Manchester première of Cinderella

Published: 10 November 2019
Reporter: David Upton

Cinderella
Joseph Houston and William Whelton at Hope Mill Theatre Credit: Phil Tragen Photography

Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester is to stage the UK theatrical première of the Broadway version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

It’s the first musical produced by A Factory of Creativity, the charity formed to take over the running of Hope Mill. Co-founders Joseph Houston and William Whelton will direct and choreograph.

The production will run from May 9 to June 6 and then at Clonter Opera Theatre, Cheshire, June 9–14.

It was the only musical written for television by the legendary duo behind South Pacific, Carousel and The Sound of Music. Originally broadcast live in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, the broadcast was watched by more than 100 million people before being remade for TV in 1965 and again in 1997 (starring Whitney Houston).

A new Broadway version with a Tony-nominated book by Douglas Carter Beane premiered in 2013 featuring several fresh characters and songs. The show features songs including "In My Own Little Corner", "Impossible", "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Stepsister’s Lament".

This will be the first time a fully-staged version of the show has been performed in the UK, following a recent one-night concert version in London.

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