ParkTalk Blog: Magical Starlight Theatre – Narrative Themes of a Classic Fairytale

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Magical Starlight Theatre, a program of the Naperville Park District, celebrates its 30th anniversary season with its January 2025 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella the weekends of January 10-12 and 17-19. Cinderella is mostly known as the iconic Disney princess from 1950, but the tale of Cinderella is considered one of the oldest fairytales, with story elements dating all the way back to ancient Greece. The most widely known version of Cinderella, and the one Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is based on, was written by French author Charles Perrault. Perrault’s take on the tale introduced the fairy godmother and the iconic glass slippers. No matter the iteration, the main idea of the fairy tale remained the same: a young girl who is mistreated most of her life, is given great fortune and experiences life altering changes. As Magical Starlight Theatre prepares to bring the beloved tale to the Naperville stage, the cast and director of Magical Starlight Theatre’s production reflect on the story and narrative themes of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Cinderella – The Pure, Kind-Hearted Servant

 

Ella, played by Nicole Zralka, receives a dirty look from her stepsister Charlotte, portrayed by Danielle Spence.

In Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, a young woman named Ella lives with her stepmother, Madame, and her stepsisters after her father’s passing. Madame, jealous of Ella’s beauty and humility, treats her like a servant and encourages her daughters to mistreat her as well. In an effort to ridicule her, they give her the moniker “Cinderella” since she is always covered in fireplace cinders. Despite her circumstances, Ella never despairs and always shows kindness to others every opportunity she can.

“I would describe this show as a story about a person who is a kind human being because they are treated poorly, and they don’t like how they’re treated so they treat others with kindness,” said the show’s director, Matt Colbert.

Nicole Zralka, who plays Ella, echoed Matt’s statement. “She stands up for her friends, even when it doesn’t help herself,” Nicole said. “She tries to inspire.”

Ella’s kindness is finally recognized near the end of Act One when one of her friends, Crazy Marie, reveals she is the Fairy Godmother. Crazy Marie is a strange woman who lives in the forest and is judged by everyone in the kingdom. However, Ella is the only one who shows charity towards her, so she grants Ella’s wish of attending the Prince’s Ball in a beautiful white gown. Ella’s infectious kindness even strikes the hearts of the citizens show little to no respect for one another. During the Prince’s Ball, the guests play a game called “Ridicule” where guests take turns making fun of one another as a joke. When it is Ella’s turn, she decides to compliment the other person instead of insulting them. Her benevolence and compassion spreads throughout the ball and inspires guests to be kinder to one another, and in the end her charity and grace inspires Prince Topher to improve the lives of everyone in his kingdom.

The Stepmother – The Antithesis of Kindness

 

A worried expression from Madame, played by Meaghan Pelissier.

The “wicked stepmother” is a classic trope popularized by early Disney adaptations of Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Their role in the story is to show in contrast how good the protagonist is, and that Ella’s stepmother, Madame, is the opposite of everything Ella represents. She constantly mistreats Ella, ridicules her own daughters and attempts to manipulate situations for her own benefit. However nasty and mean she is, the dichotomy between Ella and Madame is important to the story because it emphasizes the goodness in Ella’s heart.

“I think her role is crucial because Ella is all about being kind,” said Meaghan Pelissier, who plays Madame in Magical Starlight Theatre’s production. “Having someone like Madame and showing the villainous side of her, but then seeing this transformation of growth into accepting kindness shows the effect of Ella’s message.”

Ella’s kindness eventually seeps into the heart of the wicked stepmother towards the end. While previous iterations of Cinderella showcase an irredeemable villain who ultimately loses at the end of the story, this version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic paints Madame as an individual cloaked in cruelty with a good heart deep down.

“Even though she is a villainous woman, I think that there’s a reason behind it,” Meaghan continued. “You’re going to come across people in life who are villainous, but that doesn’t mean they’re villains.”

Themes of Cinderella Applied in Reality

Ella receiving a proposal from Prince Topher, played by Andy Emmerich.

Every story has themes and messages that can apply directly to the real world or impact an audience in a personal way. Cinderella’s story is about perseverance and how kindness is rewarded. Ella’s morals were challenged most of her life by her stepmother and stepsisters, yet her pure heart led to a better life for herself and the people around her. One of the reasons why this fairy tale has stood the test of time and appealed to audiences is how relatable and endearing Cinderella is.

“I think people would really like to think the best of humankind,” said director Matt Colbert. “There’s so much dissension amongst people, and there’s more that holds us together than that divides us apart.”

The idea that someone can come from nothing and rise above by being authentically kind and true to themselves is something anyone can connect with. Especially Nicole, who has spent the past two months in the glass slippers of the character. Nicole stated that this Cinderella story stands out from the others because of Ella’s courage to stand up for what she believes in.

“I think that message is more powerful than just the kindness aspect,” said Nicole. “Being determined to accomplish what you believe in and standing up for yourself.”

The themes of kindness and respect are the foundations of Magical Starlight Theatre’s mission, which seeks to develop a creative and supportive environment for artists. This is Nicole’s first show with Magical Starlight Theatre, and one thing that interested her in the company was hearing about the amazing experiences people had with the company. Meaghan Pelissier was in Nicole’s shoes last year when she performed in her first Magical Starlight Theatre production, Beauty and the Beast.

“From the first rehearsal to set breakdown at the end of the show, it’s all such a great experience,” Meaghan said. “One of my favorite things is working with everyone. Everyone’s always so positive and talented. Magical Starlight really is magical.”

Performance Times and Ticket Information

If you are interested in experiencing the magic first hand, tickets for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella may be purchased online at www.napervilleparks.org, by phone at 630-848-5000, or during regular business hours at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center or Fort Hill Activity Center until 4:00 p.m. on the Friday of the performance weekend. After that time, tickets must be purchased at the door for the remainder of the weekend. Tickets are $20 in advance or $23 at the door. Performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the weekends of January 10-12 and January 17-19. For more information about Magical Starlight Theatre, visit www.magicalstarlight.org.