A prince, a girl, and a quest for equality comes to the Wine Country Theatre stage 

A handsome prince, a marvelous ball, and a glass slipper that only fits one foot is the classic fairy-tale script for Cinderella. Add in a fire-breathing dragons and a plea for political equality, and you've got the modified version, which is currently playing at the Wine Country Theatre.

I couldn't miss it and attended opening night of Cinderella: The Prince is Giving a Ball in downtown Paso Robles on Aug. 16 and was blown away from the beginning.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Cynthia Anthony
• LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER Stepmom, played by Cynthia Anthony, and stepsister Charlotte, played by Brianna Mendoza Pacheco, are two peas in a pod when it comes to being mean to Cinderella.

Wine Country Theatre's iteration of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella—which debuted as a television special in 1957—is based on the 2013 revamp of the beloved musical about a young woman, living with her evil stepmother and stepsisters, who's kept from attending Prince Charming's royal ball.

That's until her fairy godmother transforms her dreams into a reality by allowing her to sneak into the ball. But there's a catch, Cinderella must be home before the clock strikes midnight. On her way out, she leaves her glass slipper, which is picked up by the prince. The prince searches the kingdom high and low until he finds Cinderella and they live happily ever after.

Hammerstein's original script was rewritten by playwright Douglas Carter Beane to expand upon societal and class issues among the inhabitants of the show's monarchy. It also reimagines some of the original fairy tale's heroes and villains with added nuance.

Wine Country Theatre's take on the play was directed by Jacob Shearer with the help of musical director Thomas Grandoli.

"This play represents transformation of all kinds," Shearer told New Times. "How a little bit of kindness can change your reality and make the world better for us and for those around us."

As soon as the curtain opened, a fire-breathing dragon ran amok around the kingdom until brave Prince Topher comes and saved the day.

While that was quite the opening, Tom Villa playing Jean-Michel—a political activist doing his best to talk Prince Topher into bringing equality to the kingdom with the help of his friend Cinderella—was really the highlight of the show.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Cynthia Anthony
• HERE COMES THE PRINCE Played by Jon Estes, Prince Topher falls in love with a masked Cinderella at a ball and makes it his mission to find her and marry her.

Villa does an amazing job of showcasing Jean-Michel's desire to see change within the kingdom and for its residents. He's funny, captivating, and you can't help but cheer for him when he finally breaks through to the prince and becomes his political advisor. He was by far my favorite part of the play.

Jon Estes, who plays Prince Topher, has great acting chops, too, but his vocal chords are where he shines.

His voice blends into a perfect harmony with whoever he's singing with, especially during his duets with Grace Anthony, who plays Cinderella. This production marks Anthony's first return to the stage in 10 years. She's acted in numerous shows including Little Shop of Horrors, The Secret Garden, and The Pirates of Penzance, as well as serving backstage roles including stage manager and wig mistress.

Their emotionally resonant duet of Ten Minutes Ago leads viewers right into the 15-minute intermission with the feeling of falling in love.

The second act was almost better than the first, as the actors settled in more with the crowd and their roles.

Ainsela Decoster, who played Gabrielle, Cinderella's kind stepsister and Jean-Michel's love interest, did a fabulous job her first time onstage.

A recent graduate from Atascadero High School, the young actress showed off her vocal skills during the song A Lovely Night where she sang and danced with Cinderella thinking only of the men they loved.

Wine Country Theatre may be a smaller theater company, but its actors showed great chemistry and put on an amusing, comforting show where it was evident that everyone had a great time.

I'm excited for the upcoming production of Charlotte's Web running from Oct. 18 through 27. Δ

Reach Staff Writer Samantha Herrera at [email protected].