Cinderella

The Howard County Ballet enthralled and awed children of all ages last spring with a production of Peter Pan, complete with flying special effects. This weekend, Jim Rouse Theatre at Wilde Lake High School will provide the backdrop for the company's full-length ballet version of Cinderella, the most enchanting fairy tale of them all. "It's the ultimate rags to riches story," says Kathi Ferguson, the ensemble's founding director, who recently received this...

When Rossini decided to set the story of Cinderella to music, several familiar elements were deliberately lost in translation. He replaced the fairy godmother with a philosophical tutor, the wicked stepmother with an unpleasant stepfather. Suggestions of magic were toned way down. But everything still ends happily for the much stepped-upon, rags-to-couture heroine in this brilliant, human-scaled opera, more a cross-pollination between The Bachelor and Extreme Makeover than a sweet little fairy tale.

She's difficult to categorize -- and proud of it. In a career spanning more than five decades, Eartha Kitt has been a member of the first major African-American dance troupe, an international cabaret singer (performing in 10 languages), an author of three autobiographies, and an actress with theater and screen credits ranging from Helen of Troy in Orson Welles' stage production of "Faust" to Catwoman on the 1960s ABC-TV series "Batman." People magazine dubbed her "one of entertainment's most enduring -- and enigmatic -- icons."

In the recently opened movie, The Prince & Me, Julia Stiles plays Paige Morgan, an undergrad intensely focused upon getting to medical school and, eventually, saving the world. The unknown but wildly foxy British actor Luke Mably is Eddie, an exchange student from Denmark who drives Paige insane and thus is destined to fall passionately in love with her. As you may have inferred from the title, there's a twist. Eddie is actually a Danish prince (no, not Hamlet), so a serious relationship with him means that Paige might have to compromise her hard-won independence and academic fervor.

Opera fans have enjoyed a remarkable feast of fresh experiences so far this season served up by the Baltimore Opera Company and Washington National Opera, both presenting an appetizing assortment of works never before staged in this region. Now comes dessert, courtesy of Peabody Opera Theatre, which offers a rare staging of Massenet's Cendrillon. This endearing take on the Cinderella story had a glittering premiere in Paris in 1899 but never worked its way into the standard repertoire.

She may be beneath your radar. But not if you're a girl, between the ages of 9 and 16. Not if you have a daughter in that age range. Lizzie McGuire is a very big deal. The TV show, about a pretty junior-high klutz who copes with the G-rated problems of your average All-American teen, is Disney Channel's highest rated. Lizzie McGuire draws 2 million viewers per episode and generates 375,000 pieces of fan mail every month. Lizzie star Hilary Duff has a hit record. Her single "I Can't Wait" from the Lizzie McGuire TV soundtrack has been certified gold, with more than 500,000 copies sold.

Cinderella Man wants to be Seabiscuit on two legs, but lacks the guts and smarts and heart. It tells the fact-based story of James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), a Jersey City boxer who lost his pro standing and his savings during the Depression. He took dockside jobs to support his wife and three children, and in 1934 had an unexpected and amazing run for the heavyweight crown. Ron Howard, who directed the movie, and Akiva Goldsman and Cliff Hollingsworth, who wrote it, mistake "sober-sided" for "tough-minded."

The shoe fits. Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote "Cinderella" for television, but the theatrical touring version now at the Mechanic Theatre suits this 1957 musical as perfectly as a dainty foot gliding into a custom-made glass slipper. The production - adapted for the stage by Tom Briggs and directed by Gabriel Barre - isn't just a charming diversion for the kids at holiday time, however. It's also got a dash of sass and sophistication, as well as a new theme about the Fairy Godmother's relationship to Cinderella, which contributes an added level of poignancy.

Hollywood has never been shy about retelling ancient tales. The latest take on one old standby is A Cinderella Story, which opened earlier this month and stars Hilary Duff. Its "kingdom" is an American high school, its ruler (naturally) a studly quarterback - but the heroine's success is as sweet as ever. The 2001 sleeper hit The Princess Diaries seemed to kick off the latest spate of "Princess" movies: What a Girl Wants, The Prince in Me, and Ella Enchanted followed closely in its footsteps, each offering a new twist on the same old story.

With founder Bobbi Smith at the helm, Talent Machine Company opens its 12th summer season June 22 with "Cinderella," featuring a cast of 40 children. Smith serves as director and choreographer, guaranteeing a production that showcases the young talent. This is the first of Talent Machine Company's two summer shows. Next month, a 23-member cast, ages 12 to 19, will present the first Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice collaboration, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." TMC is known for offering fresh approaches to familiar shows.