This January, Warde’s theatre department held auditions for the spring musical Cinderella. Tension was high among both performers and directors as everyone waited to see who would land the coveted roles of Cinderella and the Prince. After two days of auditions and one day of callbacks, directors Ms. Mateen, Mr. Cotelese, and Mrs. Bowcock reached a decision: seniors Sadie Smith and Alex Rosenberg would take the leads.
Smith and Rosenberg are especially excited to share the stage this May—it will likely be their final performance together. They’ve appeared in all four musicals during their time at Warde and are thrilled to take the spotlight one last time.
Their theatre roots go way back. Smith first appeared on stage in first grade as a rose in Alice in Wonderland. Rosenberg made his debut at age eight, playing a Munchkin in The Wiz. Their favorite roles, though, came later. Smith names Miss Honey in Matilda, Marian Paroo in The Music Man, and Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain as standouts. Rosenberg highlights his roles as the Trunchbull in Matilda and Enjolras in Les Misérables.
When asked whether Cinderella and the Prince were the roles they had been hoping for, Smith didn’t hesitate: “Yes,” she said, admitting she had been listening to the music over the summer in preparation. Rosenberg shared the same sentiment, saying he “definitely wanted to end [his] high school career as the Prince.”
While both are strong actors and singers, they agreed that dancing has been one of the most fun—and most challenging—aspects of the show. “It’s not our strong suit,” they laughed, but they’ve embraced the challenge.
Smith and Rosenberg are eager to bring Cinderella to life on stage and hope to see the community there to support them. The show will run for three performances: May 2 and 3 at 7 p.m., and May 4 at 2 p.m. Don’t miss it!