Fri 11/30-12/30
If you’ve already seen A Christmas Carol and A Christmas Story, The Nutcracker and The Santaland Diaries, and you’re hungry for a new Christmas tradition, Dobama Theatre may have just the thing for you.
To celebrate the holiday season, it’s presenting the regional premiere of Ella Enchanted, a family-friendly musical suitable for ages 6 and up, based on the Newberry-winning 1997 book.
In it, the heroine Ella is born with the trait of obedience, given to her by a fairy, which compels her to obey all orders. This compulsion puts her at war with her own strong, free-spirited personality, and she embarks on a journey to overcome it — a journey which includes a lot of beloved fairy tale signifiers including a wicked stepmother who, along with her daughters, reduces Ella to a servant (she’s called “Ella” for a reason), giants, ogres, a magic bird, and the usual happy ending where she marries the prince. (Come on, you don’t call that a “spoiler, do you?)
Dobama’s production, directed by Dobama artistic director Nathan Motta, will feature music, beautiful costumes, puppets created by Robin VanLear of the Cleveland Museum of Art (she’s responsible for Parade the Circle), and, according to them, “plenty of girl power” (she marries the prince?)
It runs Wednesday-Sunday through Sun 12/30. Tickets range from $20-$40.
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118