Lutheran North's 'Cinderella' Cast Determined to Have Happily Ever After

Changing directors a month into rehearsal, losing a stepsister one week before curtain and meeting the orchestra with only one rehearsal left, the cast of ’s Cinderella knows the meaning of the phrase, “the show must go on.”

“Rehearsals have been going great since Feb. 7,” said Heather Oechsner, who stepped into direct the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, along with Cheryl Freeman, one month into rehearsals.

This change in directors was the first of many setbacks the Cinderella cast has had to overcome in recent weeks. 

Losing the original Grace (one of Cinderella’s stepsisters) to pneumonia, LHN freshman Kate Silva took over the role on April 4 and will likely play the part in the show next week.

“I’m nervous,” Silva said. With a matinee for some 500 Lutheran grade school children on Tuesday, Silva has only six days to learn the lines, blocks and songs of the character.

But Silva is not alone.

“The orchestra started (April 4), too,” Oechsner said. “We have an orchestra of six people that started six days before the show.”

Audiences will recognize the man behind the bass as LHN Principal John Reincke, while other orchestra members include a student, teacher’s wife and parent.

While Tuesday's matinee will double as a final rehearsal, Oechsner said the cast’s focus will continue to be on set and costume changes, strengthening songs, fixing lights and breaking in the school’s new sound system.

For the actresses portraying Cinderella’s wicked stepfamily, they are getting into character with one thought in mind: Be mean.

“I’ll watch Cinderella and other movies where the characters are mean,” said sophomore MiMi Bloch, who plays the stepmother. “I get myself mad at something and focus.”

Freshman Caroline Wolber, who plays Cinderella’s other stepsister, Joy, prepares in much the same way.

“I’ve been practicing my face (which is somewhere between puckered lips and a sneer), running lines in my head and listening to Mrs. Oechsner and Ms. Freeman, who have been giving us tips about getting in character.”

On the romantic side of the production, Cinderella (freshman Audrey Sharp) and the Prince (junior Tyler Gillespie) need little help with their characters’ chemistry as the pair is together off-stage as well as on.

“It’s nice,” Sharp said of playing opposite boyfriend Gillespie. “It’s better than kissing someone you don’t know.”

As for playing the part of Cinderella, Sharp said other than the hectic costume changes, playing the princess has been “a dream.”

Performances of Cinderella are April 14-16 at 7:30 p.m. in the LHN Auxiliary Gym. Tickets are $5 for ages 5-18 and $10 for adults. Children age 5 and younger are free.

“(The community should come out) to support our students,” Freeman said. “It’s a cheap night out and a family-friendly event.”

Oechsner added that Disney princess fans are especially welcome.

Check Patch on Thursday for a special Viewfinder photo gallery of the production.

In an earlier version of this article, it was mistakenly reported that the matinee for the Lutheran grade schoolers was Monday. This matinee performance is Tuesday.