A Tale of Cinderella
by WA Frankonis, George David Weiss, Will Severin

A smart, responsible, attractive and loving young woman who is devoted to her father and the memory of her mother. While she is treated as a menial by her new step-relations, she is anything but menial in her heart and attitude. She puts up with them because this is her home and has been for a long time. She has a deep moral center but comes to see how even doing what is right is often a difficult choice. She is not the docile, vacant character typically portrayed as Cinderella.

Unlike in the original, the father has a more prominent role. He is a kindly, well-meaning soul who, after many years as a widower, has remarried, primarily because he doesn't want to be alone as he grows old. He loves his daughter deeply but in a largely ineffective way; he fails to protect her against the newcomers in their lives. While that failure is partly because of the spell his new wife has cast on him, he admirably come sto recognize and accept his responsibility for his daughter’s lot.

The stepmother is best described as beauty cast in stone. She is scheming and pragmatic, and misuses the amuletta d’amore to keep Paolo in line. To that extent, she has powers beyond the ordinary. Cold and largely unfeeling, she looms as Cinderella's major antagonist.

, is precisely what her name suggests: a loudmouth. The younger,

, is learning the ways of her sister and mother, having little of her own character. Squid-like, as her name suggests, she takes bit of this and that to make herself.

Anything but the traditional fairy godmother. She is both godmother and grandmother to Cinderella, but she plays both roles with an attitude. Sharp, bright, feisty and uncommon, she uses the traditional wooden spoon as her magic wand – which has an attitude of its own – to stir up help or trouble, depending on the circumstances. Of equal importance in the course of events, she also finds love for herself, adding an element to the story which is not present in the original.

This new character is the Prince’s godfather, and he comes almost whole-body out of the commedia dell’arte: the braggart soldier. Lively, boastful, comic and warm, he fumbles at making the wondrous happen with his sword (with an assist from La Stella). He also owns a romantic heart and a charm that attracts La Stella, thus leading them both to love late in their lives.

He is the fairly typical prince of the story, but even he is a more complete character than usual. He is warm and charming, but most important, he sees beyond the surface of things and takes matters of the heart seriously. He seeks not merely a bride but a soulmate with whom to make a life.

A gondolier.

Cinderella as a child.

Citizens and children of Venice.