The Broadway premiere of the musical Cinderella is slated for early 2013. Here is a photo history of past TV productions of this wonderful Rodgers and Hammerstein show.
The First Cinderella: Julie Andrews
The 1956 Broadway premiere of My Fair Lady, made Julie Andrews a star as she received a Tony for her inimitable portrayal of flower seller turned lady Eliza Doolittle. This helped earn her the part of Cinderella, which was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for CBS TV.
Lesley Ann Warren in the 1965 Production
Lesley Ann Warren was the second actress to play Cinderella on national TV. The youngest actor to be accepted into the prestigious Actors Studio (she was 17 years old), she debuted at the age of 14 on Broadway in the 1963 the musical 110 in the Shade. Cinderella was her first major TV role. She was 19 years old when she played the princess to be.
Brandy Norwood is a Hit!
In 1997 singer/actress Whitney Houston produced Cinderella for the new ABC Wonderful World of Disney as a two-hour special. Houston cast the multi-talented Brandy Norwood to play Cinderella. The cast also included Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Houston. The show was a massive hit as it drew 60 million viewers. That made Cinderella ABC's highest rated show in 16 years in the time period in which it was shown.
Laura Osnes as Cinderella
The Broadway premiere of Cinderella will star Laura Osnes as Cinderella and Santino Fontana (Billy Elliot, Importance of Being Earnest) as the Prince. The classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical has a new book by Douglas Carter Beane. The new book offers audiences an updated, contemperary telling of the tale. Laura Osnes, who was nominated for a Tony in Bonnie & Clyde, should be an amazingly singular and effervescant Cinderella.