Elyria High School Drama Club to perform "Cinderella: The Enchanted Edition"

ELYRIA -- Will Cinderella make it to the ball and find her Prince Charming? Find out this weekend as the Elyria High School Drama Club and music department present Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella -- Enchanted Edition," a timeless tale sure to delight those familiar with the story and those seeing it for the first time. The students at EHS have been rehearsing nearly every day for nine weeks to prepare for opening night, which is at 7 p.m. Friday. "This show is a people pleaser," said Robert Graves, director of the musical. "It's a good musical. There are three different versions and I chose this one specifically for this group of kids. They have put a lot of hard work into this show." Two additional shows take place this weekend -- 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The "Cinderella -- Enchanted Edition" starred Whitney Houston, as the Fairy Godmother, and Brandy, as Cinderella, in the made for TV version. Junior Hayley Schmitz will play the role of Cinderella in this production. Tyler this , a sophomore, is Prince Charming. They are joined by a cast and crew of around 50 students. "We really want to bring little kids in," Graves said. "We did "The Little Mermaid" a few years ago and it attracted a lot of little girls." As an added bonus, audience members also will have the chance to meet the characters. Graves, who is an English and theater teacher at the high school, as well as the drama club advisor, said his students are excited to show off everything they have done. "They have been working on sets every Saturday for the past nine weeks and the props are going to be fun to see," Graves said. "They have put a lot of work into all of it. For me, as a director, I'm excited for the audience to see it and get excited." Graves has been with the Elyria schools or the past eight years, striving to get and keep students interested in theater. "I try to give opportunities to different kids," he said. "Every year, our seniors leave, so I try to mold the kids we still have here. I work with the underclassman to train them to be able to take over." A lot of times, they are nervous at first, but after a short while, it's a perfect fit -- just like that glass slipper. They see the hardwork they are doing and they see the payoff," he said. "They are excited and proud of themselves."