Cinderella @ Clayton High School

Clayton High School's Cinderella took the stage to show everyone that "It's Possible" to make all your dreams come true if you only have the courage to chase them!

Roger and Hammerstein's Cinderella, originally produced as a movie, debuted in the United States of America at the Papermill Playhouse in 2005, until 2013 when it finally made it to Broadway. The show received 9 nominations for Tony awards and won the category for Best Costume Design of a Musical. The musical tells the story of Ella, a humble yet kind woman who shows anything is possible with a little bit of magic and courage.

Clayton High School's performance of Cinderella highlighted the musical's themes of love, confidence, friendship, and most of all, kindness. The show was anchored by dazzling lights, a splendid stage crew, and eye-catching costumes. The entire cast demonstrated facial expressions and clever acting choices that aided in bringing the show to life.

Leads Mylia Rodriguez (Ella) and Elijah Murrell (Topher) performed spectacularly together through their chemistry on stage and beautifully blended voices. Elijah displayed phenomenal vocal choices throughout his performance specifically in his song "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful" Mylia displayed her character as quiet and put together using the tone of her voice and body language; however, in her song "In My Own Little Corner" she added more energy and confidence that truly demonstrated Ella well.

Clayton High School's cast of Cinderella presented the audience with compounded energy that grew throughout the show. During "Ten Minutes Ago (Reprise)" the actors in the waltz exemplified impressive stamina as they sung and danced throughout this number. Briseis Hansen (Marie) had a beautiful tone and voice that echoed throughout the theatre. Similarly, Alexis Amerman (Madame) and Kyleigh Norris (Charlotte) brought a multitude of comedic moments that had the audience laughing throughout.

This musical wouldn't have been complete without the impressive work of the Clayton Crows (Stage Crew). Each set piece was brought on and off stage by a stage crew member who was invisible to the audience. This aided to the magical appeal of the musical. Another striking part of the show was the costumes. Madame Modiste's stylists took inspiration from a range of different styles and eras. Multiple different actors on stage wore bold patterns and colors that enthralled the audience's attention. Specifically Briseis Hansen's costume was inspired by rock and roll attire and costumes from The Labyrinth. Finally, the lighting of Cinderella was extremely well done. Salem Reynolds used a range of colors and features to help illuminate the stage. During "Me, Who Am I" Salem enacted a series of flashing light sequences that helped guide the audience's attention to Topher and his nights during battles and journeys.

Thank you to the cast and crew of Clayton High School's Cinderella for such 'A Lovely Night"!