Glass Slippers Are So Back

Mary and Kate at Cinderella

Kate and Mary, fifth grade sisters who attend Hamilton Elementary, saw the Broadway in Chicago production of Cinderella. Below are their reviews....

Kate:

Last week, on opening night, I saw Cinderella at the Cadillac Palace Theater and I thought it was really good, 

even though it had a few twists. One of the stepsisters, Gabrielle, was actually decent. She was sort of nice to Cinderella 

and she also had a boyfriend named Jean-Michel. Jean-Michel was a guy who wanted to talk to the prince, Topher, 

about peasants losing their homes and about the poor not having enough to eat.This was part of the reason Cinderella went to the ball, to try to talk to the prince for Jean-Michel. Lastly, Cinderella left her shoe on purpose, instead of kicking it off accidentally. With these additions (plus a lot of long songs and dances) the performance was very modernized. All of the actors were perfect for their roles and expressed themselves very dramatically. 

Overall, I thought the play was amazing.

Mary:

The lights turned off and the magic began: the scenery, the music, the dancing; it all turned into a Cinderella wonderland. 

The audiences eyes were fixed on the stage! But this story of Cinderella was a little different, there was a major twist
in the story. Gabrielle, one of the stepsisters, had a crush on a townsman named Jean-Michel. He was interested in politics and focused on the poor. He got Cinderella to talk to Prince Topher and they got to know each other. Because of this, Cinderella and the prince did not marry when they first met, they knew each other a bit. I always thought it was kind of crazy that Cinderella and the prince married, but this made more sense. I really enjoyed the dances, songs and scenery.

The actors were well fit for their roles and the stage crew made the magic look real. This performance was different and enjoyable, and I give it five stars!

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella plays at The Cadillac Palace Theatre through January 4, 2015

Click here for details

if you would like to be a StudentsXpress blogger/reviewer, please contact rachel@studentsxpress.com

Lookingglass Alice is Something to See

Alice: Lindsey Noel Whiting; White Knight and Others: Samuel Taylor
Cheshire Cat and Others: Anthony FlemingIII; Mad Hatter and Others: Kevin Douglas
Red Queen and Others: Molly Brennan

This past weekend my family saw Lookingglass Alice at the Lookingglass Theatre downtown. Adapted from the works of Lewis Carroll, adapted and directed by ensemble member David Catlin, and produced in association with The Actors Gymnasium, this show is a must-see. We happened to be sitting across from Chris Jones, critic for the Chicago Tribune. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking during the performance. Even before reading his four-star review in today's paper, we knew we were witnessing something special—and magical.

The whole show was engaging from beginning to end. Each cast member was fantastic, and it looked like they were having so much fun with each other (and with the audience...and with the stagehands). For a real professional review, check out Chris Jones in the Tribune, but here are some short reviews from my kids:

Lookingglass Alice is a new and interesting approach to the classic Alice in Wonderland. If you're in the mood for a silly play, I recommend this one. Characters are hilariously funny and enjoyable to watch. From the main star Alice to the wicked red queen, Alice is guaranteed to bring laughs to the whole family. I do think this play is a feel-good play because it has such a silly nature. The thing that is so great about it is that it also has the strong story to go along with the humor. Not to mention it also has cool acrobatic stunts. Lookingglass Alice is a play to see. —Ethan, age 12

The play "Lookingglass Alice" at the Lookingglass Theatre was magnificent. It includes amazing acting, acrobatic stunts, and a show of their own. They take "Alice in Wonderland" to a new level in their own way. It is so fun to watch. They make it a good show and a funny one. I would love to see this play again!  —Samantha, age 10

For tickets, go to www.lookingglasstheatre.org or call 312-337-0665

If you would like to be a theater blogger for StudentsXpress, please contact rachel@studentsxpress.com