News Taffy

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a boy and a girl...and they lived happily every after. This sets the tone for every fairy tale I can think of and honestly it is so overrated! But follow along with me for a bit, as I take you down the road of happily ever after and the story of Cinderella which is now playing on Broadway.

Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella doesn’t disappoint as it is filled with great music, costumes and a constantly transforming cast of characters. Of course, the story captures the expected - pumpkins, ball gowns and let’s not forget those shoes! Glass slipper are so back. But there are some welcomed romantic and funny twists to this classic story.

When I saw the show, I was not in a fairy tale frame of mind. In the end, after a glass of wine and some chocolate, the show did not disappoint. The costume changes are amazing and happen magically right before your eyes. The lyrics of my favorite song, “do I want you because you are wonderful? Or are you wonderful because I want you?” are still playing in my head. It is such a sweet song. Even better questions that may need to be answered with a team of mental health professionals!

Madame, the step mother, played by Tony award winning actress Harriet Harris along with the step sisters Charlotte and Gabrielle are hilarious. The trio adds just enough attitude and wit to the ensemble to make them truly believable. Prince Charming is handsome as required at least in my job description of Prince Charming. But he is also funny. I love a man who can make me laugh. He’s funny, handsome and can sing! A home run of manliness I’d say.

The reaction from the kids in the audience was as entertaining as the show on the stage. I was sandwiched in between two families with both boys and girls. Everyone was captivated by the performance. Unfortunately, the story of Cinderella perpetuates the idea that rags to riches for girls rests on the shoulders of Prince Charming. While I want to expose Corbin to as much as possible in this amazing city, it is imperative that I continue to keep him grounded in reality and not the fairly tale business of unrealistic love. While you may think I’m totally jaded on the fairy tale-Prince Charming idea, the idea is not completely lost just yet. It is my experience that pair of shoes can truly transform a girls world, at least for a period of time. Here’s to an amazing pair of sparkling shoes!

Thanks to The Moms, Denise Albert and Melissa Gerstein for the tickets to the show which is playing at the the Broadway Theater. I did not receive monetary compensation for my opinions.

Keep up with DJ’s adventures in the Big Apple by following her on Twitter @mrsdjduckworth and on Facebook at DJ Cunningham Duckworth. DJ is a contributing writer for New York Family magazine. She lives in Manhattan with her three boys Mark, Corbin and Leo - woof, woof.