A Kiss For Cinderella

Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga ushers in Fall with one of J.M. Barrie’s lesser known works A Kiss For Cinderella.  Barrie is more famously known for creating the character and stories behind Peter Pan and has been the recent subject of both film and theatre works.  “For ETC, Barrie is a writer that really explores the imagination’s effects on humanity’s existence.  How it can be a tool for survival, behavior, understanding and reflection,” mentions Garry Lee Posey who will helm this production.

A young girl, employed to clean and manage the upkeep of flats, becomes the central figure in this story.  Miss Thing, as she is called in a somewhat generalized manner, is dubbed Cinderella by one of the tenants whose flat she services.  This tenant Mr. Bodie finds his Cinderella to be both endearing and curious.  On a happenstance evening when a Policeman stops by to address an issue with Mr. Bodie, the two men concoct an opportunity to detect more information on Cinderella.  The Policeman becomes rather obsessed and through his journey down the rabbit hole we get to discover just who this girl is as well.

“It’s a sentimental comedy of manners done in the distinct style of Barrie.  There’s humor when you pay attention, there’s tragedy if you aren’t careful, and by the end of the play there’s a sense of reflection and warmth,” Posey muses.  This is the second J.M Barrie play that ETC has presented in its tenure.  Back in 2015, they presented Dear Brutus, which found a plethora of inspiration from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream.  Barrie has a bevy of plays to his credit, but are rarely produced outside of his native London. 

Joining Garry in producing this venture is ETC newcomer Megan Smith as Cinderella, along with veteran ensemble members Jacob Moore, Zachery Randall, Courtenay Gillean Cholovich, Alyssa Whitesell, and Joseph Watts.  Costumes by Brenda Schwab, set and lights by Garry Lee Posey, Props by Eva Fournier, and stage managed by Kyle Coplen.