'Cinderella' Passes Test of Kid-Friendly Theater

Sumner's ManeStage Theater Company places a lot of focus on family-friendly entertainment, so I put it to the ultimate test by taking my 5-year-old daughter to its production of Cinderella. 

At first I was dismayed at the limited show times -- 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. performances are offered on the company's schedule, though times vary by date. I settled on the latter showing and decided it was a special occasion, so a late bedtime would be forgivable. I wondered how my daughter would react to staying up so late (and how the rest of the little ones in the audience would fare). Turns out, ManeStage has found a good balance in family entertainment, both to keep adults entertained and kids interested.

I got to the Performing Arts Center at 6:30 p.m. with enough time to grab an inner aisle seat for my half-pint. The auditorium filled up fast and our seats were worth the antsy 20-minute wait until the curtain went up.

There were many young children in the crowd and all dressed in their Sunday best -- no doubt in anticipation for the photo opportunity with Cinderella at the end of the show. It was refreshing and fun to take part and dress up for a night out with my kid and instill a bit of formality about the whole thing.

With the many song-and-dance numbers, there was little time for boredom and the actors did a good job to keep the dialogue interesting for all ages. My first-time theatergoer was so awestruck by the whole experience that she asked me several times through the play, "Are those real people up there?" and was equally fascinated to see kids on-stage.

Tim Lott, playing King Coriander, did a particularly good job of nailing his funny lines and succeded in many crowd laughs. Other high spots of the night were the young sisters Riley and Shelan Maxey as the two mice, and a lizard played by Maggie Barry. Although the characters vary a bit from the classic Disney telling we most likely end up comparing it to, the sentiments of the mice and lizard were recognizable. My daughter did point out, however, that the play was missing the cat.

The highlight of the night and candidates for a show of their own would belong to the wicked stepsisters played by Kathryn Stahl and Courtney Sankey and the stepmother played by Shelleigh-Mairi Ferguson. With their colorful costumes and larger-than-life characters, children all around me were slack-jawed in amusement. And although my daughter whispered to me a few times that they were the "mean ones," she seemed hardly worried and was mesmerized by them the most. I can't blame her; with their cackles whittled to perfection, you couldn't take your eyes off the actors for their antics and couldn't help but laugh at the delightful ridiculousness of it all.

Actors Bryce Smith and Kayli Christine, playing Prince Alexander and Cinderella, made for a convincing romantic storybook couple if not by the numerous smootches, then by their dancing and on-stage chemistry. When asked what her favorite scene of the play was, my daughter responded with a simple dreamy-eyed recollection of "when the prince danced with Cinderella."

The play stretched out to nearly two hours, including an intermission. While most children seemed content, mine was eager for the intermission break and a quick sweet treat. The production offers a nice array of treats and sodas for sale, though I wouldn't pass up the mint chocolate-covered brownie. They also offer facepainting.

Act 2 was quicker and more to the point and with a little sugar coursing through our veins, we were all more attentive. The ballroom scene and hunt for the wearer of the glass slipper were right on with what you would expect and as the prince found his princess, you couldn't help but feel a little sappy, that maybe all was right with the world for a moment. The magic of theater and story-telling really hit home as I saw it unfold in my 5-year-old's eyes.

To end the evening, the key cast members hung out on stage to meet with all the children and to sign autographs and have photos taken. If you do attend this highly recommended production, be sure to bring your camera and dress up your little ones. This will be an unforgettable experience for everyone.

The production runs through Feb. 20 and tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office before show times or online.