The 1997 TV production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, starring Brandy and the late Whitney Houston, celebrates its 25th anniversary with a reunion special for ABC-TV's 20/20 August 23. The one-hour-long event will feature original cast members Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, and Veanne Cox, along with Billy Porter, Todrick Hall, Jade Jones, and more reflecting on the impact of the movie musical. Watch a promo for the special above.
The special will be followed by the first broadcast TV airing of the film in more than two decades. Flip through our exclusive digital 半岛体育 program for the movie musical below.
鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted that the 25th anniversary of this landmark incarnation of Rodgers & Hammerstein鈥檚 Cinderella is being celebrated on its original network,鈥� said Concord Theatricals SVP Imogen Lloyd Webber on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization in an earlier statement. 鈥淩odgers & Hammerstein鈥檚 unforgettable score is truly timeless鈥攕till enchanting listeners 80 years after their partnership began and 65 years since their 鈥楥inderella鈥� first charmed the largest audience in television history.鈥�
Also featured will be interviews with the original production team, including producers Debra Martin Chase and Neil Meron, costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, and more.
Initially aired November 2, 1997, as part of the Wonderful World of Disney lineup on ABC, the film features Brandy as Cinderella opposite Houston as the Fairy Godmother, with a number of theatre luminaries rounding out the cast. Bernadette Peters co-stars as the Stepmother with Veanne Cox and the late Natalie Desselle as Stepsisters Calliope and Minerva, respectively. Whoopi Goldberg plays Queen Constantina, with Victor Garber as King Maximillian, Paolo Montalb谩n as Prince Christopher, and Jason Alexander as the valet Lionel.
ABC that more than 60 million people watched the program live. The special was noted at the time for its colorblind casting that resulted in a celebrated multi-cultural representation. "It鈥檚 extraordinary," said Victor Garber in 1997. "I鈥檓 married to Whoopi Goldberg and I have an Asian son."
In addition, the score was expanded to give more vocal work to three of the leading ladies. Brandy and Montalb谩n sing 鈥淭he Sweetest Sounds鈥� from No Strings, Peters sings 鈥淔alling in Love With Love鈥� from The Boys From Syracuse, and Houston sings 鈥淭here's Music in You鈥� over the finale.
READ: Cinderella, a Richard Rodgers Mix-Tape: Which Tunes Come From Other Shows?
Rodgers & Hammerstein鈥檚 Cinderella is directed by Robert Iscove and written by Robert L. Freedman, based on Oscar Hammerstein II鈥檚 original book. Houston (who originally optioned the project to star as Cinderella but passed the torch along to Brandy after years of development shakeups) co鈥揺xecutive produced with Debra Martin Chase, Craig Zadan, and Neil Meron. Chris Montan was a producer, and Robyn Crawford was an associate producer.
The creative team included choreographer Rob Marshall (five years before his Hollywood success with Chicago), costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, and music director Paul Bogaev. In 1998, Cinderella scored seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including one win for the Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program going to production designer Randy Ser, art director Edward L. Rubin, and set decorator Julie Kaye Fanton.
The original 1957 Cinderella starred Julie Andrews and was written solely for television at the height of Rodgers and Hammerstein's success and popularity. Another made-for-TV version, starring Lesley Ann Warren, debuted in 1965. The musical was also adapted for the stage as early as 1958, and most notably in a revised version with a new book by Douglas Carter Beane on Broadway in 2013, which added 鈥淭here's Music in You鈥� to the score.
