Delightful performances, clever direction, and Douglas Carter Beane’s fresh new book are three big reasons why Wisteria Theater’s scaled-down take on the 2013 Broadway revival of the 1950s live TV classic known as Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella makes it four winners in a row for the new North Hollywood company.

 From its TV debut back in 1957 with a 21-year-old Julie Andrews as its star to subsequent TV revivals to a much-performed stage adaptation, Cinderella’s tale as old as time (set to the glorious songs of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) has kept parents and children coming back for more.

You’ll still be hearing the eight songs featured in all three TV versions, but this time round Beane’s Tony-nominated book adds heart, depth, a whole bunch of new laughs, and a decidedly contemporary vibe to Hammerstein’s original.

Beane’s Cinderella (Lexi Collins) is now a budding social activist with a rabble-rousing best buddy named Jean-Michel (Nolan Monsibay), who’s got his heart set on Cinderella’s not-so-wicked stepsister Gabrielle (Alexa Rosengaus).

Glamorous stepmother Madame (Morgan Meadows) and nutty stepsister Charlotte (Armie Jane) remain the meanies we’ve come to love, but Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother is now called “Crazy” Marie (Shantilly) (and has a secret or two hidden under her cape).

 As for Cinderella’s Prince Charming, redubbed Prince Topher (Ali Hoghoghi), the handsome young bachelor is now an orphan under the tutelage of the self-serving Sebastian (Chris Smith), who’d rather his charge remain the frustrated slayer of dragons and giants than the socialist democrat he could become if he only met the right girl.

Not only do Beane’s revisions make this a 21-Century fairytale that adults can savor every bit as much as the tots, the musical’s new book has the kind of whoosh-past-the-kids humor that helped Disney revolutionize the animated film genre with The Little Mermaid and Beauty And The Beast.

 And Cinderella à la Beane gives audiences not just one ball but two, plus a pair of equally inspired surprise twists when the clock strikes midnight.

Of course there wouldn’t be a Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella without the glorious melodies and clever lyrics that turned the duo into overnight Broadway legends with Oklahoma!

And songs don’t get any more exquisite than “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible,” “Ten Minutes Ago,” “A Lovely Night,” and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?”

Add to these the delightful “The Prince Is Giving A Ball” and “Stepsister’s Lament” and a few “new” songs, forgotten gems from the R+H oeuvre (like “Now Is The Time,” whose melody will be recognized by South Pacific aficionados) and you’ve got a score to rival R + H’s best, albeit with fewer songs than you might expect from a show of its hefty length (made even heftier on opening night due to an excessively long intermission).

Since its January debut, Wisteria Theater has quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the Los Angeles intimate theater scene for both the quality and the quantity of its productions, for its imaginative use of vibrant rear-screen projections as a major scenic design component, and (as was the case with last month’s The Wedding Singer), finding ingenious way to trim cast size without shortchanging an audience. (Broadway’s Cinderella featured a cast of 25 as compared to Wisteria’s 11.)

Renee Wylder’s sparkling direction brings out the best in her cast of Wisteria vets and newbies, beginning with Collins’ perky, silver-throated Cinderella.

Hoghoghi not only looks every bit the Disney prince, he’s as charming and charismatic as a prince can get, and Monsibay’s engaging firebrand of a Jean-Michel gives Rosengaus’s enchanting Gabrielle plenty of reason to be intellectually and romantically smitten.

Jane hams it up to hilarious effect as the social-filter-free Charlotte, Smith machinates with the evilest of them as the power-hungry Sebastian, an amusing Carter Haugen is a vocal standout as Lord Pinkleton, and multitaskers Emma Busby and Chris Thume merit bonus pay for doing virtualy everything everywhere all at once.

Most spectacular of all are the star turns delivered by Meadows, whose wild and wacky Madame steals every scene she’s in with the fabulousness of a bona fide Broadway diva, and Shantilly, who gives the ubiquitous Marie equal parts weirdness and warmth and the most glorious of sopranos.

Anasha Milton choreographs dance numbers with plenty of pizzazz as the entire cast vocalizes to prerecorded tracks under Monsibay’s expert music direction.

Abby Pokalow’s fairytale costumes look terrific on Emily Johnson’s set, particularly as lit by Josh Collins (who doubles as sound designer), and Taylor Renee Castle and Cameron Parker’s colorful Disneyesque rear projections transport us to once-upon-a-time land every happily-ever-after-bound step of the way.

Annie Claire Hudson is stage manager. Ting Arnold is assistant choreographer. Megan McCormick is costume design assistant and Journey Papellion is set design assistant.

In all my years of reviewing L.A. theater, I can’t recall a single other company that has treated audiences to a new monthly musical treat pretty much the second the previous one has closed, but with four crowd-pleasers in a row, Wisteria Theater is doing just that. Audiences of all ages will have a ball joining Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella at the ball.

Wisteria Theater, 7061 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood. Through June 29. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00. Sundays at 3:00.
www.wisteriatheater.com

–Steven Stanley
May 23, 2025

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Tags: Douglas Carter Beane, Los Angeles Theater Review, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Wisteria Theater Company