On May 1st, the Parkdale Players commenced their weekend of performances of Cinderella. Adapted by Rodgers and Hammerstein, the weekend promised nights of magic and fun.
Opening night was May 1st at 7 PM. The play was also scheduled to take place May 2nd at 7 PM, and May 3rd at 7 PM. The production was hosted in the multipurpose room of Parkdale and was directed by drama teacher Ms. Isobel Springer. This was her first year teaching at Parkdale and highly rated her experience working with the cast.
“The group of kids I was able to work with were absolutely wonderful,” said Springer. ”Everyone was excited to be a part of the show. They put in time and effort to make sure that the play happened. I would rate my experience ten out of ten!”
Kenya Ibe played the lead role of Cinderella. Her witty charm and stage presence really drew the audience in through both her acting and singing performances. Ibe’s counterpart, James Dubon Garcia, played the role of Prince Cristopher and Arianna Fulcher played Lionel, his royal attendant. Their playfulness portrayed through Lionel consistently entertained, engaged, and humored the audience, garnering many laughs throughout the performance.
Naia Benitez played the Fairy Godmother. Her strong voice and confidence was really a sight to behold, specifically as she beautifully-mastered the famously challenging song “Impossible,” alongside Ibe.
Jenivet Joge played Stepmother while Kaylee Joge and Genesis Pacheco played the Step Sisters. Their silly banter and natural chemistry as siblings and mother-and-daughters gave the audience something to laugh at throughout.
Along with the minor characters, including those who puppeteered for the Cinderella’s mouse friends, and those rearranging the stage props, the multitalented ensemble were able to showcase their talents and really brought the whole play together.
“ It was a lot of work that went into this play,” said Kaylee Joge. “We spent hours after school almost everyday. Tech week was the hardest, but I believe that our work really paid off.”
The production was entertaining and fun. Actors had wardrobe changes and emerged from unexpected places. Some actors interacted with the audience and really had the audience engaged with the play. For example, during a brief intermission, Fulcher wandered around the crowd, inviting audience members to attend the Prince’s Royal Ball. Additionally, the backdrop transformed almost every scene, keeping the audience engaged.
Many believe that the Parkdale community showed up and showed out for this year’s play. Multiple faculty members showed up to see the play, and a lot of staff supported the play, encouraging their students to come and support, as well. However, others believe that there could have been better support for the performance.
“I believe that last year’s play had more people show up,” said Fulcher. “ I wish that more people showed up this year, but for the most part, I’m happy with the support that we received.” The smaller audience size, however, has very little to do with the quality of the performance and more so just audience turnout.
Nevertheless, Cinderella depicted the work that went into the play and showed the teamwork of the ensemble. As the curtains closed and the lights turned on, many were impressed by the performance of the Parkdale Players.
Check out the gallery below of the Cinderella performance. All photos courtesy of Ms. Springer’s dad Aaron Springer!
Michael • Jun 13, 2025 at 11:56 am
The show was really great! The actors along with the backstage crew really put the show together and succeed in an amazing performance.