By Madison Rohn, Lead Editor
Photos by Michelle Magnussen
McKendree theatre’s fall play, Cinderella Waltz by Don Nigro, is a comedic and insightful retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale that will take the stage this weekend. The play breaks down the archetypes of the original fairy tale and shows them in a new way with plot twists and humor for adults.
Cinderella Waltz focuses on Rosey Snow as she tries to make sense of her fairy tale world while putting up with her crazy stepmother, stepsisters, and father. All this happens as she encounters a prince, a troll, a possibly homicidal village idiot, and a fairy godmother who sings sailor songs.
The cast and crew have been hard at work for the past six weeks preparing for the show. Other than the directing and costumes by Hett Director Michelle Magnussen and the technical directing and set design by Hett Technical Director Doug Magnussen, the show is done entirely by students.
Stage manager Mia Wylie, a junior psychology major, ensures that the show runs smoothly by providing cues to the crew when lighting and sound effects occur and making sure the cast and stage hands are where they need to be. When asked about what technical components are unique for this show, she said, “The main thing is that there are no scene changes. The entirety of the play takes place in one location, so it’s up to the actors to make each scene unique. The other unique aspect that comes to mind is the use of fog. In an effort to not spoil anything, I will limit what I say about it, but it’s something I have never worked with before and am excited to utilize.”
When asked what she is most excited for the audience to see, Mia said, “I think the part I’m most excited to share with audiences is the whimsicality of the show. Bringing a fairy tale to life, even one as untraditional as this, requires a lot of work to take audiences into a magical world and out of reality. Careful thought goes into everything from the shoes to the color palettes to the sounds that all have to be just right to be both believable and otherworldly.”
Freshman psychology major Myles McGee plays the “bewildered” Prince Alfred. When asked why he decided to audition for the play, Myles said, “First off, I don’t do anything at McKendree, so I wanted something to do. Second off, I spent a lot of my time gaining my sort of standing in high school doing theatre, so it just felt natural getting back into it and making sure that I keep on doing it, both for the fun of it and to kind of keep myself involved.”
Myles is most excited for the audience to see “just all the random eccentricities that just come out through the show. The random BS that we pull off that’s just very funny to me.”
Senior Jayden Touchette plays Rosey Snow and has participated in four shows during her time at McKendree. She said Cinderella Waltz is different from the typical Cinderella story because it “takes the fairy tale we all know and morphs it into a PG-13 critique of the typical mythological heroine. I like to think of it as an ode to the fairy tales we’ve all grown up with that doesn’t hesitate to point out some typical flaws found in the stories.”
One thing Jayden appreciates about the script is the multiple traditions of Cinderella that are included: “I really enjoy the way so many versions of the Cinderella story were incorporated. Most people are familiar with Disney’s version, which this play does have slight similarities to, but I really love the nods to other versions of the tale, like Grimms’ version!”
Before going on stage, Jayden puts a lot of work into getting into the character of Rosey. “Becoming Rosey has to be one of my favorite pre-show rituals I have ever done,” she stated. In addition to listening to a playlist with a lot of Disney music, Jayden said, “I’ve also been finding the most obscure object in the room with me and listing off as many positive things as I can. Rosey, in true princess fashion, is positive and optimistic almost to a fault, so really getting in that headspace helps me become Rosey.”
Out of everything in the show, Jayden thinks the audience will most enjoy “the familiarity of the show, but with twists along the way that keep them interested. The show is hilarious, and I think audiences will like the comedic element as well. We’ve all had such a great time in rehearsals, and I think our love of the show will radiate from the stage and make the audience enjoy it that much more.”
Cinderella Waltz will be Jayden’s last show at McKendree before she starts student teaching in the spring for her English education major. When asked what she has enjoyed most about her time in theatre at McKendree, she answered, “Everything. It really is hard for me to pinpoint one thing, but I have to say the people I have gotten to work with have been a huge highlight. Every show I have done here, the cast and crew have been a fun and incredible group of people to spend time with. The bonds we create during rehearsals/tech are truly magical because so few of us share classes or majors, but we all come together and just enjoy our time together. I adore our tradition of going out to eat together after one of our shows.”
Jayden also wanted to thank Michelle and Doug Magnussen for helping her grow over the years: “Our incredible directors, Michelle and Doug, have taught me so much about what being an actor really means, which has been such a gift. Their leadership during tough rehearsals and their guidance during the early stages of the show has helped me grow and thrive as a performer, and I don’t know if I could ever thank them enough. McKendree Theatre has been the highlight of my four years at McKendree, and I am honored to be a part of one last production before I graduate.”
Cinderella Waltz will be at the Hettenhausen Center for Arts on Friday, November 3rd and Saturday, November 4th at 7:30 P.M., along with Sunday, November 5th at 2:30 P.M. Tickets are $5 for the public and are free for McKendree students, faculty, and staff. For more information about the play, visit the Hett website at https://www.mckendree.edu/the_hett/
