Palmerston North’s Freyberg High School to perform Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Grace Costley plays Cinderella, a girl of unparalleled kindness and sweet temper, in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. Photo / Leah Hancy and Jojo Halcox

The students and staff behind Freyberg High School’s latest production have taken on a challenge as big as weeding a pumpkin patch.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is the Palmerston North school’s first musical since 2020′s Beauty and the Beast.

There are 78 students in the cast, 15 students and five adults in the orchestra, plus the student-led stage and technical team.

Poppy Costley, 16, plays Madame, Cinderella’s scheming and nasty stepmother.

Poppy loves being able to put on a different front and the platform for self-expression musical theatre provides. Plus, she gets to boss her older sister Grace, who plays Cinderella, around.

Jaden Grant plays Sebastian, the prince’s lord protector.

The 17-year-old has been accepted into the musical theatre programme at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art in Christchurch.

Jaden had never touched the stage until Year 11. He says since then his involvement in theatre has skyrocketed.

Joining him at the academy will be Phoebe Conger, who plays stepsister Gabrielle.

The production uses every centimetre of the school’s hall not needed for audience seating or safety exits.

Ballet-dancing racoons, tap-dancing foxes and tumbling mice show off the students’ dancing talents as do the majestic moves at the prince’s ball.

The innovative and professional props deserve their own billing, especially the vaulting horse that is, well, a horse.

The Manawatū Guardian was invited to watch a dress rehearsal of the first act and there are as many surprises as barbs from the stepsisters.

Madam tells us her charge’s name is Ella but as she sits by the fire cinders she mockingly calls her Cinderella.

Cinderella is not cut from the same evil cloth and spreads a message of kindness at the ball.

Poppy, Grace and Phoebe are three-quarters of Freyberg’s barbershop quartet Miss-FOUR-tune.

Along with Krissie Bearsley, they competed at the Young Singers in Harmony National Convention in Auckland last month.

The quartet was third in the upper voices category and fourth overall of the 28 quartets competing.

Krissie plays fairy godmother Marie.

The leads in Freyberg High School's production of Cinderella are (from left) Phoebe Conger (Gabrielle), Matthew Lyne (Jean-Michel), Zoe Fairweather (Charlotte), Grace Costley (Cinderella), Krissie Bearsley (Marie), Terado Bassett (Prince Topher), Poppy Costley (Madame) and Josh Bayliss (Lord Pinkleton). Absent is Jaden Grant (Sebastian). Photo / Leah Hancy and Jojo Halcox

Freyberg performing arts and events co-ordinator Lottie Perry says the school is proud to have the involvement of a wide array of students in Cinderella, including those from its Special Education Unit.

Two New Zealand Sign Language communicators on staff will interpret the Wednesday show.

The musical is directed by Jess Brogan and Stacie Nicholls.

The Details

What: Cinderella

When: October 10-14, 7.30pm

Where: Freyberg High School Hall

Tickets: eventbrite.co.nz