Beauty and comedy make good dance partners in Milwaukee Ballet's 'Cinderella'

For audience members, Milwaukee Ballet's "Cinderella" can be a choose-your-own-adventure experience.

You can choose the path of beauty and be well rewarded for it. Even in her servant rags, Lahna Vanderbush is a warm and graceful Cinderella — no wonder her stepsisters feel intimidated by her. And even before the Prince (Randy Crespo) arrives, the ball scene gives us eight elegant and beautifully matched couples dancing.

You can also choose the route of comedy. In keeping with tradition, MB artistic director and choreographer Michael Pink has cast male dancers as those stepsisters — Garrett Glassman and Eric Figueredo in Thursday night's opening show at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. Gawky, dorky and klutzy, the stepsisters frighten the male courtiers with their bizarre versions of feminine movement. But in some moments, Glassman and Figueredo dance perfectly in sync with the wicked stepmother (Marize Fumero), reminding us they're skilled performers acting klutzily for our amusement. As for Fumero, an excellent dancer, in her striking dark dress and nuclear facial expressions she exudes pure Disney villainess energy.

Pink's storytelling gives Cinderella two allies. The houseboy Jack (Barry Molina) cheers her up and tries to protect her. Molina's path combines the beautiful and comic threads; his antic dance with a pumpkin apparently as heavy as a medicine ball would have Harold Lloyd nodding in appreciation.

Also, the spirit of Cinderella's late mother (Jacqueline Bertault) watches over her from a nifty high perch, courtesy of Bruce Brockman's scenic design.

Pink's choreography even includes a few moments of forceful stage combat.

Music director Andrews Sill conducts the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra in Prokofiev's score.

"Cinderella" would be a good next step after "Nutcracker" for a young balletomane, as long as your child has the stamina for a two-and-a-half-hour performance (including two intermissions).

If you go

Milwaukee Ballet performs "Cinderella" through April 7 at Marcus Performing Arts Center's Uihlein Hall, 929 N. Water St. For tickets, visit milwaukeeballet.org/cinderella or call (414) 902-2103.

Milwaukee Ballet's next season

Milwaukee Ballet recently announced its 2024-'25 season lineup, under the banner of "Love & Lust."

One significant change: Apart from "Nutcracker," MB has dropped Thursday evening performances but will present Saturday matinee shows for all productions.

Here are the titles and locations:

"Casanova," Nov. 1-3, Marcus Performing Arts Center.

"The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer's Imaginarium," Dec. 7-24, MPAC.

"MKE Mix," Feb. 7-16, 2025, Baumgartner Center for Dance, 128 N. Jackson St.

"Sleeping Beauty," April 11-13, 2025, MPAC.

"Carmen," May 16-18, 2025, Pabst Theater, 144 E. Well St.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Beauty and comedy are good partners in Milwaukee Ballet's 'Cinderella'