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May 19, 2016OWATONNA — A comical twist to a centuries’ old fairy tale “Cinderella” will take the stage at St. Mary’s School in Owatonna this week.
While the storyline features Cinderella, an evil stepmother, a prince and a ball, it doesn’t contain mice, glass slippers or a fairy godmother — at least not a real one.
In fact, when Cinderella, who is played by eighth-grader Whitni Minton, calls for her fairy godmother ahead of the ball where she hopes to meet her one true love, the fairy godmother headquarters is struck by food poisoning leaving her fate to a scented-candle saleswoman and substitute fairy godmother, who is played by seventh-grader Verity Wray-Raabolle.
“It’s not like your typical Cinderella story,” said Whitni Minton, an eighth-grader cast as Cinderella. “It’s really funny.”
That’s what Stacey Mulet, play director with Lynn Peterson, said made “Cinderella and the Substitute Fairy Godmother” appealing.
“It’s entertaining for them and the audience,” she said.
More than 30 fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at St. Mary’s School have been working on the play since March and will take the stage for the public at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday in the school’s gymnasium.
Minton, who has been cast in the school’s productions since fifth grade, said this is her favorite one because she was cast as Cinderella in her first lead role.
“In this Cinderella story, [Cinderella] is a sassy and sweet-hearted character,” she said, noting the character is one she can relate to. “Sometimes I can be sweet and sometimes I can be sassy.”
The production also proves to be a favorite of Wray-Raabolle, too, because of her role.
“This is my first real speaking part,” she said, adding her last two play parts were not. “I have more lines and bigger parts.”
And her character Lucretia — the substitute fairy godmother — is “funny, wacky and all over the place.”
“She’s kind of a hot mess,” Wray-Raabolle said.
Elizabeth Daley, an eighth-grader as Cinderella’s evil stepmother, Fabreeze, said playing the villain is fun.
“Sometimes you got to play the bad guy,” she said.
But Daley admits Fabreeze is full of sarcasm, a character trait she believes fits her personality.
Mulet said the students have been involved in every aspect of the play, including set design, lighting, costumes and the memorizing their lines.
“I’m really, really proud of the students and how much they’ve improved since our first rehearsal,” she said. “There’s a lot of hard work involved. We have an awesome cast and an awesome stage crew.”
Minton, Wray-Raabolle and Daley said they enjoy working with the other students.
“Everyone is really committed to this,” Daley said. “That’s what makes it fun and enjoyable.”
Mulet said St. Mary’s School students, who are currently at the Pillsbury campus for the year while the South Cedar Avenue building is under construction, will be bused to the school’s gymnasium for a show at noon on Thursday.
The play is free and open to the public Thursday and Friday nights.
Reach reporter Ashley Stewart at 444-2378 or follow her on Twitter.com@OPPashley
