By NATALIE SACKET
Feature Editor
“Cinderella! Cinderella!” came waltzing across the Northwestern stage Nov. 19, 20 and 21, delighting large audiences with its fun, magical performance.
The children’s theater productions at Northwestern are typically performed by a primarily novice class consisting of students from Professor Kimberly Weast’s Acting I course. In a period of three demanding days filled with a total of five performances, the “Cinderella! Cinderella!” cast performed in front of nearly 1,600 energetic, rambunctious children.
In most children productions I’ve seen on the Northwestern stage, the cast gels quite well, and though there may be standouts, there is a cohesive feeling to the cast. In “Cinderella! Cinderella!” however, it was apparent who the novice actors were and who has prior experience on the collegiate stage. Standouts from the case included Trenton Judd as Herald Herold, Michelle Penner as Lady Lotta Bonbon, Nicholas Wygle as Prince, and Mickey Jordan as Tom the cat.
Judd provided a phenomenal amount of energy and humor to a demanding character. Penner was fantastic comic relief, especially considering she took a one-dimensional character and made her entirely captivating and hilarious. Wygle, though a freshman in his first acting role at NWOSU, proved to be a strong lead character, and I expect future standout performances from him. Mickey Jordan brought significant sass and hilarity to his furry feline character, Tom.
The only downside regarding the acting was that a few of the actors were of lower energy than the others, causing the performance as a whole to prove to be less of a magical experience than one might hope. I kept hoping for several of the lead actors to add more oomph to their roles, but several scenes grew quite stagnant. Unfortunately, Cinderella not only lost her glass slipper, but my attention as well.
Tech was spectacular as always, designed and created by the talented NWOSU theater students. Special effects, set, light and audio blended seamlessly to create a wonderful ambiance and setting for the performance. Costumes and makeup were elegant and appropriate for the production, and props were effective and well-used.
Overall, Weast directed a delightful children’s performance, and I know that it brought joy to many elementary students. Great job to the cast and crew for their hard work and yet another successful performance.