Black Ensemble Theater’s ‘The Other Cinderella’ Celebrates 47 Years Of The Updated Fairy Tale

by Caroline Siede / Block Club Chicago / December 4, 2023

Chicago theater legend Jackie Taylor brings her beloved musical comedy back home for the holidays. 

UPTOWN – Before the Christkindlmarket took over Daley Plaza, the Goodman staged “A Christmas Carol” or the Joffrey put on “The Nutcracker,” another beloved Chicago holiday tradition was born on the North Side of the city: “The Other Cinderella,” an original family-friendly musical celebrating its 47th anniversary this year at the Black Ensemble Theater.

Staged every few years since 1976, the musical comedy retells the classic Cinderella story through a modern Black lens. But according to writer, director and Black Ensemble Theater founder Jackie Taylor, she doesn’t deserve sole credit for the show’s creation. 

“Actually my students came up with the idea,” Taylor told Block Club. “I’m a teacher and my class on one particular day was just very difficult and challenging. And I said, ‘Okay, it’s obvious that you all do not want to learn today. So what do you want to do?’ And they had seen Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ musical the night before because it was on TV. And one little girl raised her hand and said ‘Miss Taylor, can we do Cinderella?’ And I said, ‘Well, we can’t do the Cinderella that you’re referring to. We’re gonna do the other Cinderella.’ And that’s how I developed the script and it went from there.” Read more HERE