This February, Children’s Theater of Madison (CTM) will present Cinderella—Enchanted Edition. This magical production of the classic fairy tale will feature the songs and music of Rodgers & Hammerstein and stars several actors with Madison connections. In this world where dreams come true, a multiracial cast brings to life a story focusing on self-reliance and the power of inner magic.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella premiered in a live television broadcast on March 31, 1957 and starred Julie Andrews. Rodgers & Hammerstein approached the story with honesty and simplicity—and the performance was a smash hit. The live broadcast was viewed by more people than any other program in the history of television. In 1997, the show was remade for television and produced by Whitney Houston and Debra Martin Chase. Brandy Norwood starred as Cinderella, Whitney Houston as her fairy godmother, and Whoopi Goldberg as the queen. The show was once again a smash hit with over 60 million viewers, making it the most-watched television musical in decades.
For the CTM production, Madison native Nyla Sabrine Eltahir stars in the title role as Cinderella. Eltahir grew up in Madison and attended West High school. She was a performer from an early age, spending as much time as possible singing and dancing in the driveway of her family home. She turned to theater in middle school and high school and found her passion. Eltahir is currently living in New York, and has performed in Ft. Myers, Florida and recently finished up a summer with Thingamajig Theater in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. She is thrilled to return to Madison for Cinderella. Eltahir commented that “this is a full circle moment. The first show that I participated in during middle school was Cinderella!” She is excited to be singing that same music in the Capitol Theater where she watched so many shows as a youth. “It will be so special to be on that stage. The character herself is so full of childlike wonder. I look forward to playing with the themes of childhood and adulthood in this production.” Eltahir still considers Madison home in many ways, and she looks forward to sharing this story with her community.
Kiah Calmese Walker returns to the CTM stage to portray the queen in Cinderella. Walker played Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North, in CTM’s production of The Wiz this past fall. She performed with her daughter Briah Carli Walker, who was also in this winter’s production of A Christmas Carol. Walker will once again take the stage with her daughter Briah in Cinderella. Walker shares, “It’s an honor to play the queen and I applaud CTM for their efforts in prioritizing balanced representation in many of their productions! They do this work with such intentionality. My daughter, Briah Carli, and I are proud to be part of the CTM community for this very reason. We’re both in Cinderella and hopeful that our performances create the same inspired, affirming experience that the movie version did for many kids years ago (featuring Brandy and Whitney Houston). Again, truly an honor.”
Theater can be a powerful force in our community. In an article by A. Prescod-Lovell, a Brooklyn-based theater professional, she notes:
“When the theater is a place where all people are included, diversity is celebrated, and everyone has equal access to the theatrical experience. The theater can become an even more powerful force for social change and a beacon of hope in a world that is too often divided.”
Be sure to see Cinderella in the Capitol Theater at the Overture Center, February 14-23, 2025. For more information go to ctmtheater.org.
