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It may surprise people to know that one of my favorite movies of all time is not a musical. In fact, it doesn’t even have any singing. Or dancing. It’s about a trained swordsman Cinderella who reads, rescues her prince, saves herself from an evil overlord, and has Angelica Houston as her stepmother. The 1998 feminist re-telling of Cinderella starring Drew Barrymore, Ever After. My sister and I were obsessed with it. We could recite the whole movie by heart without even needing to watch it. I wore my hair in braids. I wore glitter around my eyes. I named my first blog, "Breathe, Just Breathe" from a line in the film.
With the exception of Hairspray, I’m generally not enamored with movies that have been made into stage musicals. Too often the book is a slavic re-creation of the film script, the scenes and staging lifted right from the movie onto the stage. It doesn’t make for great theatre, or musicals.
So when I heard that my childhood sweetheart was being made into a musical, I was slightly terrified. What if they just re-created the movie onstage with songs in the parts that felt “emotional”? What if they wrote an entirely new script and didn’t even reference my favorite lines? What if they ruined my childhood???
I am pleased to say that Ever After the musical, playing at the Paper Mill Playhouse until June 21, did none of these things. It took my beloved childhood sweetheart in its arms and made it sing. It lovingly referenced the movie, but the show stood on its own two dancing feet and told the story in a whole new way. From the spirited opening number, Chére Danielle/Ever After, I loved it.
Margot Seibert was wonderful as Danielle. Her strong mezzo voice is well suited to the score, and she is completely believable as the gutsy heroine. James Snyder was a perfect prince. He has one of those melt-your-heart soaring tenor voices, and his charm and sincerity were evident. Tony Sheldon a delightful Leonardo, delivering one-liners and wisdom with charm and warmth. Mara Davi was an astonishingly petulant Marguerite, and her ability to switch between soprano trills and character voices was hilarious.
References to the film throughout, particularly King Frances and Queen Marie’s four poster bed, were well done but the creators weren’t afraid to shy away from changing moments to better suit the stage. The gypsies are used to great effect, though their characterization borders a little too closely to stereotype.
Overall, Zina Goldrich’s score is wonderful. It’s a truly rich tapestry that is light without being fluffy, and full of gorgeous tunes. Marcy Heisler’s book and lyrics are a genuine treat, and capture the delightful wittiness of the film without being slavish to it. I really hope a cast recording is made, because the score deserves to be heard. Tantalizing tidbits can be seen and heard here, here, here, and here (guess what I've been watching all morning).
Kathleen Marshall’s choreography was perfectly suited, and the dancing gypsies were a surprise treat.
The show is not without its flaws. Derek McLane’s set design didn’t scream 16th century France - with its platforms on either side of the stage, it felt more like RENT meets the late Middle Ages. Having said that, McLane’s backdrop projections were beautiful, and evoked exactly the right feel without detracting from the action.
A few numbers need to be cut, particularly the Act 1 finale Out of the Darkness. It’s a gorgeous love song (and absolutely needs to be on the cast recording, please), but the first act is already too long. The opening of Act 2, Who Do You Think You Are, where Danielle confronts her stepmother is a masterful moment of musical theatre, and would make a better Act 1 finale. Some of the key moments, particularly the father’s death and Danielle’s arrival at the ball, felt rushed and therefore lost. Other moments, particularly Henry and Danielle’s scene in the forest, were a little too labored. These could be easily remedied.
I’m really excited for Ever After the musical to transfer to Broadway. It deserves a wider audience, and Goldrich and Heisler’s talents are well overdue for a Broadway success.
I just hope I can re-watch the movie without feeling sad that Angelica Houston and Drew Barrymore won’t break out into song.
With the exception of Hairspray, I’m generally not enamored with movies that have been made into stage musicals. Too often the book is a slavic re-creation of the film script, the scenes and staging lifted right from the movie onto the stage. It doesn’t make for great theatre, or musicals.
So when I heard that my childhood sweetheart was being made into a musical, I was slightly terrified. What if they just re-created the movie onstage with songs in the parts that felt “emotional”? What if they wrote an entirely new script and didn’t even reference my favorite lines? What if they ruined my childhood???
I am pleased to say that Ever After the musical, playing at the Paper Mill Playhouse until June 21, did none of these things. It took my beloved childhood sweetheart in its arms and made it sing. It lovingly referenced the movie, but the show stood on its own two dancing feet and told the story in a whole new way. From the spirited opening number, Chére Danielle/Ever After, I loved it.
Margot Seibert was wonderful as Danielle. Her strong mezzo voice is well suited to the score, and she is completely believable as the gutsy heroine. James Snyder was a perfect prince. He has one of those melt-your-heart soaring tenor voices, and his charm and sincerity were evident. Tony Sheldon a delightful Leonardo, delivering one-liners and wisdom with charm and warmth. Mara Davi was an astonishingly petulant Marguerite, and her ability to switch between soprano trills and character voices was hilarious.
References to the film throughout, particularly King Frances and Queen Marie’s four poster bed, were well done but the creators weren’t afraid to shy away from changing moments to better suit the stage. The gypsies are used to great effect, though their characterization borders a little too closely to stereotype.
Overall, Zina Goldrich’s score is wonderful. It’s a truly rich tapestry that is light without being fluffy, and full of gorgeous tunes. Marcy Heisler’s book and lyrics are a genuine treat, and capture the delightful wittiness of the film without being slavish to it. I really hope a cast recording is made, because the score deserves to be heard. Tantalizing tidbits can be seen and heard here, here, here, and here (guess what I've been watching all morning).
Kathleen Marshall’s choreography was perfectly suited, and the dancing gypsies were a surprise treat.
The show is not without its flaws. Derek McLane’s set design didn’t scream 16th century France - with its platforms on either side of the stage, it felt more like RENT meets the late Middle Ages. Having said that, McLane’s backdrop projections were beautiful, and evoked exactly the right feel without detracting from the action.
A few numbers need to be cut, particularly the Act 1 finale Out of the Darkness. It’s a gorgeous love song (and absolutely needs to be on the cast recording, please), but the first act is already too long. The opening of Act 2, Who Do You Think You Are, where Danielle confronts her stepmother is a masterful moment of musical theatre, and would make a better Act 1 finale. Some of the key moments, particularly the father’s death and Danielle’s arrival at the ball, felt rushed and therefore lost. Other moments, particularly Henry and Danielle’s scene in the forest, were a little too labored. These could be easily remedied.
I’m really excited for Ever After the musical to transfer to Broadway. It deserves a wider audience, and Goldrich and Heisler’s talents are well overdue for a Broadway success.
I just hope I can re-watch the movie without feeling sad that Angelica Houston and Drew Barrymore won’t break out into song.
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