WASHINGTON — Who knew “Cinderella” musicals had behind-the-scenes Cinderella stories?
Before lead actress Kaitlyn Davidson starred in Broadway’s “Cinderella,” she was a rising dreamer from Kansas, climbing the showbiz ladder and toiling in the cinders of regional theatre productions.
“I initially auditioned for ‘Cinderella’ in the summer of 2013,” Davidson tells WTOP. “I get a call when I’m on tour with a production of Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ and my agent asks me, ‘Can you put yourself on tape for the show to understudy Cinderella and understudy one of the Stepsisters?'”
So, she quickly whipped together an audition tape of song and dance.
“I was in the downtown Des Moines, Iowa YMCA putting myself on tape, getting my friends to dance with me and tape me and play the music and read the sides with me,” Davidson laughs. “I didn’t hear anything for a week, and I was like, somebody else probably got it. It’s kind of an immediate thing. Day Eight I got a call from my agent, who said, ‘You’re going to be doing Cinderella on Broadway,’ and I was like, ‘Really?’ … I got off the phone and then I jumped on the bed of my hotel room.”
Now, Davidson trades the ruby slippers of her native Kansas to don Cinderella’s glass slippers — worn by the likes of Laura Osnes, Carly Rae Jepsen and Keke Palmer — in the U.S. national tour of “Cinderella,” which jaunts through Washington, D.C. at National Theatre now through Nov. 29.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLDavuKFTO4&feature=youtu.be
This isn’t your 1950 animated Disney version, so don’t expect to hear “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “So This is Love” or “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.” This is the Rodgers & Hammerstein take, first written as a 1957 TV musical starring Julie Andrews, more recently starring Brandy and Whitney Houston in 1997, and adapted for Broadway in 2013, where it was nominated for nine Tony Awards.
While the narrative of this version is a tad repetitive — Cinderella goes incognito to The Prince’s palace not once but twice before dropping her signature glass shoe at the stroke of midnight — there’s zero time to find fault with this absolutely spectacular production at National Theatre.
Not only is this “Cinderella” far funnier than you remember, it’s dynamite to the senses, complete with lavish sets, dazzling costumes and catchy songs, from the rousing “The Prince is Giving a Ball” to the introspective “In My Own Little Corner” to the inspirational “Impossible/It’s Possible.”
Before the clock strikes midnight, you’re guaranteed to have these songs stuck in your head.
“I do love ‘In My Own Little Corner.’ … It’s the first big number for Cinderella onstage by herself, and you really get to see her world and see where she’s coming form,” Davidson says. “I love ‘Ten Minutes Ago’ with the Prince. I love ‘Impossible’ with Liz McCartney our Fairy Godmother, and one of my favorite songs right now is ‘Lovely Night’ with the Step Family, where we’re sort of reliving the ball.”
Even more impressive than the songs are the rags-to-riches costume changes at the magical hands of the Fairy Godmother. In a role originated by Victoria Clark — who recently joined WTOP to discuss her Tony-nominated role in “Gigi” — Liz McCartney shines with a bubbly personality that, quite literally, takes flight. As she changes Cinderella’s peasant garb into a stunning gown, expect audience members to turn to each other with jaws agape, gasping, “How did they do that?”
“That transformation is pretty amazing. We just discovered it’s 15 to 18 seconds long, the transformation from rags to the dress that she wears to the ball, but there are multiple transformations in our show, so don’t blink,” Davidson says. “We are incredibly fortunate to have William Ivey Long’s beautiful designs. He won his sixth Tony Award with these costumes.”
Beyond the razzle dazzle lies a very human touch, as The Prince rebels against the monarchy system to turn his kingdom into a democracy and marry Cinderella for love, not status. Who knew the prince had killer pipes? Props to Andy Huntington Jones, who appeared in the Original Broadway Cast.
“I love ‘Ten Minutes Ago.’ It’s written inherently to keep the audience on their toes as to what’s going to happen. It’s also very simple and full of beautiful melodies,” says ensemble actor John Yi, who has stepped in as The Prince’s understudy about a dozen times throughout the tour. “It’s been as soon as two hours that I have found out, and as long as a couple weeks or months prior.”
No matter who’s playing The Prince, the role is as rounded as it gets.
“Our Prince, his character is more fleshed out,” Davidson adds. “A lot of our characters are actually, I feel, more 3D than you’re used to seeing, so it’s a fun twist.”
This admirable dimension really shows in its handling of the antagonists. While the Stepmother is often portrayed as evil, this “Cinderella” gives her understandable motives and the capacity for forgiveness. Blair Ross is picturesque in a part played previously by Fran Drescher, Sherri Shepherd and NeNe Leaks. As for the Stepsisters, Aymee Garcia is so hilarious that we overlook her bratty nature, while Kimberly Faure finds redemption in her altruistic lover Jean-Michele (David Andino).
“In our version, I don’t think I can really categorize the Stepsisters as ‘evil.’ I’d like to say they don’t know any better, and same with Madame, the Stepmother. She’s got goals, she’s got a mission, she’s gotta get these daughters married off, and if it can be a prince, all the better,” Davidson says. “The ladies themselves as people are the nicest people. … It’s really fun to play with them every night.”
Ironically, Davidson began the tour as one of the Stepsisters.
“Nerdy, glasses, has some really great hairdos,” Davidson laughs, recalling just one of the many stops on her theatrical journey from rags to riches, all the way to National Theatre.
She’s a shining example. You never know which aspiring actresses are watching in the audience.
“I heard a woman singing along last night during my song,” Davidson says. “It was ‘In My Own Little Corner.’ … There was a little musical interlude, and I heard this woman, ‘Da, da, da, da, da, da,’ just singing along, sort of on pitch, but just loving it so much she just had to sing along.”
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