''A Cinderella Christmas'' is a

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...

version of the fairytale ''

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

'', with a book by Kris Lythgoe, using for its score a pastiche of well known pop tunes. It was first produced in 2010 at the El Portal Theatre in

North Hollywood, California North Hollywood is a neighborhood and district in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, El Portal Theater, several art galleries, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Th ...

. The music includes songs by

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

Michael Bublé Michael Steven Bublé ( ; born September 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Regarded as a pop icon, he is often credited for helping to renew public interest and appreciation for traditional pop standards and the Great American ...

Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...

Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...

and

Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne (born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, April 24, 1982), known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Rising to fame after winning the American Idol season 1, first season of ''Ameri ...

, among others. Like other pantomimes, the show includes magic, dancing, singing, acting, audience interactivity and sing-a-long segments.

Plot

The story follows the traditional ''

'' fairytale, with some additional characters. The traditional

character Buttons is butler to the wicked stepmother, Baroness Hardup, and is Cinderella's best friend. As in most pantomimes, the

fourth wall The fourth wall is a performance dramatic convention, convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this "wall", the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. ...

is broken by the cast, who encourage the audience to cheer for Cinderella and boo the Wicked Step-Sisters.

Songs

Act 1

Let's Get Loud "Let's Get Loud" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez from her 1999 debut studio album, '' On the 6''. Originally written by the song's co-writer Gloria Estefan for herself, she felt as if the song was too similar to her previous materia ...

" – Ensemble *"

California Gurls "California Gurls" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her third studio album, '' Teenage Dream'' (2010). It was released as the album's lead single on May 7, 2010, through Capitol Records. The song features rap verses from Snoop Dog ...

" – The Step-Sisters *"Just Haven’t Met You Yet" – Prince Charming *" Just Dance" – Company *"

Taking Chances ''Taking Chances'' is the twenty-third studio album and tenth English-language album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released by Columbia Records on 7 November 2007. Dion returned to the music scene after almost five years of performing '' A New ...

" – Cinderella *" Breakaway" – Cinderella *"

When You Believe "When You Believe" is a song made for the 1998 DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks musical animated feature ''The Prince of Egypt'', with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. A pop single version of "When You Believe" performed by American singers ...

" – Fairy Godmother

Act 2

Low Low or LOW or lows, may refer to: People * Low (surname), listing people surnamed Low Places * Low, Quebec, Canada * Low, Utah, United States * Lo Wu station (MTR code LOW), Hong Kong; a rail station * Salzburg Airport (ICAO airport code: LO ...

" – Ensemble *" Need You Now" – Prince Charming and Cinderella *"

Somewhere over the Rainbow "Over the Rainbow", also known as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", is a ballad by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg. It was written for the 1939 film ''The Wizard of Oz'', in which it was sung by actress Judy Garland in her starring role a ...

" – Cinderella and Buttons *"All I Want For Christmas" – Ensemble

Productions

El Portal Theatre

It was first produced in 2010 at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, California, starring

Freddie Stroma Frederic Wilhelm C. J. Sjöström (born 8 January 1987), known professionally as Freddie Stroma, is a British-French actor. He is known for his work in roles including Cormac McLaggen in the ''Harry Potter'' film series, Adam Cromwell on the ...

Jerry Mathers Gerald Patrick Mathers (born June 2, 1948) is a former American actor best known for his role in the television sitcom ''Leave It to Beaver'', originally broadcast from 1957 to 1963. He played the protagonist Beaver Cleaver, Theodore "Beaver" Cle ...

and Jennifer Leigh Warren. A nationwide search in conjunction with

Westfield Corporation Westfield Corporation was an Australian Commercial property, commercial real estate company and operator of Shopping mall, shopping centres. It was founded with the Corporate spin-off, spin-off of the Westfield Group in 2014, where assets in ...

was carried out to cast the title role. Celebrity judges included

Neil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received List of awards and nominations ...

. This was the first pantomime seen in California for some time and received positive reviews from the press. The show was repeated in 2011, again at the El Portal Theatre, starring

Fred Willard Frederick Charles Willard Jr. (September 18, 1933 May 15, 2020) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with Christopher Guest in his mockumentary films ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984), ''Waiting for Guffman'' (1996), ''Be ...

, with

Shoshana Bean Shoshana E. Bean (born September 1, 1977) is an Americans, American actress, singer and songwriter. She has appeared in numerous Musical theatre, musicals, performing in major Off-Broadway and Broadway theatre, Broadway theatres, including in the ...

as the Fairy Godmother. It again received positive reviews.

Pasadena Playhouse

Pasadena Playhouse Pasadena Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engag ...

produced the show in 2016. It was directed by

Bonnie Lythgoe Bonita Lythgoe (née Shawe; born 1949) is a British former dancer who, since the 1990s and 2000s, has been the producer and director of various theatre productions, including pantomimes. In 1969, aged 19, Lythgoe auditioned for the BBC's Young ...

and choreographed by Spencer Liff, with sets by Ian Wilson and costumes by Florencia M. Carrizo.

Roles and principal cast

*Bean played the Fairy Godmother for the December 24 and December 31 performances

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cinderella Christmas, A Pantomime Pasadena, California