“Cinder” Ella is coming to stage!!!
Don’t Miss Once Upon A Song ‐ the Musical
Once Upon a Song ‐ the Musical (known to teens and tweens from the movie of the same name starring famous Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale) is coming to the stage in August, with
talented local 18‐year‐old Chenell Grimsell in the lead as our (Cinder)Ella.
It is labelled ‘a Cinderella story’ but don’t let that put you off. This is about a cool, beautiful and most of all hugely talented teenager, put down and manipulated by her emotionally abusive step‐mother, Fiona von Ravensway (played by Kay Dewes), her teenage step‐sister Brianna (played by Riandi Malan), and bratty younger step‐siblings, the twins Victor and Victoria (played by Henro Heyl and Rachelle Weiss).
Ella’s step‐mother is head‐mistress of a prestigious high school that both Ella and Brianna attend. Our ‘prince charming’, Eric (played by Seif Omar), the son of a wealthy and famous music producer, is transferred to this school on condition he gets to produce the annual showcase of the school’s renowned performing arts department. Humorous-but‐cruel, Fiona is determined to win a recording contract for her tone‐deaf daughter using Ella’s awesome vocal and song‐writing talents, a few little lies and some ‘lip‐synching’.
The fairy‐godmother figure takes the form of Ella’s best friend, Shelby (played by Ines Duffey), and some comic relief is provided by Fiona’s “Asian” guru, Ravi.
For Eric and Ella it is ‘love at first sound’, their relationship a coming together of like‐minded artists. But of course things gets weird when Eric is lead to believe that the songs are Brianna’s, and he moves on to her even though it doesn’t ever feel quite right. But fear not, as Shakespeare said, ‘in the end truth will out’, and with the help of some unexpected allies, poetic justice and true love prevail, and young Ella gets the stage, her ‘prince charming’ and a recording contract to boot.
The musical is directed by young up‐and‐coming director, Nicho Barnard, supported by choreographer and dance captain, Riandi Malan.
During a recent interview with the cast and crew, we got to know a little more about everyone and their journey in the musical… When asked why recreate an old-age story like Cinderella into something modern for audiences, Director Nicho Barnard replied: “I think we live in a world and century where everything is progressing and moving on. Becoming better, bigger and wider. We have to move with the flow otherwise we are going to get side-tracked. Everyone knows the Classic Cinderella Story, so I thought it’s time we do something new with the story… Pimp it up a notch and introduce something brand new. The same story line, just told differently… Also, making something so familiar like Cinderella, Modern – It makes it attractive for younger viewers because it’s new upbeat pop music, awesome dances and everyone can relate to a character in some way!”
Once Upon A Song got pre-approved for the Naledi Theatre Awards and assessment by the London Trinity College, while the cast are very delighted and excited and are hoping to achieve something great out of the production, Barnard said that the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of what he’d like the musical and cast to achieve with regards to that is experience and exposure and getting their names out there and getting recognition in the industry which is very hard today…
We had the great opportunity to ask “Cinderella” herself a few questions and this is what she had to say:
1. What particular challenges have you experienced in implementing both your singing and acting talents for your particular roles?
“With the dancing it would be the lifts and jumps because I don’t usually get lifted so it was hard for me to trust the cast and know they would catch me and be there when I fall. With my acting – I’d say it was a challenge because my characteristics is not the same as Ella, so I had to sit and think what is Ella like and I had to think like Ella not Chenell. My singing is probably learning to sing while dancing and running around… I haven’t done something like that before! “
2. Are there ways in which you think you are similar to your character?
Not much no! Ella is very calm and an introvert. I am very outgoing, a busy body and an extrovert type of person. The only similarity that I can relate to Ella is that she is very down to earth and cares for others and so do I.
While Chenell might not have any similarities, Riandi Malan who is playing the evil step-sister teased that she has some characteristics that is the same as “Brianna von Ravensway”
“Definitely! I love eating, (she says laughing), But I think I’m similar in quite a lot of ways, but also not. That’s why I love playing Brianna the stepsister! At the end of the day, I can be a little bit bitchy and all those things that I am not in real life. I do think I’m fussy, and I work hard in what I want and Brianna is the same in that matter.”
We continued our interview with Chenelle (Ella) and also dug into Seif Omar (Playing Eric Morgan the Prince Charming) who is actually studying to become a draughtsman but the theatre and arts bug recently bit him.
3. What has been the most enjoyable part of preparing for the production?
Chenell Replied: “To build as a team and to know my co-characters not as who they are in person but how they are and change into character on set… It’s very different!”
Seif Replied: “This is my first time doing a musical production like this, it’s new for me! So it’s good to like, learn who I am and what my strengths are, and also meeting new people… Interacting with them, I wouldn’t be doing this on normal weekends, I’ll normally be going out with friends but this is like a new experience.”
When asked about their Director, Nicho Barnard, the cast all had something different to say…
5. How is it like working with the Director, especially seeing that he is still also very young?
Chenell Replied: “We had to remember that though he is young, he isn’t one of our friends during rehearsals and we should respect him and that he knows what he is doing. Sometimes it was hard because we thought that we knew better then him and we can take chances on him, but he sorted that out very quickly. It was and is really nice working with him because he understands us and still let us have fun and be who we are.”
Seif Replied: “He has done many shows, so we’ve got his guidance and know what to do with experience through his steps. I think our Director is top notch, he is very serious when it comes to rehearsals, but he is very honest and kind and understanding. He goes through everything step by step with us, how to speak, and what emotions to portray and really help us develop our characters. “Feel the character to be the character” he’ll always say! I’ll definitely work with him again because he is not like any other director. He is still fresh, he knows what he wants and how he wants it done, and also he is very persistent and will make sure he get it done when he wants it done.”
Riandi, or as the Director like to tease her, Briandi replied: “The Director and I are busting heads a lot. But I think it’s such a good thing to work with him, because we can actually make this show amazing, which it is and it on its way. But with the Director, I love him to bits, but sometimes we do want tear each other’s heads off but I think that’s normal in any cast or production.”
And lastly Kay Dewes playing the role of Fiona the step-monster replied: “Working with the Director is cool. Every director is different, it’s nice to work with different people and see different visions coming to life.”
We also got to learn more about the rest of the cast and their dreams and aspirations…
Riandi Malan who plays Brianna the stepsister and is also the dance choreographer is a passionate theatre enthusiast and holds a BA Drama (Hons) from the university of Pretoria. She makes her living as a dance instructor at Beverley Hammond Dance School in Lyttleton. Hailing from Krugersdorp, for Riandi it all started when her parents took her to a musical production of Annie about 18 years ago. She has been doing drama ever since. Her talents include acting, dancing, directing and choreographing. She never gets enough of the stage and her dream is to perform in the Teatro, Monte Casino as well as the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, and thereafter to move on to Broadway or the West End.
Kay Dewes in the other hand, playing the stepmother, makes her living as a freelance editor, but aspires to be a professional actress. She loves both theatre and film and her talents include acting, singing, writing, playing the guitar, and she’s busy adding dance to this mix. For Kay, the acting bug bit at the age of 4 and she’s been performing ever since. After performing in a stage production, Eternity Calls, in 2010, she decided to follow her passion and dedicated the next 4 years to drama studies, completing her diploma at the Method Actors Training Centre.She has worked as a drama teacher for the last few years and directed high school house plays last year.
The Once Upon A Song is currently stirring up some great light in the industry and while Chenell Grimsell, a matric learner at Highschool Zwartkop is battling out Matric Exams that is around the corner while still performing on stage as Cinderella, the principal, Mr Strydom said that the school and himself supports Chenell and the musical 100% and only wishes her the best. He and his wife will be attending Opening Night to support Chenell and the musical production.
Join us for the Grand Opening Night on the 19th of August at the Roodepoort Theatre as the cast brings for the first time ever on the stage, a new modern Cinderella Musical to life. Tickets are available at www.uponasongsa.webs.com