From the Play:
Act I: Scene 1
(The French countryside, early 19th century; the kitchen and garden of a small, country house. Inside, there is a cooking hearth, table, chairs, etc.; outside, there is a wishing well, garden bench. It is morning of the day of the great ball. As the curtain opens, we hear GASPARDE CRISPIN, a widow in her early 40’s, practicing her scales. She gets stuck on a high note, repeats it several times and then trills downward as she enters. She wears a flowing negligee over her corset and bloomers; and though not having completed her toilette, is nonetheless “done up.” She attempts her scales again; gets stuck again – this time going to the counter near the hearth, pours water from the pitcher, gargles – tries scales again -- succeeds at the high note.)
GASPARDE: Manifique! Manifique! Ma-ni-fique!! (kisses her hands, arms, fingertips) Tonight I’ll be la belle du balle – My gown – my hair – my eyes – but most of all – (hits high note). (Improvising; giggling) Oh, your majesty – you flatter me. But I’ve already sung eight songs – (flirtatiously) Well, maybe jut two or three more. Of course, if you dance with me, I’ll sing all night. (she dances around the kitchen) This is a magnificent ball! I was so pleased to be invited. You old meany, you didn’t invite me last year. (she continues dancing singing; suddenly she stops – lets out a vibrato screech --) The ball!! Aubert! Armentine !! Armentine!! Aubert!! Up – up – up!! Tonight’s the King’s ball! Aubert!!
(She sings the last word and is off vocalizing again. AUBERT and ARMENTINE enter; AUBERT is eating an apple; ARMENTINE carries a mirror and hairbrush)
AUBERT: What’s all the screeching about? It isn’t even noon yet. We’ve got ten hours until the ball.
GASPARDE: Only ten? I’ll never have you looking beautiful by then. Would you please stop eating? You’ll pop your seams tonight!
(She takes the apple away from her; AUBERT gets another from a bowl, and eats it.)
ARMENTINE: (has been looking in the mirror; let's out a scream) Aaaaaagh!! Aaaaagh!! Aaaaagh!!!!
GASPARDE: What? What? What?
ARMENTINE: A gray hair! I found a gray hair!
AUBERT: (laughing and singing) Mademoiselle called Armentine how old are you? Mademoiselle called Armentine how old are you?
(ARMENTINE chases her, grabs her and pulls hairs out of AUBERT’S head)
ARMENTINE: Not as old as my old maid sister!! There’s a gray hair (yank) There’s another! (continues)
AUBERT: Ouch! Mama!! Help!! Mama! Ouch! I’ll be bald!
GASPARDE: Enough! Armentine – sit down! Sit! Now stop crying Aubert; your eyes will be all red and puffy.
AUBERT: So what? It’s a masked ball.
GASPARDE: At the stroke of midnight, we remove our masks. The Prince will not fall in love with a girl who has red and puffy eyes. There now – eat something – you’ll feel better –
ARMENTINE: The Prince won’t fall in love with a girl who eats all the time either-
GASPARDE: Tina –
ARMENTINE: Or who has gray hair!!
(She pulls one more out of her sister’s head; AUBERT screams)
GASPARDE: Enough!! Stop that! Sit!! (sitting at table) First we’ll have our coffee; then we’ll have a soothing herb bath with scented oil….(all are at table)
…maybe that will calm you both down.
AUBERT: Where is the coffee?
ARMENTINE: Where is Cinderella?
GASPARDE: (calling) Ella! Cinderella!! Oh, that girl – off dreaming at the river again – (she goes outside) Cinderella!
(CINDERELLA runs in carrying a basket of flowers)
CINDERELLA: Here I am – Good morning, Mama.
GASPARDE: Where have you been? There’s no coffee – there’s no breakfast – what are those for? We cannot eat flowers for breakfast.
CINDERELLA: (entering kitchen) The coffee’s ready, Mama.
GASPARDE: (following) Lazy, good-for-nothing girl. What am I to do with you?
ARMENTINE: Oh, what gorgeous flowers – perfect – perfect – I’m going to wear them in my hair! Perfect – I’m going to wear them in my hair!
AUBERT: To cover the gray? Uh- uh – you can’t have them – Cinderella picked them for me --didn’t you, Cinderella?
ARMENTINE: To eat in an omelet? (They’ve been pulling at the flowers, and spill them on the floor. CINDERELLA retrieves them)
GASPARDE: (singing) Silence!! Sit down – it is very déclassé to wear flowers. It’s probably not a good idea to eat them either. (The two girls are squared off at each other)
GASPARDE: (singing) Sit!! Coffee!! Now!! Up! Up! Cinderella – we’re waiting –
(As CINDERELLA serves three bowls of coffee)
CINDERELLA: Tonight’s the ball, Mama –
ARMENTINE: What’s it to you?
AUBERT: (overlapping) What’s it to her?
CINDERELLA: Did you ever see the Prince, Mama?
GASPARDE: Yes, once.
ARMENTINE: You never told me that –
AUBERT: (overlapping) What did he look like? –
CINDERELLA: He’s very handsome, isn’t he?
GASPARDE: He was very small at the time. The King brought him to the opera. I was singing Béatrice – You should have heard me – I was truly magnificent. In Act 2, I…..
ARMENTINE: The Prince – Mama!
GASPARDE: He was only six. He fell asleep during Act I. He missed my best Aria. He’s been abroad at school ever since – hopefully he’s learned to stay awake at the opera.
CINDERELLA: (serving little buns) I can’t wait to see him. I know he’s very handsome –
AUBERT: (stuffing her mouth with rolls) See him? How will you see him?
ARMENTINE: She’s not coming to the ball – Mama! How embarrassing – she can’t come to the ball!!
CINDERELLA: Everyone is invited –
ARMENTINE: Did you get an invitation? You didn’t get an invitation!
CINDERELLA: Everyone got an invitation.
ARMENTINE: Mama! You said you tore it up!
AUBERT: Servants are not invited!
CINDERELLA: I’m not a servant. You’ve treated me like one since my father died. But I’m not a servant. And you had no right to tear up my invitation –
ARMENTINE: You’re a dirty little thing who sleeps near the cinders – Mama – she can’t come to the ball – You can’t let her – Mama –(she throws a tantrum) You mustn’t let her come … (etc.)
GASPARDE: Go—go—go—Tina—Aubert—get ready for your bath! Now! Now!!
(They exit; AUBERT takes her coffee and rolls with her)
GASPARDE: Perhaps next year, Cinderella –
CINDERELLA: But this is the ball to welcome home the Prince an to find him a bride. Please – I’ve always dreamed of going to a ball –
GASPARDE: Well, if you’re very good, when one of your lovely sisters marries him, I’ll let you come to the wedding. Now go fetch water for your sisters’ bath – go—go—go—
Cinderella
from the fairytale by Charles Perrault
By Mickey Coburn
About the Play: From the classical fairytale by Charles Perrault, Mickey Coburn spins a funny, lively play for children of all ages. This Cinderella is feisty and fiery, the dialog is full of humor; the addition of two sprites – Junot and Julie – give additional casting possibilities for younger actors. A charming version of the well-loved story.
Characters:
CINDERELLA: Young, sweet beautiful but not sappy; “Puckish” and high spirited
AUBERT: Stepsister; eats all the time; slightly round
ARMENTINE: Stepsister; the skinny one; everything is hers; bosses Aubert; throws tantrums
GASPARDE CRISPIN Stepmother: silly and vain; has-been Opera singer; equipped with sprays, gargles and continual scales; sings part of all her sentences
MINNIE (HYPATIA IGNATIA HESPARA MINETTE) : Fairy Godmother; a bit of a bag lady; absent minded; talks in riddles; adorable
JUNOT: Well-Wishers/Sprites; elves; tricksters;
JULIE: Invisible to all except Cinderella and
CLAUDE: The Prince; charming, regular; bored with the royal life
DARCY: Prince’s sidekick; devoted to Claude; overly interested in the ladies
KING FONTAINE: Jolly: more Chevalier than Boyer; something of a voyeur
MARC, RENE: Guests at the ball; charming courtiers
METISSE, REINETTE: Guests at the ball; charming courtieres
SIBELLE:King’s Girlfriend; the floozy of her time; Speaks with Brooklyn accent
FOOTMAN/PAGE
DANCER CINDERELLA Cinderella’s dancer double to permit magic
The Scenes::
The French Countryside, early 19th Century.
Act I scene 1 Cinderella’s small country cottage. The kitchen. The morning of the great ball.
Act I scene 2 Later that morning. The garden of Cinderella’s house.
Act II scene 1 At the ball. Evening of the same day
Act II scene 2 The ballroom; after the ball
Act II scene 3 The following morning. The garden of Cinderella’s cottage
