Secondary Musical - Cinderella SPECIAL EDITION
Cinderella - Secondary Musical Highlights
Term 3 Week 5 was Musical Week and saw over 60 students travel to The Parks Theatre to present Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. All four performances were amazing, and the students created such a magical show.
Please enjoy this photo wrap up of the show!
Pre-Performance
SCENE 1
Like all good fairytales, the story begins with Once Upon a Time, in a land that isn’t France (but which bears a striking resemblance to it) where Prince Topher has just returned from university to take his throne, held in trust for him by Sebastian.
Their journey is interrupted by a fearsome Giant and a Dragon, both handily dispatched by the Prince.
SCENE 2
Their expedition stops for water at Ella’s family home. Ella is a loyal and kind friend and saves the life of crazy Marie who comes to beg from the prince. After the Prince has left, we are introduced to Jean-Michel, a man who is determined to speak up for the poor people who are being oppressed and having their land stolen. Aside from his revolutionary intentions, Jean-Michel is also happy to see Gabrielle, the beautiful eldest daughter of Ella’s stepmother, Madame.
SCENE 3
Jean-Michel goes to the castle and informs the Prince and Sebastian about his revolutionary plans. Sebastian can’t let this stand and plans to marry the prince to distract the populace
SCENE 4
Jean-Michel starts to gather the crowd for his revolution but is interrupted by Lord Pinkleton announcing the Prince is having a ball in order to find his bride and the crowd goes wild. Madame steals and rips Ella’s invitation, so she has no chance to go, leaving Ella to just help her stepsister’s get ready.
SCENE 5
Madame gifts her “real” daughters a necklace with a small pendant of Venetian glass which only the wealthiest can afford and they leave for the ball. Ella is left alone daydreaming about what it would be like to go to the ball until crazy Marie visits and reveals she is actually her fairy godmother. Marie transforms Ella’s clothes, animals and pumpkin to allow her to travel to the ball in style. The final touch are two magical slippers made entirely of Venetian glass- take that Madame!
SCENE 6
Prince Topher is suffering through meeting the ladies at the ball but feels like he cannot put up with the simpering and flattery. Ella’s arrival at the ball interrupts the clamouring and the Prince’s interest is caught instantly. Sebastian can see his plans are in danger and so interrupts their introduction by introducing a fashionable game of Ridicule. Ella’s innate kindness changes everything and soon everyone is sharing kindness and having fun. Topher manages to find Ella again and they share a dance and fall in love.
Just as the Prince asks for her name, the clock strikes midnight! Ella remembers that all her magical clothing is about to transform back to rags, and she runs away.
SCENE 7
Prince Topher is left alone as the mysteriously beautiful woman runs away. He mounts a search, leaving a bevvy of disgruntled women behind at the palace. Ella’s magical transport and clothes are steadily transforming back to normal and so she has to run home and cleverly evades being found by the Prince.
SCENE 8
Madame, Charlotte and Gabrielle arrive home and complain to Ella about the Prince’s behaviour. Ella relives the ball by describing what she “imagined” it to be like, fooling everyone except for Gabrielle. Ella fears that she will be in trouble but her stepsister reveals she actually loves Jean-Michel. The two girls are brought closer with shared secrets.
SCENE 9
Meanwhile the Prince has been searching for three days and nights hoping to see his lady again. Sebastian encourages the Prince back to the castle so new laws oppressing rebellion from the poor can be signed. Topher, having had his eyes opened by Ella notices what is going on for the first time and stands up to Sebastian. He demands to hold a banquet that evening, for surely, she will show to a second event.
SCENE 10
Gabrielle and Ella hatch a plan for Ella to go to the banquet in Gabrielle’s place. Jean-Michel arrives to take Gabrielle on their date but are caught by Madame. Ella appears in Gabrielle’s dress and in a fit of rage Madame tears it to pieces and banishes Gabrielle. Ella’s spirit is broken, but her fairy godmother arrives to help- and to remind her that Ella has to fight for her dreams to become a reality. Marie transforms the rags into a stunning gold dress and sends her to the palace.
SCENE 11
All the guests have arrived and Topher is just about to give up on Ella when she arrives. They are both overjoyed to see each other again and Ella takes the opportunity to introduce Jean-Michel, Gabrielle and a crowd of people suffering the laws from Sebastian.
Topher is determined to help but doesn’t know what to do. One final piece of magic from Marie reveals the answer has been in front of them the whole time and Topher declares an election for the new role of Prime Minister.
Just as they begin to go to eat, the clock strikes midnight and Ella knows she has to leave. Feeling braver than ever before she decides to leave a clue for her Prince- it’s now up to him.
SCENE 12
The Prince invites every young lady to try on the glass slipper. Ella finally reveals who she is- and of course the slipper fits like magic.
One month later Jean-Michel has become the Prime Minister and Lord Pinkleton officiates a beautiful royal wedding.
And of course, they lived happily ever after.
