Cinderella Opera performed by WAAPA Classical Voice students and Faith Court Orchestra

It’s a beloved fairy tale that continues to charm: the mysterious and magical story of the downtrodden beauty and her prince. Cinderella has been told in countless ways throughout the ages, from Charles Perrault’s classic 1698 storybook version to pantomimes, stage plays and modern feature films.

Cinderella is now coming to WAAPA in a sparkling new production of Jules Massenet’s glorious opera, Cendrillon. Sung in English, audiences will be entertained by the loving, yet haplessly passive father; the jovially villainous stepmother; the lonely, melancholy prince; the magical fairy godmother; and a gently courageous Cendrillon, whose unjust oppression is magically transformed into triumphant reward.

Directed by Thomas de Mallet Burgess, Cinderella will be performed in the Geoff Gibbs Theatre by WAAPA’s Classical Voice students and the Faith Court Orchestra under the musical direction of Alexander Briger AO. It opens on Monday 15 October and runs for six consecutive nights.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION: CINDERELLA
GEOFF GIBBS THEATRE, ECU, 2 Bradford St, Mount Lawley
Tickets $44 / $39 Concession and Friends
Mon 15, Tue 16, Wed 17, Thu 18, Fri 19, Sat 20 October, 7.30pm
Director: Thomas de Mallet Burgess
Music Director: Alexander Briger AO
Performed by: WAAPA Classical Voice students and Faith Court Orchestra
BOOK NOW: Tel: (08) 9370 6895 or online at: waapa.ecu.edu.au/boxoffice

Rock of all ages musical - WAAPA

DIRECTOR Crispin Taylor promised there would be no sleazy Tom Cruise, like there was in the 2012 film, when WAAPA second year music theatre students present musical Rock of Ages at Roundhouse Theatre from October 13.

“I’ve seen the film, although I wouldn’t bother watching that,” Taylor, of Mt Lawley, said. “The stage show is much more fun and we’re falling about laughing a lot in rehearsals.

“It’s no deep night in the theatre and the story is very lightweight. It follows a country girl who comes to LA’s Sunset Strip in the mid 1980s and falls in love with a young bartender who wants to be a rock star.”

Chris D’Arienzo wrote the jukebox musical and the original Broadway production ran for almost six years on Broadway featuring hits from Bon Jovi, Journey, Twisted Sister, Europe, Foreigner and more.

“D’Arienzo wanted to create a musical that all his rock friends would come and enjoy, so the show absolutely pleases both camps,” he said.

“It’s the musical you bring people to who don’t like musicals.

“They’ll laugh a lot and sign along with the material. They can’t get their lighters out anymore, but maybe they’ll get their mobile phones out and sway along.”

Taylor said he was monitoring his second-year students who were finding the rock songs vocally challenging. “Occasionally you’ll get the right cast for the show and I’ve been lucky with this one,” he said. “What I mean is, in a student production you’re often having to manipulate or puppeteer one of the performers into a role that doesn’t quite suit them. But with this particular cast and production, they all suit their roles so perfectly and it makes my job very easy.”

THE ESSENTIALS
What: Rock of Ages
Where: Roundhouse Theatre, WAAPA
When: October 13 to 20
Tickets: www.waapa.ecu.edu.au