SWAN Hill Theatre Group’s production of Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was truly a perfect fit for the company.
The musical allowed for strong vocalists to shine, and comedic side characters to draw laughs from the audience alongside challenging dance numbers for the ensemble.
The show provided Cinderella fans with enough essence from the Disney version with added beats and characters to amplify the story.
Tarni Smith’s portrayal of Cinderella was exceptional, with vocals not unlike what you would expect in a professional show.
The prince, played by Harley Lahy, was a walking commercial for the theatre’s hair gel of choice, absolutely looking the part.
Lahy showcased particularly strong acting skills and nailed the part overall.
Karissa Box was a standout as always, in her role as the evil stepmother.
As long as the theatre group continues casting Box as the funny, middle aged supporting character, ticket sales will be as safe as ever.
Positive reviews could be written for each character as the show demonstrated commitment and passion from the entire cast.
Dance numbers were sharp and well-rehearsed, with a large ensemble to fill the stage it was enjoyable to watch.
It is always fun to see the ways community theatres add their unique touches to Broadway productions, with toy horses, small puppets and hand-made transforming costumes adding to the overall flair.
In a small town like Swan Hill, it is pleasing to see the sense of community remaining within the theatre.
The Swan Hill Theatre Group continues to provide a creative outlet and sense of belonging for people while putting on enjoyable shows for the region, and what an accomplishment that is.
If you have not yet seen Cinderella, I would highly recommend seeing the show.
Tickets are available via trybooking for the remaining shows on June 24, 26, 27 and 28.
As Cinderella comes to an end, the theatre has begun preparing for their next show, Aladdin Kids, for Year 4 – 7 students.
An information night will take place on Tuesday, July 1 at 6.30pm, and auditions will be held Thursday, July 3 at 7pm and Sunday, July 6 at 2pm.
Ashleigh Smith, who plays Cinderella’s stepsister, encouraged everyone to give theatre a go.
“Do it. Take the leap, because it’ll be the best decision you’ve ever made,” she said.
