A 25th anniversary celebration of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella will air with a news special cast reunion and presentation of the original film as part of Disney Princess Week.
The package, Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20, airs on ABC-TV on Tuesday, Aug. 23 stating at 8 PM ET/PT and will stream the next day on Hulu.
The reunion will feature Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, and Veanne Cox. Following the news special, The Wonderful World of Disney will aira presentation of the original film from 9-11 PM ET/PT. (9:00-11:00 p.m). It will also be available to stream on Disney+.
The Disney live-action film marked a groundbreaking moment in television history, introducing America’s first Black Cinderella (Brandy) and Fairy Godmother (Whitney Houston). The ABC News Studios reunion special explores how the made-for-television musical expanded society’s view of the term “princess,” and includes interviews with the original cast members, as well as rare, behind-the-scenes footage with Whitney Houston.
RELATED STORY
A Lion And A Witch And Sam Mendes: Two Shows Lined Up To Replace Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Troubled ‘Cinderella’ In London’s West End
The one-hour program also dives into the film’s positive impact on representation in Hollywood. It features interviews with stars who share a connection to the project, including actor Billy Porter, actress Jade Jones, and singer-songwriter and choreographer Todrick Hall.
Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20 also features interviews with the original production team from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, including producers Debra Martin Chase and Neil Meron, and. costume designer Ellen Mirojnick and more.
“We’re delighted that the 25th anniversary of this landmark incarnation of ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella’ is being celebrated on its original network,” said Imogen Lloyd Webber, SVP at Concord Theatricals, on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s unforgettable score is truly timeless — still enchanting listeners 80 years after their partnership began and 65 years since their ‘Cinderella’ first charmed the largest audience in television history.”
Originally premiering on Nov. 2, 1997, to 60 million viewers on ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella earned seven Emmy Award nominations.
Ssongs by Rodgers & Hammerstein, included “Impossible,” “In My Own Little Corner,” “Ten Minutes Ago,” “A Lovely Night,” and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?”
The televised movie musical debuted on Disney+ in February 2021.
The 1997 movie was directed by Robert Iscove, written by Robert I. Freedman, and choreographed by Rob Marshall. Whitney Houston, Debra Martin Chase, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron served as Executive Producers. Chris Montan was a producer, and Robyn Crawford was an associate producer.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella was originally presented on television in 1957, and was the only musical written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for the medium. It was viewed by 107 million viewers and starred a 21-year-old Julie Andrews.
The show was revived in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren, had a second remake in 1997. A new Broadway version with a Tony-nominated book by Douglas Carter Beane premiered in 2013.
