Ojai Valley News
When the curtain goes up Nov. 30 on “Cinderella,” the comic pantomime, playwright Kate Hawley and original director Paul Whitworth will be in attendance at the Ojai Art Center Theater. After the performance, they will attend the gala reception in the center’s gallery, along with the cast and audience members.
But how did Hawley, an actress in Shakespeare Santa Cruz, become interested in a panto version of “Cinderella”?
“Paul and I met when he came to Shakespeare Santa Cruz (from the Royal Shakespeare Company in England) to play Prince Hal in ‘Henry IV’ in 1984. Some years later, Paul became artistic director of SSC. Enthusiastic about introducing audiences of all ages to the joys of live theater and getting whole families into theater seats, Paul encouraged me to accompany him on a trip to England at Christmastime to see pantomime, the traditional and eccentric form of entertainment performed at Christmastime.
He explained that “panto is ‘a stress-free introduction to the anarchic joys of Shakespearian drama — a jumble of verse, prose, song, slapstick, direct address to the audience, rollercoaster switches of tone from high emotion to low comedy — all based on the devastating truthfulness of the fairy tale.”
“That is a challenge no playwright can resist,” Hawley said. “We went to England and I both loved and hated what I saw. When the commercialization overwhelmed the fairy tale, I hated it; when the magic of the fairy tale was in balance with the topsy-turvy comedy of the old panto traditions, I loved it. I realized that panto shared a lot of genetic code with the American musical and I decided to try to tap into the possibilities of both.”
She started with “Cinderella” — the “Hamlet” of pantomimes. Gregg Coffin was already a favorite composer with SSC and so he was the obvious choice. His astonishing talent for music that is instantly lovable and emotionally satisfying was perfect. “Cinderella” opened in 1999 and was a huge hit.
After the success of “Cinderella” at SSC, Whitworth and Hawley went on to collaborate on “Gretel & Hansel,” “The Princess and the Pea” and “Sleeping Beauty.”
“Cinderella” runs for three weekends starting Nov. 30, with Saturday and Sunday matinees so families can attend. Children are encouraged to wear costumes and interact with the cast. Tickets available at OjaiACT.org.