A family theatre company is putting a different spin on a classic.
Opening next week at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre (RPAC) is Goodger-Pink Family Theatre’s production of CSI: Cinderella's Story Investigated, a play by Jay Newman.
“I’m basically the classic princess but with a little bit of an edge, and so I’m very much self-aware that I’m in a fairytale,” said Joelle Rondeau, who plays the titular Cinderella. “I’m acting the part of being a fairytale princess, but there’s some moments where I’m like, ‘This is ridiculous,’ and break that fourth wall a little, little moments where I drop it and am done with (the wicked stepmother) Lady Migraine’s stuff.
“Going through the show, I know I want to marry the prince, but I’m really nervous about marrying the prince and I’m trying to find a way to put on the slipper without giving away my secret and him seeing me in my dirty rags and stuff.”
The aforementioned Lady Migraine is played by Daniel Rose, a stage regular in Okotoks.
“I’m the wicked stepmother, I’m the villain, which is always the best role in shows like this,” Rose said. “My goal is to have one of my daughters – I don’t particularly care which one – marry the prince so I can take over the kingdom through some convoluted scenario."
Where this Cinderella story takes a twist is just how the prince decides to solve his puzzle: crime scene investigators (CSI).
“So the after she vanishes from the ball leaving only the single glass slipper behind, the prince calls in the professionals,” Rose said. “We have our CSIs, Horatio and Duke, who are trying to solve this through classic crime solving methods.
“Then you’ve got the prince, who’s like, ‘I’m going to try this on the foot of every woman in the kingdom.’ just to throw that contrast between the gritty detective story and the airy fairytale.”
That self-aware absurdity is the secret sauce to Goodger-Pink's all-ages productions for Rondeau, and this one is no exception.
“I think we’re playing up the stereotypes to some extent, and then I think it’s also the mix between the CSI characters and the fairytale characters,” Rondeau said.
Tickets can be found through GPTheatre.com or on Showpass.
Showtimes at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre:
December 9 (Preview) at 7pm
December 10 at 11 a.m.
December 11 at 2 p.m.
December 16 at 7 p.m.
December 17 at 11 a.m.
December 17 at 2 p.m.
December 18 at 2 p.m.
