Glendale Centre’s ‘Cinderella’ Has a Ball

One of the mice has a nervous tic, allergies keep the wicked stepmother sneezing, and the fairy godmother has a wand, wings, roller skates and attitude. It’s the little extras that keep “Cinderella” rolling merrily along at the Glendale Centre Theatre.

The pacing is zippy, the spirit is lighthearted in this musical fairy tale under Jeremy Fillinger’s direction, and the cast is a cut above, for the most part. It’s a pleasant show that often rises above expectations, especially in the first act, although post-intermission, Fillinger doesn’t succeed as consistently as writer and composer of the show as he does as its director.

Some scenes in Act 2 feel like filler, as though they were popped in as afterthoughts because the show was running short of its allotted time. The prince’s meeting with some disastrous, would-be princesses at the ball needs tightening, and an “I Wanna Be a Dog” ensemble musical number is certainly jolly, but it doesn’t fit the show. It feels as if it had been plucked from a different tale entirely, shifting the focus and stopping the story’s momentum.

Fillinger might have been better off using the time to give stepmother Lady Achu’s big solo more context and a smoother segue, especially with Benita Landesman Scheckel playing the allergic stepmother. Scheckel does a delightful job with an operatic soliloquy in which Lady Achu reveals how her diva dreams were shattered by uncontrollable sneezes.

Other strong singing voices that give the show snap belong to Rebekah Lyons as stepsister Winnie and Linda Treydte as stepsister Maggie. They put real spirit in “Anything You Can Do,” with some fitting new lyrics by Fillinger.

Paul Durban, as Prince Eric, hits the right manly romantic note with his assured baritone, and Rebecca Doubledee sings her Cinderella blues in a lovely, musical soprano.

In addition to the bickering Valley Girl-type stepsisters, other humorous touches are supplied by a deft threesome of mice who befriend Cinderella: Hic the hillbilly (Michael Walters), jumpy Tic (Jason Zambos) and suave Doc (Sam Chen). And the prince’s page (Ed LaBey) earns giggles teaching the prince to dance; Fillinger and the two actors make this one of the show’s comic highlights.

Bumbling fairy godmother “Mama” (Allison Fox), who travels via roller skates, is well integrated into the show as both occasional narrator and supporting player, although she tries too hard to be funny.

There were a few sound glitches at the show I saw, but Peter Treydte’s lights are on the money. Dave Dietlein did the quick-change set, which works nicely on the small stage surrounded by arena seating. And Debbie Gluck designed the fine costumes: Cinderella glows in the kind of princess dress that little girls dream about, the royal finery is quite sumptuous, and the mice are a treat in their everyday garb and formal wear.

* “Cinderella,” Glendale Centre Theatre, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale, Saturdays, 11 a.m., through Nov. 20. $10 per adult; $8 per child. (818) 244-8481.

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Imagination Celebration: On Saturday, at the UCLA Fowler Museum, a kid-pleasing concert of music and storytelling puts the spotlight on Chinese music for flute, piano and percussion. It features pianist Gloria Cheng-Cochran and professional tale-spinner Denise Iketani. It’s part of the esteemed Da Camera Society’s series, “Children’s Concerts in Historic Sites.”

* “Children’s Concerts in Historic Sites,” UCLA Fowler Museum, Sunset Boulevard and Royce Drive, UCLA campus, Saturday, 1:30 and 3 p.m., $12 to $18. (310) 954-4300.

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Think About It: The Stella Adler Theatre is putting on a show with a message. “Time Free Space,” a theater piece created for children from kindergarten through sixth grade, explores issues of teasing, racist attitudes, peer pressure and drug use.

* “Time Free Space,” Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., second floor, this Saturday and Sept. 25, noon. Free. (323) 465-4446.

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Animal Act: Storyopolis Art Gallery is celebrating its third annual “Storyopolis Pet Show,” an exhibition of pet-themed original art from children’s books, editorial art and cartoons, with special craft and story hours on Saturdays through September.

This weekend, Kevin Henkes and his much-loved creation, the little mouse named Lily, will be on hand in the “Lily Craft and Story Hour” (Aug. 28), while Scooby Doo makes an appearance on Sept. 11, hosted by Kid Rhino and Warner Bros.

The Pet Show exhibition includes not-to-missed original work by “Mutts” cartoonist Patrick McDonnell, Steven Huneck, Michael Paraskevas, Tim Burton, Maira Kalman, Henrick Drescher and many other top illustrators; on Sept. 18, when more “Mutts” art goes on display, McDonnell will make an appearance.

* “The Pet Show,” Storyopolis, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Plaza A, Los Angeles, through Sept. 21; “Mutts” exhibition continues through Oct. 20. Gallery hours: Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; craft and story hours, Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. Free. (310) 358-2500; craft fee, $6; craft reservation, (310) 358-2512.