Cinderella and Her Barely Godmother

 Cinderella and Her Barely Godmother

Arts in the Open
Four Mile Historic Park
Denver, CO
July 25, 2019

Cinderella and Her Barely Godmother is not the y typical fairy tale damsel in distress story. In fact, this play took the familiar story in a brand new and very modern direction.

The show was created for outdoor showings. This performance was presented at Four Mile Park in Glendale. The production team chose the locations wisely, using the historic buildings that perfectly set each scene. The guide was also well versed in the local wildlife that he would point out between scenes.

The show began as expected. The stepmother and the stepsisters were cruel and not too bright. Cinderella was clearly demonstrated her intellectual and social skills early.

The second scene took the audience to Fairy Godmother school which might have been mistaken for Hogwarts. Each student godmother had their own personality and issues that came across quickly. There the audience met Barely, the struggling student "godfather."

Barely was a charming, awkward character who bonded sweetly with the practical Cinderella. Their interactions were the heart of the show. The script allowed their relationship to unfold with a few surprises. The cast jumped from character to character quickly and used simple costume pieces to create a new persona. They kept a consistency despite the constant changes.

The production at Four Mile Park brought Arts in the Open back to the Denver area for a relaxing walk instead of a strenuous hike. It created an ideal experience for families with small children. Hopefully they will return to this venue in the future.