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Andrew Lloyd Webber has shared his exciting plans to open the new production of Cinderella on Broadway next season. Speaking to the New York Post at the Tony Awards ceremony which took place at the Winter Garden Theater earlier in September, he announced the hopes for the show in an exclusive chat with the publication.
The West End production of the show which only just managed to launch on 18th August after a year of off-stage drama that included a series of trials, tribulations and very public battles with the UK government, has been extremely well received in its first run.
The adaptation has been cited as an overwhelming success so far, and speaking from America at the illustrious Tony Awards, Lord Lloyd Webber explained he has confidence in the hopes of bringing the production to the States in the very near future. He explained to the New York Post:
“We got open in London six weeks ago, — finally finally — with our shows, and you know to be back here is of course extraordinary. It’s so difficult to put into words, really, because it’s so moving for everybody involved in theatre to be back doing what they love. And that’s the bottom line of it all. We’re back doing what we’ve been put on the planet to do. I would think we’ll be open [on Broadway] by late summer next year.”
The much-anticipated World Premiere of ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S CINDERELLA, now playing at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, is a new romantic musical comedy featuring an original story and book by 2021 OSCAR® winner EMERALD FENNELL (Promising Young Woman) and lyrics by Tony & Olivier award winner DAVID ZIPPEL (City of Angels). LAURENCE CONNOR (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, School of Rock) directs with choreography by JOANN M. HUNTER.
The official website explains the show is a complete reimagining of the story for the 21st Century:
Welcome to Belleville! The most aggressively picturesque town in the history of the world, populated exclusively with gorgeous townsfolk who stop at nothing to achieve perfection. Belleville is fairy tale come to life: a place where you can’t move without falling over a wishing well or a quivering milkmaid. Maintaining this façade is a full time job, and one that is taken very seriously indeed.
The only person steadfastly refusing to live in the fairy tale is Cinderella, loud-mouthed, dripping with disdain, and more likely to roast Hansel and Gretel for dinner than play the demure and downtrodden maid, Cinderella is desperate to escape. But underneath it all, the loneliness that comes with being the town pariah is wearing on her.
It doesn’t help that her only friend, Prince Sebastian, has suddenly become the heir to the throne after the mysterious disappearance of his elder brother: sex god and charisma machine, Prince Charming. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, the formerly shy and somewhat-less-sex-goddish Sebastian seems to be quickly growing into his brother’s enormous britches, and out of his friendship with Cinderella. But this change of circumstances also introduces something else to the relationship, a new spark which neither of them quite know what to do with. Could it be that these two old friends mean more to one another than they are willing to let on?
After a devastating PR disaster for Belleville, and with the threat of the guillotine glinting on the horizon, the Queen decides that the only thing to save the town (and her pretty neck) is a Royal Wedding: something colourful and distracting so the peasants don’t get too revolution-y.
All looks lost for the blossoming romance, until Cinderella meets The Godmother, who can fix any problem with a little incision and a couple of broken ribs. Maybe the answer lies where Cinderella has been refusing to look: in becoming the identikit beauty that everyone has always told her to be.
Following the emotional reopening of Broadway, we certainly hope this is the start of a new season and better days ahead for theatre on both sides of the Atlantic, and will keep up to date with opening date announcements as they happen.
Links:
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Michelle is a musician and composer from the UK. She has performed across the UK and Europe and is passionate about arts education and opportunities for women and girls.
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