale in which mice turn into gallant steeds?

Another executive producer, Debra Martin Chase, said everyone involved considered the diverse cast to be a primary reason to remake a classic.

"Both Whitney and I, as kids, watched the musicals on television; The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Cinderella. We were enthralled by them. It's only as we got older did we realize what the impact of having only white images in these fairy tales meant to us and other kids subliminally. So the idea is to say to all children, and to the children in adults of every color, that dreams can be made to come true."

Cinderella dreams of escaping her trying environment, in which her stepsisters get all the attention and affection, and finding true love. Meanwhile, as the Prince's parents pester him to settle down and start producing heirs, he pines for the woman of his dreams. A gala at the castle is arranged as an audition process for the woman who will be queen.

While every other female in the kingdom is vying for the Prince's hand, Cinderella is left home alone. Then her fairy godmother intercedes _ but sets a midnight curfew. The familiar business with the glass slipper ensues. When the slipper fits, the Prince knows Cinderella is the person who must sit beside him forever.

The rainbow aspects of Cinderella extend beyond casting. The costumes and scenery are an enthralling burst of vivid pastels.

The score, charming and energetically choreographed, includes three numbers lifted from other Rodgers & Hammerstein works as well as eight Cinderella standards. The Sweetest Sound comes from No Strings. Falling in Love With You was introduced in The Boys From Syracuse, and There's Music in You comes from the movie Main Street to Broadway.

Each member of the cast is given center stage to show off. All acquit themselves well. The Houston-Brandy duet of Impossible is a highlight. It also has secondary meaning: This is a Cinderella that's impossible not to like.