“MaM, guess where we’re going tomorrow?”
“Where?”
“We’re going to go see Cinderella on the stage.”
“Really? On the stage?”
“Yup. Does that sound like fun?”
“Yes. I will need to wear my princess dress to go see her.”
Last night, MaM broke out her Snow White dress (and Sleeping Beauty slippers, if you must know) and she and I headed out to enjoy an evening performance of Cinderella, which is playing at Beef and Boards through July 1.
I really wasn’t familiar with the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s version of Cinderella, but oh my goodness, this should be the version of Cinderella kids get to know and love. Nothing about it is scary, and the stepfamily is comical and clueless, not mean and vindictive. It’s a feel-good take on the classic fairy tale, complete with musical numbers.
MaM and I arrived at Beef and Boards as the dinner buffet was starting. After being seated at our table, our server took care of our drinks, and we were invited to the buffet. The buffet has something for everyone, including chicken fingers. There was plenty of time to enjoy dinner before the buffets were cleared from the stage and the sets went up to start the show. Our server took our dessert order before the house lights went down, and it was served during intermission (ff you like to enjoy an adult beverage during your theatre viewing, the full bar can easily accommodate).
Last night’s crowds was filled with five year old princesses just like mine, with a few prince charmings thrown in for good measure. The larger-than-life stepsisters (done with creative casting), the magic possessed by Cinderella’s godmother, the perfect in-time dancing of the ensemble cast, and a surprise entrance by the godmother (maybe she really is a fairy?) during the finale made the show delightful from start to finish. Once the show started, I heard a few little girls say, “hi Cinderella!” as the she made her entrance, but other than that, every kid in the house was mesmerized.
I admit it, I was too.
MaM’s favorite part was, predictably, Cinderella. Her jaw dropped as Cinderella’s rags were transformed into her ball gown. She watched intently as Cinderella danced with the prince. She clapped when Cinderella appeared in her wedding dress. My favorite part though, was the entrance of the Cinderella’s horse and carriage. I don’t want to spoil it, but the entire contraption was magical, right down to the softly dancing foal.
All in all, it was a magical evening, and if you’ve got a little princess of your own, I recommend taking her to go see the show! (It’s suitable for young princes as well) The show plays Wednesday-Sunday most weeks, including a 1pm Wednesday matinee that could be just right for families with children (we arrived shortly after 6pm for dinner, the show started at 8pm and I carried a sleepy MaM to the car just before 10pm).
In addition to shows meant for patrons 3 and over (children under 3 are not able to attend this show), Beef and Boards also presents children’s theatre. These hour long productions are for all ages, and feature a snack rather than a full buffet. Pinocchio will be presented as the next children’s theatre piece, starting in October.
Disclosure: I was provided tickets to enjoy this production in exchange for my honest review. The opinions here are expressly my own.