We’re having a Ball this summer, and you’re invited! The timeless enchantment of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella will be reborn as Alpine Community Theater (ACT) brings the musical tale of the beautiful glass-slippered princess to the stage July 8-18. A hallmark of originality, charm, and elegance, the show was originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews and was the most widely viewed program in the history of the medium. Its re-creation in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren and a second remake in 1997, which starred Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother, transported a new generation of musical lovers to the miraculous kingdom of dreams-come-true. As adapted for the stage, with great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, the hearts of children and adults alike still soar when the slipper fits. The ACT production, under the direction of Laura Snyder, is full to overflowing with magic, romance, and all the familiar songs, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Ten Minutes Ago,” “Impossible,” “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful,” and “The Stepsister’s Lament”!
Cinderella, the shy but beautiful orphaned girl, who lives with her wicked stepmother and mean stepsisters, is played by Merrie Carson, a 2010 graduate of Pleasant Grove High School, where she played Fantine in Les Miserables and Lizzie in 110 in the Shade. She was also seen as Glinda in ACT’s The Wizard of Oz last summer. Prince Christopher, the youthful but reluctant prince searching for his true love, is played by Brenton Ferrell, a music student at BYU. The loveable Fairy Godmother, who fulfills Cinderella’s wish to attend the ball, is played by Laurel Brown, a vocal performance graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music. The unkind stepmother, who dotes on her own two miserable offspring, is played by American Fork resident Megan Ettinger, a junior high school English teacher. The two stepsisters, Joy (the sullen one), and Grace (the awkward one) are played by Cassidy Sumner and Cheyenne Lee, respectively. Other cast members include David Wayt as Lionel, the Prince’s faithful steward, and Michael Armatage and LauraLyn Eberting as the king and queen, the Prince’s parents.
ACT’s production is rich with music, featuring a live orchestra made from members of the newly formed Timpanogos Symphony, under the direction of its conductor, John Pew.
ACT’s Cinderella will be staged at Timberline Middle School, 500 W Canyon Crest Road, in Alpine. Shows will be presented nightly at 7:00 on July 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, and 18, with a matinee also on July 16 at 2:00 p.m.
General tickets are $10/adults, $8/children and seniors, and are available online at AlpineCommunityTheater.org or at the customer service desk at Kohler’s Food Store, 5353 West 11000 North, in Highland. Kohler’s phone is 801-756-8383. Tickets will also be available at the door 45 minutes before show times. For more information, call Laura Snyder at 801-763-1225 or visit AlpineCommunityTheater.org.
As an added feature, ACT invites little girls to dress as princesses and come to have royal refreshments and a photo with Cinderella and to dance with her charming Prince at pre-show Princess Parties on July 15 at 5:30pm and before the matinee on July 16 at 12:30pm. Tickets for the princess parties, including priority seating for the show, are $16 per princess (which includes the show ticket) and $4 per chaperone. Each Princess must be accompanied by a chaperone. Chaperones must purchase their show ticket separately. For more information and to RSVP, call Alisha at 801-492-1876 or Jet at 801-756-7232 by July 11. Space is limited for the pre-show parties, so early registration is recommended.
Alpine Community Theater was created in 2004 after a successful summer production by a team of enthusiastic Alpine residents. Drawing from the overwhelming community interest in musical theater, ACT began a tradition of providing outstanding community musical theater productions, “where everyone can get into the ACT.” ACT provides opportunities for communities to come together and be involved in musical theater, showcases talents of all ages, and offers exceptional and uplifting family entertainment.
ACT is known for its family-friendly focus, featuring large casts; involving families with young children, as well as seasoned actors; delightful costumes; exquisite scenery; and fun choreography, all produced under the guidance of its executive director, Laura Snyder. With a team of faithful volunteers, who work tirelessly for months to bring these summer shows to the stage, ACT proves that a community working together can create great things.
ACT, along with the Alpine Arts Council, has future plans to build the Alpine Performing Arts Center, which will be a state-of-the-art performance and visual arts facility and the official home of Alpine Community Theater. The center will include venues for regional theater performing groups, recitals, dance/rehearsal studios, art galleries, classrooms, a recording studio, and sculpture gardens. If you’re interested in helping ACT achieve their dream of their own facility, please contact Laura Snyder at 763-1225 or Chris Culver at 367-0962. Donations large and small are greatly appreciated.
| Theater | City |
|---|---|
| Alpine Community Theater | Alpine |