STUDY GUIDE With support from The Robert and Dorothy Goldberg Charitable Foundation The Alfred M. Senter Fund The Davis Family Foundation
THE SOURCE MATERIAL Classic Fairytale Versions The story of Cinderella is derived from ancient folk tales whose many variants appear in worldwide culture beginning with the Greeks in 7 B.C. However, Western civilization is most familiar with the story of the abused and neglected step-sister whose dreams come true thanks to her fairy godmother through three literary versions of the tale: the Italian Cenerentola (1634) by Giambattista Basile, the French Cendrillon (1697) by Charles Perreault, and the German Aschenputtel (1812) by the Brothers Grimm. Of these three versions, the Perreault tale is closest to many of the modern adaptations, while the Brothers Grimm story retains some of the darker and more seriously troubling elements of the story. Synopsis of Cendrillon by Charles Perreault A wealthy widower marries a proud and haughty woman as his second wife. She has two daughters, who are equally vain and selfish. The gentleman has a beautiful young daughter, a girl of unparalleled kindness and sweet temper. The man s daughter is forced into servitude, where she is made to work day and night doing menial chores. After the girl s chores are done for the day, she curls up near the fireplace in an effort to stay warm. She often arises covered in cinders, giving rise to the mocking nickname Cinderella by her step-sisters. Cinderella bears the abuse patiently and does not tell her father, who would have scolded her. One day, the Prince invites all the young ladies in the land to a royal ball, planning to choose a wife. The two step-sisters gleefully plan their wardrobes for the ball, and taunt Cinderella by telling her that maids are not invited to the ball. As the sisters depart to the ball, Cinderella cries in despair. Her Fairy Godmother magically appears and immediately begins to transform Cinderella from house servant to the young lady she was by birth, all in the effort to get Cinderella to the ball. She turns a pumpkin into a golden carriage, mice into horses, a rat into a coachman, and lizards into footmen. She then turns Cinderella s rags into a beautiful jeweled gown, complete with a delicate pair of glass slippers. The Fairy Godmother tells her to enjoy the ball, but warns her that she must return before midnight when the spells will be broken. At the ball, the entire court is entranced by Cinderella, especially the Prince. At this first ball, Cinderella remembers to leave before midnight. Back home, Cinderella graciously thanks her Fairy Godmother. She then greets the step-sisters, who had not recognized her earlier, and who talk of nothing but the beautiful girl at the ball. Another ball is held the next evening, and Cinderella again attends with her Fairy Godmother s help. The Prince has become even more infatuated, and Cinderella in turn becomes so enchanted by him she loses track of time and leaves only at the final stroke of midnight, losing one of her glass slippers on the steps of the palace in her haste. The Prince chases her, but outside the palace, the guards see only a simple country girl leave. The Prince pockets the slipper and vows to find and marry the girl to whom it belongs. Meanwhile, Cinderella keeps the other slipper, which does not disappear when the spell is broken. The Prince tries the slipper on all the women in the kingdom. When the Prince arrives at Cinderella s home, the stepsisters try in vain to win him over. Cinderella asks if she may try, but the step-sisters taunt her. Naturally, the slipper fits perfectly, and Cinderella produces the other slipper for good measure. Cinderella s step-family pleads for forgive-
ness, and Cinderella agrees. Cinderella married the Prince as her step-sisters are married to two handsome gentlemen of the royal court. Differences Among the Variants Unique to the Perreault version are the Fairy Godmother and the glass slipper. In the Brothers Grimm version, the father is more of a presence and bears responsibility for his daughter s abuse at the hands of his new family. The step-mother increases Cinderella s chores to prevent her from going to the ball, but a flock of doves helps her. There are also crueler, more graphic scenes, such as both step-sisters cutting off parts of their feet to make the slipper fit and the doves blinding the two step-sisters at Cinderella s wedding. In the Disney and other versions, Cinderella s father has died, which heps to explain why the step-mother can so blatantly abuse her. Some Other Popular Retellings of the Tale Cendrillon, an opera by French composer Jules Massenet (1899) Cenerentola, an opera by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (1817) Cinderella, a ballet with a score by Serge Prokofiev, originally choreographed by Rotislav Zacharov for ther Bolshoi Ballet (1945) Cinderella, a Broadway musical by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II (1965) Into the Woods, a Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim using the Cinderella story as part of its witty, ironic look at famous fairytales and the myth of happily ever after. (1986) Cinderella, Walt Disney s animated classic film (1950) Ever After, a movie directed by Andy Tennant (1998) Cinderella, a modern film directed by Kenneth Branagh (2015) Three Wishes for Cinderella, a Czech/East German cult film (1973) If the Show Fits, a French film about a modern Cinderella set in Paris. (1990) THE ROBIN & CLARK musical version ROBIN & CLARK S CINDERELLA SYNOPSIS Based on a story by Charles Perrault, the musical version tells the tale of orphaned and lonely Cinderella, who spends her days as a housemaid for her wicked step-mother, Blanche, and lazy step-sisters, Giggletta and Soberella. When the Prince invites every lady in the land to a grand ball at his palace, Blanche decides Cinderella cannot go unless she finishes an impossibly long list of chores. Left behind, a heartbroken Cinderella is visited by an enchanted Fairy Godmother. With the help of her Fairy Godmother and some audience magic, Cinderella s rags are transformed into an elegant gown and she is transported to the palace in a magical coach. At the ball, the handsome Prince is captivated by Cinderella s beauty and kindness. Knowing that the spell will end at the stroke of midnight, Cinderella races home before the Prince can learn her name. With only Cinderella s lost glass slipper to guide him, the Prince sets out to find his true love. Through whimsical music and audience participation, children of all ages are invited to join in the fun as Cinderella learns that beauty is an inner quality and dreams really do come true.
CINDERELLA, a beautiful orphan girl, - who since her parents deaths, now lives with her sand two stepsisters who mistreat her and treat her a scullery maid. BLANCHE, Cinderella s step-mother, a greedy, vain widow, who married Cinderella s father for his money, which she now lavishes on her own two daughters while verbally and physically abusing her step-daughter, Cinderella. GIGGLETTA, one of the step-sisters, overweight, foolish, and vain. SOBERELLA, the second step-sister, constantly arguing and vying with Giggletta for attention. FAIRY GODMOTHER, a magical incarnation of our wish fulfillment, in this version often played by an African-American actress as a colorful, down-to-earth, larger-than-life figure. THE PRINCE, a handsome, idealistic young man who is determined to marry for love. REGINALD, the Prince s loyal attendant. THE CHARACTERS THE SONGS Happily Ever After We re Getting Ready for the Ball Gonna Make the Magic/A Little Help from My Friends Dance with Me Love, You Are Here At Last/Happily Ever After Reprise: Happily Ever After Cinderella Giggletta, Soberella, Blanche, Cinderella Fairy Godmother Giggletta, Soberella, (Prince) Prince, Cinderella Prince, Cinderella THE THEMES Robin & Clark subtly present the theme of child abuse, showing how Cinderella is victimized by unscrupulous relatives, and how, like so many victims, she initially believes she must deserve this punishment. Empowered by her Fairy Godmother, who symbolizes the determination to make dreams come true and the kindness and goodness in the world, and emboldened by her love for the Prince, she finds the courage to stand up to her abusers and refuse to be a victim any longer. The musical also urges the youngsters to be kind and helpful to others, to believe in magic or rather in the power of imagination and dreams and to understand that true love is a transformative force. The tone of the work and the songs skillfully combines broad comedy (in place of the darker elements of the Brothers Grimm) with heartfelt sentiment.
Marc Robin and Curt Dale Clark are the creators of the musical version of Cinderella. Together they have written the book (or story and dialogue), the music, and the lyrics of the songs for a total of fifteen musicals. Marc Robin is also a well-known theatre director and choreographer, actor, dancer, and singer and now heads up the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, PA. Curt Dale Clark is an actor, singer, dancer, and director, and with his managing partner, Stephanie Dupal, he is Artistic Director of Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick. Marc and Curt believe that it is very important to introduce Young Audiences like yourselves to live theatre because these shows open a whole world of imagination and creativity. They hope you will enjoy this production of Cinderella and come to Maine State Music Theatre in the summer to see the another Theatre for Young Audiences performance with all the costumes, lights, and beautiful sets, the dancing and the music, performed by fantastic actors and musicians. OTHER MUSICALS by ROBIN & CLARK THE CREATORS For Young Audiences Aladdin Alice in Wonderland Beauty and the Beast A Christmas Carol Jack and the Beanstalk The Little Mermaid The Nutcracker Peter Pan Pinocchio The Princess and the Pea Sleeping Beauty Snow White Twas the Night Before Christmas Full-Length Musicals Treasure Island: A Musical Adventure Sarah (in progress) ONLINE RESOURCES About the Original Fairytale Charles Perreault version http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault06.html About the Original Fairytale Brothers Grimm version https://germanstories.vcu.edu/grimm/cinder.html About Robin & Clark Musicals https://www.robinandclarkmusicals.com Short You Tube video and audio clips of Cinderella from Drury Lane Evergreen Park in the 1990s https://robinandclarkmusicals.com/cinderella/i The 1950 Disney animated film on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne-bsiy0kki The full-length Rodgers and Hammerstein stage production https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojp76nnldg0 Zurich Opera House production of the Prokofiev ballet 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tua9vay6ga
ACTIVITIES TELL THE PERFORMERS WHAT YOU THINK The Show How is the experience of watching the musical version of this story different from the experience of reading it? When you read the story, you have to use the writer s words to imagine the people and places being described. In the musical, how does the production help you imagine these things? What s different in the story of Cinderella in this musical version? What is your favorite scene or song? The Themes Why do the step-mother and step-sisters want to treat Cinderella so cruelly? Why does Cinderella at first not rebel against their harsh treatment of her? What makes her finally have the courage to say no and claim her right to try the slipper on? Are there such people as Fairy Godmothers? And if not literally, what might she represent? Unlike some versions, Robin and Clark s musical does not punish the step-mother and step-sisters at the end, though it suggests they might have to do some work of their own at the palace. Do you think Cinderella will forgive them and should she? What are some of the lessons you can take away from this story? Fairytales and this musical end with happily ever after. Do you think Cinderella and the Prince will be happy ever after? Why or why not? And if so, what is this true happiness?
LET S PLAY MAD LIBS The leader asks the group to call out specific kinds of words nouns (names of people, places,things), adjectives (descriptive words), verbs (action words), adverbs (words that tell us how, when or why), exclamation (short emotional expression). The leader fills in the blanks in the story with these new words and then reads it back to the group. The results are usually very funny! Enjoy the game! CONCLUSION TO CHARLES PERREAULT S CINDERELLA The next day the two (plural noun) were at the ball, and so was Cinderella, but dressed even more (adverb) than before. The king s son was always by her, and never ceased his compliments and kind speeches to her. All this was so far from being tiresome to her, and, indeed, she quite forgot what her godmother had told her. She thought that it was no later than eleven when she counted the clock striking twelve. She jumped up and fled, as nimble as a (noun). The prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of her (noun), which the prince picked up most carefully. She reached home, but quite out of breath, and in her nasty old clothes, having nothing left of all her finery but one of the little slippers, the mate to the one that she had dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen a (noun) go out. They replied that they had seen nobody leave but a young girl, very shabbily dressed, and who had more the air of a poor country wench than a gentlewoman. When the two sisters returned from the ball Cinderella asked them if they had been well entertained, and if the fine lady had been there. They told her, yes, but that she (verb) away immediately when it struck twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the king s son had picked up; that he had done nothing but look at her all the time at the ball, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the (adjective) person who owned the glass slipper. What they said was very true; for a few days later, the king s son had it proclaimed, by sound of (noun), that he would marry her whose foot this slipper would just fit. They began to try it on the princesses, then the duchesses and all the court, but in vain; it was brought to the two sisters, who did all they possibly could to force their foot into the slipper, but they did not succeed. Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew that it was her slipper, said to them, laughing, Let me see if it will not fit me. Her sisters burst out laughing, and began to banter with her. The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly at Cinderella, and, finding her very (adjective), said that it was only just that she should try as well, and that he had orders to let everyone try. He had Cinderella sit down, and, putting the slipper to her foot, he found that it went on very easily, fitting her as if it had been made of (noun). Her two sisters were greatly astonished, but then even more so, when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper, and put it on her other foot. Then in came her godmother and touched her (noun) to Cinderella s clothes, making them richer and more (adjective) than any of those she had worn before. And now her two sisters found her to be that fine, (adjective) lady whom they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all the ill treatment they had made her undergo. Cinderella took them up, and, as she (verb) them, said that she forgave them with all her heart, and wanted them always to love her.
LET S DRAW AND WRITE On a separate sheet of paper, write your own fairytale. Try to include as many of these elements are you can: magical skills, fantasy characters, spells and curses, good and wicked deeds, journeys, self-discovery, and a moral at the end of the tale. You can use traditional lines like Once upon a time and They lived happily ever after or you can change some of these the way Marc and Curt do in their musical versions. Draw a picture of Cinderella in her ball gown. You may design the dress any way you imagine it. Cinderella goes to the ball in a handsome coach made from a pumpkin. Find some pictures of beautiful coaches that people used to travel in years ago and then draw your own picture of Cinderella s magical coach. Color the drawing from Cinderella (last page), which you will find at the back of this booklet. You can make it as fantastical as you like. We want to see what you create, so send us your stories and art work. We will collect some of these into a booklet to display at the library and post some of the pictures and writing on MSMT s Facebook page. Here s how to send: Mail them to Olivia Wenner at Maine State Music Theatre, 22 Elm St., Brunswick, ME 04011 or Email your writing or a picture of your drawing to Olivia at promotions@msmt.org COME SEE ANOTHER SHOW! If you enjoyed this program, why not buy tickets to see another Theatre for Young Audiences performance? You can call the box office at 207-725-8769 or visit online at www.msmt.org or in person at 22 Elm St., Brunswick, ME. PINOCCHIO AUGUST 21 at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Based on the original tale by Carlo Collodi, Pinocchio is the story of a wooden puppet who is magically given the gift of animation by the wish of a wood carver, Gheppetto, and the wand of the loving Blue Fairy. Coaxed along his fantastic journey by his friend Hopper, a.k.a Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio encounters an array of colorful characters including the wily team of Kitty and Fox, the scheming schoolboy Lampwick, and an evil puppeteer. On his journey he learns the significance of truth and the caring and compassion which will make him a real live boy. Running time c. 1 hour. Book, music & lyrics by Marc Robin and Curt Dale Clark.
Let us know what you thought of this program by filling out the survey below and returning it to Olivia Wenner at Maine State Music Theatre, 22 Elm St., Brunswick, ME 04011 or by replying in an email to Olivia at promotions@ msmt.org. We hope to be able to continue to bring you similar programs, so your thoughts and comments are very important to us! Thanks for taking the time! FOR CHILDREN SEND US YOUR COMMENTS On a scale of 1 to 10, how entertaining did you find CINDERELLA? What did you like best about the presentation? Who was your favorite character? What was your favorite song? What is the most important lesson you took away from the story and this program? Did the program make you want to be in a play yourself? FOR ADULTS On a scale of 1 to 10, how entertaining and educational did you find Cinderella? What did you like best about the presentation? What is the most important lesson your child took away from this musical? Did the program make you want to bring your child(ren) the Young Audiences productions this summer? What other stories and musicals would you like to explore in future programs? (Some possibilities include: Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, The Princess and the Pea, Treasure Island, Snow White.) How useful were the printed materials for your child? Please offer us any other suggestions or thoughts you may have.
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