By LOIS KINDLE
The East Bay High School Drama Department will present its last show of the 2022-2023 season with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway classic, Cinderella.
Three evening presentations will take place at 7 p.m., May 10 to 12, at East Bay High School’s Kathryn Hill Auditorium, 7710 Big Bend Road, Gibsonton. Each performance is 70 minutes long, with no intermission.
Admission is $7 per person, and tickets will be sold at the door.
“I just love the Golden Age of Broadway musicals,” said director Krista Blanchette, theater department head. “The productions of the 1950s and ‘60s have always been my favorites, so including Cinderella in our season was an easy choice.
The music is light, upbeat and the story is uplifting.
“A show like this lends itself to a large cast, where each student has a valuable role,” Blanchette continued. “The audience will marvel at the costumes and be thinking about the songs long after they leave the theatre. It’s a perfect show for the entire family.”
Cinderella was written in 1697 by Frenchman Charles Perrault. The beloved, animated version of his story was produced by Walt Disney in 1950.
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical on which East Bay’s upcoming show is based was first performed live on television seven years later, starring Julie Andrews as Cinderella.
“It’s as charming now as it was more than 60 years ago,” Blanchette said, adding it’s been adapted in several different versions for stage and screen since then.
“All of the original songs have been included in our production, including ‘The Prince is Giving a Ball,”’“In My Own Little Corner,” ‘Impossible,’ ‘Stepsister’s Lamen’ and many more,’” she said.
More than 35 students comprise the East Bay High School presentation, which includes spectacular costumes, and, of course, a pumpkin that turns into a carriage.
Its lead characters are junior Sadie Van Liew as Cinderella, senior Shane Bishop as Prince Charming, junior Savannah Feaster as the fairy godmother and senior Jessica Cormack as the evil stepmother.
“Playing an iconic character like Cinderella has been a childhood dream come true,” Van Liew said. “I always used to watch Disney movies, and I would dress up in my Cinderella dress. Being able to bring this character to life onstage has been a fantastic experience.”
KRISTA BLANCHETTE PHOTO
Student members of the cast of East Bay High School’s upcoming presentation of Cinderella gather for a photo before a recent rehearsal of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.
Feaster agreed.
“The ability to play such a magical character as the fairy godmother has provided me with the opportunity to play a role I’ve never had in my career onstage,” she said. “The role has expanded my acting craft and strengthened my versatility.”
The 2022-2023 East Bay Theatre season included the romantic comedy Love/Sick, Holiday Cabaret, Snoopy! The Musical, its Showstopper 7.0 musical theatre review and now, the classic musical theatre piece, Cinderella.
Awards won during the season include Florida Regional winner of Top Honors in Solo Musical and more than 10 “Superior” thespian ratings at the Florida State District Thespian Festival in October.
For more information, email krista.blanchette@hcps.net or call 813-671-5134, Ext. 271.
