Camila Cabello to star in remake of 'Cinderella'

NEW YORK -- Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello will try on the glass slipper when she takes on the lead role in a remake of "Cinderella," a source close to the project said Tuesday.

The decision to cast a Hispanic woman is a significant break from a long tradition of white and usually blonde Cinderellas.

Cabello, a multi-platinum selling and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, will also help write the film's songs.

The project grew out of an original idea from late-night television host James Corden, the source told AFP. The remake was first reported by the entertainment magazine The Hollywood Reporter.

Corden -- best known for "The Late Late Show" and his "Carpool Karaoke" series -- will co-produce the film through the company Fulwell 73, of which he is a partner.

At the helm will be director Kay Cannon, who is no stranger to breaking the Hollywood mold with female-driven narratives. Cannon wrote the box office hit "Pitch Perfect" franchise, which tells the story of female friendships through a humorous take on competitive college a capella.

She made her directorial debut in 2018 with the critically acclaimed comedy "Blockers," which flipped the typically male-oriented teen coming-of-age script and grossed over $93 million worldwide.

The iconic princess role is the latest chapter in Cabello's own Cinderella story: she gained recognition at age 16 as part of the girl group Fifth Harmony.

She left the group in 2016 to pursue a solo career and became a global household name in August the following year when her hit song "Havana" soared to the top of the pop radio chart.

Cabello released her self-titled album in January 2018, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Now 22, Cabello is the latest actress to take on the role of Cinderella. The film, which will be made by Sony affiliate Columbia, is on the fast track for production.

The two best-known previous versions of the fairy tale are Disney's 1950 cartoon and the studio's 2015 live-action version starring Lily James.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

LOOK: Shoe-shaped church in Taiwan

A church in Taiwan is now a tourist attraction even before it is completed.

It might look like Cinderella’s shoe but this giant blue building is actually a church in Chiayi City.

The design honors the victims of Blackfoot disease especially women who had leg amputations because of it.

Blackfoot disease is caused by drinking arsenic-contaminated water, affecting the blood supply to the lower limbs.

The World Health Organization has reported the disease has only been recorded in Taiwan.

-Mornings @ ANC, January 15, 2016

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Review: 'Cinderella' makes kindness its own magic

MANILA -- There's a warmth to Disney's live-action adaptation of "Cinderella" that's sorely lacking in what passes as kids' entertainment nowadays. You come out smiling, knowing you've been entertained without completely knowing why.

Part of it is seeing the familiar: a fairy tale that hits all the right beats without crushing it under a cynical boot heel. There's CGI in the movie but not at the sacrifice of character. There's darkness but never at the expense of joy.

"Cinderella" teases you with the promise of a traditional fairy tale, charms you with lavishness and then strips away its own trappings to reveal the beating heart of its own humanity. It's the type of movie you wish Hollywood would do more of for kids -- at once, both old-fashioned and charming in its own right. And once in a while, we get our wish.

What's refreshing about this take is balance. Director Kenneth Branagh provides no deconstructions here, no misunderstood witches or horrifying giants, no damsels in distress with swords and full body armor. Cinderella, as played by Lily James, exudes the kind of beauty that radiates from the inside, soft as starlight.

At the start of the story, Ella's happy childhood loses part of its luster when she loses her mom, played by Hayley Atwell. Before dying, mom gives Ella some words of wisdom: "Have courage and be kind" - words that Ella will live by until adulthood. The words sound twee and there's a wee bit of lag as Ella grows up but it's all set up for what comes ahead: more heartbreak, loss, abuse, redemption.

When Ella's coldly malicious stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and her two daughters enter the picture, you know you've found the stuff that teleseryes are made of. Cate Blanchett as the stepmom is in full Cherie Gil mode here, deftly hiding her contempt for Ella in silken gloves -- insisting that Ella call her "Madam" before relegating her to the attic.

Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drizella (Sophie McShera) fare no better as the lazy, contemptuous stepsisters but it is the stepmother that is given an extra layer of malevolence. Tremaine grounds her wickedness in human need; you recognize her selfishness and remain chilled as she twists things to her own advantage. When Ella suffers taunts that turn to bullying and then outright abuse at her stepmother's hands, you ask - will kindness and courage be enough? This story tells us - everyone needs help, even from the most unexpected places.

Here, too, do we find Branagh's courage and confidence in the Cinderella story. Ella's first meeting with Prince Kit (Richard Madden) in the woods is as comfortable as wearing a glove. Prince Kit comes off as a boy learning to be a man: his goodness is rooted from the lessons he learned from his father, played by a commanding Derek Jacobi. When he finds his counterpoint in Ella, in a meeting of unknown equals, something is kindled and we find the spark. This, then, is the stuff that fairy tales are made of -- a recognition of kindred souls with similar values.

From here on out, it's all razzle-dazzle and spectacle. The prince invites all young maidens to a royal ball to find the girl in the woods, but Ella is forced to stay behind. Here, she meets her fairy godmother, played by a delightfully kooky Helena Bonham Carter, and gets a complete makeover complete with glass slippers, pumpkin turned golden chariot and mouse friends turned into steeds.

And then off to the ballroom scene, surely the most lush and beautiful in recent cinema before that breath-taking run back as the coach turns back to a pumpkin, the coachmen become lizards and the horses become mice. And of course, that glass slipper and the search for the runaway bride-to-be.

I'll stop there because everyone knows the ending. Branagh strips away artifice and lets kindness create its own magic, its own deus ex machina. And the restraint pays off. You don't need fairy godmothers to make storybook beginnings. Kindness to others, the courage to stand up for what's right, and a lot of help from friends - these are the things that can create their own magic.

"Cinderella" opens in cinemas in the Philippines on Thursday.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Review: Fun, exuberant 'Cinderella' ballet

We are all familiar with the story of Cinderella from the classic 1950 Disney full-length animated film. We know her Wicked Stepmother and stepsisters who maltreated her. We know her Fairy Godmother who magically helped her get to the Ball. We know about the Prince and his kingdom-wide search for the owner of glass slipper the mystery lady who ran off at midnight left behind.

We can see all this and more in the latest offering of Ballet Philippines this holiday season, "Cinderella," as choreographed by National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes.

Instead of the traditional Prokofiev score, Ms. Reyes used various pieces by Tchaikovsky to create the perfect musical score for the ballet she had in mind. She added various original elements, like the dance of animals in the garden and the two mischievous brothers of the prince, to lighten the mood for her target audience, the children.

This is already the fifth staging of this original Alice Reyes ballet since she premiered it first in 1981. The restagers this time around are BP Dance School director and ballet masters Victor Ursabia and Ramon Victoria.

The sets and costumes were originally designed by Salvador Bernal, himself a National Artist for Theater Design. The palace set was so opulent and grandiose with meticulous details, enhancing the elegance and vibrancy of the dances performed.

Cinderella was played by a young, upcoming soloist Denise Parungao. She has such a pretty smile and and kind face, perfect for her lead role. Her very slim and lithe physique gives her a very light feeling when she dances, even as she performs difficult moves. (Monica Amanda Gana alternates in this role.)

The most elegant dancer on that stage last night was the regal Rita Angela Winder, who portrayed Fairy Godmother, certainly younger and more beautiful than the one we know from the Disney cartoon. Her stage presence is riveting, always drawing audience attention to her dignified stance. (Katherine Trofeo alternates in this role.)

The male characters play second fiddle to their female counterparts in this program as they mainly play consorts and dance partners. Even the Prince had to dance in groups of multiple dancers during Act 1. Richardson Yadao is a principal dancer of BP but he seemed to lack the regal stature and presence to be the Prince. There were some male members of the company (was that JM Cordero?) looked more "princely" than him, sad to say. He did show why he earned his rank in the company when he danced his solo spots with excellent flourish in Act III. (Earl John Arisola alternates in this role.)

However, definitely the most memorable characters for the audience in this show are the Wicked Stepmother Brunhilda and the comic stepsisters Griselda and Prunella.

For the opening night last November 27, Brunhilda was played by Isabelle Garachon, the wife of the French ambassador, who was a professional dancer back when she was younger. Her face was made up to look scary and stern, but she had a natural sense of humor with her facial expressions. Her moves seemed more flamenco-inspired than ballet, very graceful. BP president Margie Moran-Floriendo will alternate in this role, I am very curious on how she would pull it off. There is a third alternate, Butch Esperanza, a guy -- now that might be fun!

The role of the two stepsisters are probably the most demanding of the whole cast. They had to do physical slapstick comedy in balletic style. That is as difficult as it sounds, but it had to look like they were having a lot of fun doing it. Dancing the clumsy and heavy-footed pair on opening night were Ma. Celina Dofitas (as Griselda) and BP Principal Dancer Katherine Trofeo (as Prunella). They were a riot with the kids and kids at heart in the audience. People were actually laughing out loud at their antics, as unseeming as it may be at a ballet. (Edana Mae Labitoria alternates as Griselda. Rita Angela Winder alternates as Prunella -- now that is something to watch out for!)

I am not really a ballet connoisseur by any measure, but judging this as a casual viewer, this is one full-length ballet my daughter and I truly enjoyed watching. The humorous elements Ms. Reyes added into her choreography really enhanced the enjoyment of the show. I would say that the degree of difficulty of the dancing was heightened because of the sense of comedy it had to project to the audience in the form of dance. This show proved that ballet can indeed be fun to watch!

"Cinderella" will be performed at the CCP Main Theater on December 5 (3 p.m. and 8 p.m.), December 6 (10 a.m. and 6 p.m.), and December 7 (2 p.m. and 6 p.m.).

This review was originally published in the author's blog, "Fred Said."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Resorts World to hold auditions for 'Cinderella'

MANILA, Philippines – Resorts World Manila is now preparing for its next big musical as it looks for performers who can portray the roles of the major characters of “Cinderella.”

Auditions for the lead roles and ensemble of “Cinderella” will be held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 4 and 5. Registration starts at 8 a.m., with the cut-off time at 3 p.m.

Those who want to get the role of Cinderella should be 18 to 25 years old and be able to sing “In My Own Little Corner,” while Prince Christopher hopefuls should be aged 20 to 30 and can perform “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful.”

Applicants for the Fairy Godmother role should be aged 35 to their late 40s and practice the song “Impossible.” Those who want to be the Stepmother should also be in the same age range and be able to sing “A Lovely Night.”

Other roles open for auditions include the stepsisters Joy and Grace (aged 19 to 30 and can sing “Stepsisters’ Lament”), steward Lionel (aged 25 to 40 and can sing “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful”),  and the King and Queen (all ages).

The first callback will be on March 6.

Meanwhile, online auditions for the role of Cinderella will also be held until midnight of March 10. Applicants may upload videos of them performing a song from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” on YouTube, download an audition form and e-mail the link to the video and the completed form to cinderella@rwmanila.com.

The applicants must be female, at least 5-foot-4 in height, and between 18 to 25 years old. Those chosen in the online application will receive an e-mail and a phone call to schedule a live audition on March 13.

For more information about the auditions, visit the Cinderella Manila Facebook page.

This is not the first time the musical will be staged in Manila. In 2008, Tony Award winner Lea Salonga played the title role in the musical, which was staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, as part of an international tour.

source: abs-cbnnews.com