Teens to Perform Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Cinderella"

About three dozen junior high and high school students enrolled in Westmont’s Bravissimo!, an 11-day musical theater camp, will perform Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” Thursday, June 25, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Porter Theatre. Tickets are $5 and can be reserved by e-mail to thinkcamps@westmont.edu and picked up at the door.

“Cinderella” is co-directed by Miller James, local playwright and Westmont theatre arts instructor, and Rebecca Hodson, Westmont music instructor. Kate Paulsen, a popular actress with Lit Moon Theatre, Providence Hall High School theater director and Westmont alumna, is the choreographer.

The Rodgers and Hammerstein production was originally presented on television in 1957 staring Julie Andrews. The Bravissimo! production includes Allison Lewis, a 10th grader at Santa Barbara High School, as Cinderella and Patrick Schlesselmann, a 10th grader at Bishop Diego High School, as Prince Charming. The cast also includes sisters Maggie and Katie Langhorne, who have performed in all three previous Bravissimo! productions. Katie will be a first-year student at Westmont this fall.

The camp, which began June 13, engages the students in the process of creating and performing a full-scale musical. Instructors teach singing technique, acting, set-design, costuming and technical direction. On the final day of camp, Friday, June 26, students will help strike the set, giving them the full theater experience.

Through mid-August, Westmont offers other Think Camps, including Computer Quest, Creative Youth Project, Discovery Camp, Somos Amigos and Living Like Writers, as well as Warrior sports camps.