GHS to perform Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella

Mar. 13—GOSHEN — Goshen High School is taking on Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" this weekend, in a whole new light.

"It's a similar storyline, but different music completely," Director Katie O'Leary said. "This show, in many ways, is the traditional Cinderella story, where you have the glass slipper, you have the fairy godmother, you have different music if you're not familiar with the Broadway version of it, but the same essence of the show, which is that we have incredible dreams and then we get to realize those dreams for ourselves."

Junior Mary Smucker plays Cinderella or "Ella," and Senior Lawson Kauffman plays the Prince, "Topher."

The performance is not the original Rodgers & Hammerstein adaption, originally aired in 1957 with Julie Andrews as Cinderella, but one of four adaptions. This one is a revival of the 2013 Tony Award-winning production of Cinderella's first time on Broadway.

"You have this whole new storyline of the revolution, through this," O'Leary said. "Cinderella is saying, 'Look at the people around you. Your people are suffering.' It's a new character and a new storyline. They really tried to reimagine this in 2013 to make it relevant — less kind of pure fluff that sometimes people associate the original Cinderella story with."

While the storyline remains, O'Leary said the context is more relevant to students and the world today.

"That's what cool about this version is that the fairy godmother says no you can make this happen, all these dreams you have, you can make it happen for you, I'm just here to remind you," O'Leary said.

It's the school's first attempt at the musical. O'Leary said around 85 students are involved in the undertaking.

"Any time you have 'magic' on the stage, there are some challenges to work through," she said.

With onstage transformations, the theater department hired a seamstress to build custom dresses to make it happen.

To help the cast and crew out, O'Leary said that many of Goshen High School's former theater directors have had a hand in putting the musical together.

"It's been an exciting show to take part in leading because I've gotten to have lots of people join in the magic-making," O'Leary said.

On Saturday afternoon, the cast will also host a royal tea party at the Goshen High School Learning Commons. Tickets for the tea can be purchased along with a Saturday afternoon ticket. The tea will be held ahead of the Saturday night showing, and kids who attend are invited to dress up, joined by cast members.

Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $8 for students and seniors and $10 for adults and are available at https://goshenhighschool.ludus.com/