About the choreographer:
STEVEN MCMAHON(Artistic Associate) has created more than a dozen ballets for Ballet Memphis, including his first full-length ballet,Wizard of Ozas well asSoul Selects Her Own Society, Confluence, The Royal WeandPeter Pan. His other new ballets for Ballet Memphis includeCarnival of the Animals, Romeo and Juliet,andCinderella. Steven also has choreographed many original works includingThe Lovely Story of Us, which was performed in Helsinki, Finland, at the International Ballet Competition, and two of his works,Being Here With Other PeopleandConfluence, have been performed at the Spring to Dance Festival in St. Louis. His works have been performed at Organizacion Para La Artes in Guatemala and other venues around the nation. His first work,What Your Soul Sings, premiered at Ballet Memphis’ Interiorworks. Steven, who is originally from Glasgow, Scotland, joined Ballet Memphis in 2004 after completing his training at The Ailey School in New York City.
CINDERELLA SYNOPSIS
ACT I The Stepsisters, performed by men, add an exaggerated and comic twist as clumsy, awkward and hilarious characters in the first Act. They practice their dance steps with the dance master, quarrel with each other and pick on Cinderella. Cinderella, even in her old clothes, is both beautiful and gracious. Unlike the two stepsisters, Cinderella responds with genuine kindness when an old woman, the Fairy Godmother in disguise, comes to the door. Her kind and patient character continues to unfold as she is left behind while the others go to the ball. This is when the true magic of the story begins. The room changes as the Fairy Godmother enters, accompanied by the Four Seasons. Cinderella’s drab clothes are transformed into a beautiful ball gown and she soon departs for the ball in the pumpkin coach.
ACT IIMeanwhile at the ball, the stepsisters are demonstrating their newly acquired dance skills. The Prince makes a grand entrance to the ball. This is followed by the opportunity for all of the women to dance with the Prince. When Cinderella arrives everyone is awed by her loveliness. The prince and Cinderella each perform avariation, followed by apas de deux. An ensemble then performs a dance in which gifts of Oranges are presented as rare and precious delicacies for the guests at the ball.As the Prince and Cinderella dance a grand pas de deux, the ticking of a clock is heard and the trumpets and cymbals announce the approach ofmidnight.In horror, Cinderella flees the palace, leaving behind one of her glass slippers and finding herself once again dressed in her drab clothes.
ACT III As she dances with her broom, Cinderella dreams of the Prince, only to be brought back to reality by the nagging and complaining of her stepsisters. The Prince, determined to find the owner of the slipper, arrives and struggles with the stepsisters as they attempt to squeeze their foot into the shoe. Cinderella brings out its match and the Prince and Cinderella are reunited once again. The Fairy Godmother enters, accompanied by the Four Seasons and wedding preparations are made.
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