I love the Ensemble’s Christmas fairy tales. And this year’s is superfun – Cinderella! The incredible team of Joseph McDonough, David Kison and Fitz Patton created a new take on the old tale – rollicking and fun for all ages.
As a matter of fact – over half the audience was adults with no children around. The fairy godmother has become Gwendolyn the Well Wisher, who creates the situation for Cinderella and her prince to work in – but they still have to do the work.
And two perfect messages come through again and again. Easy for the kids to get, and for us grownups: the meaning of life: “It’s the journey from your head to your heart.” What a perfect description for such a left brained society to imbibe. The other is: “true beauty lies beyond what’s seen by normal eyes…”
Along with all this, Ensemble has a big barrel for any extra winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves you might have. They are also collecting old cell phones to help the zoo save gorillas. And actors were taking up contributions from the audience as we left (lots of little ones giving money to Aristotle the Crow) to help pay for other kids to come.
What is a Crow named Aristotle doing in Cinderella, you ask? The same sorts of things Plato the Toad and Socrates the Spider are doing. Come and See!