Despite two snowstorms this month, the Titan Theatre Troupe of Hidden Valley High School will present their musical production of “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” in the school auditorium. According to Theatre Arts teacher and director Sally Miller, three performances are scheduled for this weekend: Thursday Feb. 25 and Friday Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Doors will open 30 minutes before each performance. Kevin Jones of the Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio serves as the musical director.
The 47 member cast and crew features juniors Lauren Harris and Nate Wulff as Cinderella and the Prince. The stepmother and stepsisters are seniors Julia Peltier, Sarah Meade, and Stephanie Woodson. Another senior, Lauren Calhoun, portrays the whimsical Fairy Godmother with seniors Patrick Lynch and Alison Downie performing as the King and Queen, respectively.
Representing Hidden Valley Middle School is seventh grader Nicole Ebel who appears as a young villager. The reigning Miss Teen Roanoke Valley, Abby Erdman, plays Charles the cat and four elementary school age children play mice in the production. Olivia Honaker of Cave Spring Elementary School, Kate Pufko of Roanoke City Schools, and Miranda and Noah Jones who are home-schooled double as mice in Cinderella’s house and children in the village. Rounding out the principals in the cast are sophomore Kiera Fogle who plays a Dove who guides Cinderella and freshman Katelyn Meade plays Lionel, assistant to the Prince.
The ensemble of ladies, horses, coachman and footman include Erinn Forbes, Erin Geiersbach, Maggie Hirst, Dakota Croy, Sara Manning, Meredith Hartsel, and Molly Christopher.
Student musicians include: Suellen Li on violin, Nick Penthorn on viola, Kelly Blair on flute, Brian McMillen on bass guitar, Amanda Rice on clarinet, Shannon Haines on Oboe/English horn, and Rachel Rosenfeld on percussion.
The production was a combined school effort with scene construction by choir director John Myers, scene painting by art teachers Sara Layman and Erika Breiding and members of the student Art Club, costumes by Consumer Ed teacher Pat Ammen. Parents also used their talents with Dr. Stephen Harris creating special effects including a pumpkin carriage, Teresa Wulff with costume coordination, Melia Jones with scenery and set detailing, and Carrie Honaker on food coordination to provide dress rehearsal dinners to a hungry cast and crew.