Nancy Opel, Paige Faure Head to Broadway’s ‘Cinderella’

It was announced by producers of the Tony Award winning Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Cinderella that Nancy Opel and Paige Faure will join the cast on Broadway. Opel, who will play Cinderella’s evil stepmother (replacing Fran Drescher) will begin her role on Monday, June 30. Faure, who will take on the role of the production’s new Cinderella (replacing Carly Rae Jepsen), will begin her role June 12. Both actresses will star on Broadway through September 7.

The two will join a cast that currently includes Joe Carroll as Prince Topher, Victoria Clark as the Fairy Godmother, Ann Harada as Charlotte, Stephanie Gibson as Gabrielle, Peter Bartlett as Sebastian, Todd Buonopane as rebel Jean-Michel and Phumzile Sojola as Lord Pinkleton.

Faure, who will lead the national tour of Cinderella when it begins October 10, is currently in Woody Allen’s musical-comedy Bullets Over Broadway. Previous Broadway work for the star includes appearances in Cinderella and in the original revival of How to Succeed in Business. Other stage work for the actress includes national tours with A Chorus Line, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Little Women and Aida.

Opel most recently appeared in the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Memphis. She has earned Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics, and Lortel nominations for her role in The Toxic Avenger. Other Broadway credits for the actress include Fiddler on the Roof, Sunday in the Park with George, Anything Goes, Triumph of Love, Evita and  Urinetown for which she earned a Best Actress Tony Nomination.

Cinderella tells the story of “a spirited young woman with savvy and soul, eager to develop a world view, she doesn’t let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. She not only fights for her own dreams, but makes the prince, who falls in love with her, open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams, too.

Cinderella is directed by Mark Brokaw and has been totally re-done by Douglas Carter Beaner, who provided a book for the production. The age-old fairytale has now been transformed into a charming, witty, and updated story that meshes well with the current generation. It combines the classic elements of the story such as the pumpkin and glass slippers with several surprises.