Life in Frell is enchanted and magical, unless you have been cursed with a life of obedience… Ella (Aguel Lual) had the unfortunate fate cast upon her by her Fairy Godmother, Lucinda (Lauren Krupski), who doesn’t realize the life she created with this spell. Ella’s Mother (Joey Hartshorn) tragically passes away, leaving Ella with only her father, Sir Peter (LaDareon “LD” Copeland) who is easily taken off his feet during his time of grief by the cunning Dame Olga (Joey Hartshorn). Olga and her two… unique… daughters, Olive (Carina DuMarce) and Hattie (Shannon Duke) want nothing more than to make Ella’s life even more miserable, especially when they figure out her curse is something they can use to help them torture her. Luckily for Ella, she meets a young man named Prince Charmont (Marcel Daly), who goes on amazing adventures with her, until she is forced away from him. This becomes the toughest test for Ella, as her father and stepmother send her to finishing school, which reminded me a lot of when I was sent to obedience school! Grrrr… Prince Charmont writes her every day, and soon they discover that their friendship and love can help them through any situation, even when everything feels like it’s hopeless. Trust me, I have a nose for fairytales, and Ella Enchanted brings a fresh take to this classic story!
Director Nik Whitcomb, who grew up taking Rose classes and coming to shows, made his directorial debut by coming back to Omaha from his new home in Chicago. His first show was an incredible one, giving life to these characters and using his experience on stage to help transport us to the enchated world of Frell! He worked closely with The Rose production team to bring magic and wonder to the stage. He also co-choreographed alongside Sue Gillespie Booton with Music Direction by Jerry Brabec. Together, the team behind the scenes did a magical job at casting the spell of Ella Enchanted at The Rose. Bravo!
I learned a lot watching Ella Enchanted, from the musical theme’s of self-discovery, to the magical wonder of a bird that helped me learn new languages! The musical captivated the audience on opening night and had me barking with joy. I just hope Lucinda doesn’t give me the spell of obedience, because I always like to practice selective hearing, especially if I am laying on my pillow. It’s my pillow, no one else’s… I digress.
I give this show a 10/10! From the costume parade, to the horse and carriage that arrived on opening night, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience! I brought the puppies along and they were enamored by the entire experience. Get your tickets by calling The Box Office at 402-345-4849 or visiting rosetheater.org!
Until next time,
SPOT
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