SCENE ONE: “A HOUSE BEFORE THE STORM”
MUSIC CUE 1: OVERTURE / INSTRUMENTAL INTRO (Strings & Orchestra)
(30–60 seconds. Elegant, light tension. Projection shows the inside of a modest home. Windows reveal light rain and gentle wind outside.)
(Lights rise slowly as music plays. Soft wind and distant rain are heard.)
(CINDERELLA runs in, slightly damp, carrying a basket of laundry or supplies.)
CINDERELLA (to audience, breathless)
Oh—no, no, no.
Not today.
Not on gossip day
Not on storm day.
Not when my stepfamily has opinions.
(She drops the basket.)
Welcome.
Welcome to my house.
Which is not really my house.
It’s more like… a museum of expectations.
(Music softens into underscore.)
CINDERELLA (to audience, narration style)
Dearest audience,
If you have come seeking a tale of glass slippers and destiny… you are early.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
For today’s story begins with rain, three women with too much time, and a list of chores long enough to crush a dream.
(Music fades. A soft gust of wind is heard.)
(The front door FLIES open.)
(ENTER STEPMOTHER, STEPSISTER 1, and STEPSISTER 2, shaking off light rain and talking at once.)
STEPMOTHER
(shaking umbrella)
This weather is RUDE.
STEPSISTER 1
My hair had a vision. The wind betrayed it.
STEPSISTER 2
The town is FLOODED with gossip and I missed ALL of it.
STEPMOTHER
Where is she?
CINDERELLA
I was wondering the same thing about you.
STEPMOTHER Cinderella.
CINDERELLA
Stepmother.
(They smile politely It is very fake.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
STEPSISTER 1
Did you hear about the Prince?!
STEPSISTER 2
Everyone heard about the Prince.
STEPMOTHER (lowering voice)
They say he walked through the marketplace today.
STEPSISTER 1 WITH NO GUARDS.
STEPSISTER 2
With thoughts.
He was thinking.
CINDERELLA
That sounds dangerous.
STEPMOTHER
He is conflicted.
STEPSISTER 1 Mysterious.
STEPSISTER 2
Emotionally unavailable.
STEPSISTER 1
Which is romantic.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
CINDERELLA
Or exhausting.
STEPMOTHER
They say he doesn’t smile.
STEPSISTER 2
They say he hates the ball.
STEPSISTER 1
They say he wants a girl who is… (dramatic) different.
(The stepsisters FREEZE.)
COMEDY BEAT: “DIFFERENT”
STEPSISTER 1 (striking a pose)
Oh. Different. I can do different.
(Crosses eyes, bends knees, waves arms.)
Is this different?
STEPSISTER 2
No.
That’s injured.
(She straightens posture.)
Hello. I enjoy… silence.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
(pauses)
I hate this.
STEPSISTER 1
What if different means mysterious?
(Pulls hood over head, spins, trips.)
CINDERELLA
Different doesn’t usually come with sound effects.
STEPSISTER 2
What about quiet different?
STEPSISTER 1
Or tragic-backstory different?
CINDERELLA
Careful. You’re circling personality.
STEPSISTER 1
I can be unexpected! (shouts) BOO!
STEPSISTER 2 (startled)
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!
CINDERELLA
Because fear builds character?
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
STEPMOTHER Enough.
(Silence.)
Different does not mean embarrassing.
STEPSISTER 1
I thought embarrassing was bold.
STEPSISTER 2
I thought bold was rich.
THE CHORE LIST
STEPMOTHER Cinderella.
A storm may be coming.
And the roof is already leaking.
(She points upward.)
I am going to the market for supplies. Wood. Cloth.
Something that looks like responsibility.
STEPSISTER 1
I need shoes that survive weather.
STEPSISTER 2 And gossip.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
STEPMOTHER
(Read this.)
(She hands Cinderella a long list.)
CINDERELLA
(reading)
Prepare the house for weather disaster.
That feels hopeful.
STEPMOTHER
First: secure the windows.
STEPSISTER 2
Second: sweep the floors.
STEPSISTER 1
Third: wash all the clothes.
CINDERELLA
All of them?
STEPSISTER 1
Including the emotional ones.
STEPSISTER 2
Fourth: cook dinner.
STEPMOTHER
Fifth: prepare the roof for repair.
CINDERELLA
I don’t have a ladder.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
STEPMOTHER
You have courage.
STEPSISTER 1
And hands.
STEPSISTER 2
Mostly hands.
STEPSISTER 1
They say the Prince doesn’t want perfect.
STEPSISTER 2
They say he wants someone who speaks.
(They look at Cinderella.)
STEPMOTHER
Which is why you will stay here.
We will be at the market. Being seen.
STEPSISTER 1
Dreaming.
STEPSISTER 2
Competing.
(Projection shifts: rain slows and then STOPS. Wind fades. The street outside looks wet but calm.)
STEPMOTHER
Look.
The rain has stopped.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
Perfect timing.
We will return before the clouds change their minds.
(They move to exit.)
STEPSISTER 1
I could be different in a hat.
STEPSISTER 2
Different is overrated.
(They EXIT. Door closes.)
(CINDERELLA alone.)
CINDERELLA (to audience)
Windows. Floors. Roof. Dinner. Dreams postponed until further notice.
(She looks up.)
Funny thing about storms
They don’t wait for permission.
(She drops the list.)
And neither do I.
(Soft instrumental begins.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
MUSIC CUE 2: “NO MORE QUIET” – Intro Underscore
(Cinderella steps into a pool of light.)
CINDERELLA
(quiet, honest)
I am tired of whispering in rooms that don’t listen.
SONG CUE: “NO MORE QUIET” (Cinderella Solo)
(She begins singing.)
BLACKOUT.
SCENE TWO: “MARKET DAY GOSSIP”
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
SETTING:
The town marketplace. Stalls and baskets. Townspeople moving about. Projection shows a colorful market square with wet cobblestones from earlier rain. Light wind. No rain falling.
PROJECTION CUE 1: Market square, cloudy but bright.
(ENTER STEPMOTHER, STEPSISTER 1, and STEPSISTER 2 wearing light raincoats or cloaks. They shake off their coats dramatically.)
STEPMOTHER
Ugh.
The weather has touched me.
STEPSISTER 1
I told you we should have waited for the clouds to apologize.
STEPSISTER 2
This market smells like effort.
(They move to one side of the stage and sit as if on a bench or crate, posing like royalty waiting to be served.)
STEPSISTER 1
We should not be walking.
STEPSISTER 2
Walking is for peasants and plots.
STEPMOTHER
Sit.
We will be noticed.
(They sit. Cross legs. Fan themselves.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
(On the opposite side, TOWNSPEOPLE bustle. ENTER THE ROYAL COOK carrying baskets, overly excited.)
ROYAL COOK
(excited, breathless)
OH MY DAYS! MARKET DAY!
Do you know what this means?!
TOWNSPERSON 1
Vegetables?
ROYAL COOK
THE BALL.
TOWNSPERSON 2
The Royal Ball?!
ROYAL COOK
The Royal Ball of Royal Everything!
I have been seasoning since sunrise!
TOWNSPERSON 1
Seasoning what?
ROYAL COOK
THE FUTURE. (She spins.)
They want roasted duck, sugared apples, five kinds of bread, and something called “romantic soup.”
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
TOWNSPERSON 2
What is romantic soup?
ROYAL COOK
I don’t know but I cried while chopping onions so it feels correct.
(Stepsisters lean in slightly, listening.)
STEPSISTER 1
Did she say duck?
STEPSISTER 2
I refuse to eat anything with a backstory
STEPMOTHER
Sit beautifully
If the Prince sees you from a distance, he must think you are furniture.
STEPSISTER 1
What kind of furniture?
STEPMOTHER
Expensive.
ROYAL COOK CONTINUES
ROYAL COOK
The palace is buzzing!
The Queen is nervous.
The King keeps asking if the chairs match the feelings.
And the Prince—
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
(dramatic pause)
—he doesn’t even care about the ball.
TOWNSPERSON 1
What?!
ROYAL COOK
He says he wants someone… different.
(Stepsisters gasp.)
ENTER PRINCE & FRIENDS (OTHER SIDE OF STAGE)
(They enter laughing, carrying a bow and arrows or practice gear Light wind moves through the market.)
PRINCE
I would have hit the target if the wind wasn’t arguing with me.
FRIEND 1
The wind doesn’t respect royalty
FRIEND 2
Neither do arrows.
PRINCE
I trained for years and lost to weather.
FRIEND 1
You lost to air.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
PRINCE
Exactly.
It’s humiliating.
TOWNSPERSON 2
That’s him.
TOWNSPERSON 1
He looks normal.
ROYAL COOK
That’s what makes him dangerous.
PRINCE
Everyone thinks I want a princess with perfect posture and no opinions.
FRIEND 2
Don’t you?
PRINCE No.
I want someone who laughs when plans go wrong.
Someone who isn’t impressed by the palace.
Someone who doesn’t need permission to be themselves.
I don’t want perfect.
I want honest.
I want… unexpected.
(His friends listen.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
PRINCE
You know what troubles me?
Everyone says the ball is where I choose my future.
But what if I don’t even know who I am yet?
I spend my days learning how to stand, how to smile, how to aim a bow
…but no one ever asks what I’m aiming for.
(pauses)
I don’t want someone who loves the crown.
I want someone who sees me when the crown comes off
Someone who isn’t afraid to laugh at me when I miss the target.
Someone who doesn’t bow every five seconds.
I want real. Not rehearsed.
FRIEND 1
That’s not confusion.
That’s courage.
Most people choose what’s handed to them.
You’re choosing to look for something true.
FRIEND 2
And when you find her, she won’t be standing in the middle of a ballroom waiting to be chosen.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
She’ll probably be somewhere strange. Somewhere loud. Somewhere completely wrong.
PRINCE (smiling)
That sounds exactly right.
FRIEND 1
So… you’re searching for someone mysterious, unexpected, and completely unimpressed by titles.
PRINCE Exactly.
FRIEND 2
Perfect. She’s either going to change your life (beat) or steal your lunch. (Prince laughs.)
FRIEND 1
Either way, that’s destiny.
PRINCE (smiling)
Then I hope she’s hungry. (They start to walk on.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
ROYAL COOK
(sighing)
That boy doesn’t need a princess. He needs a miracle with muddy shoes.
(They sit taller Flip hair Strike poses.)
(Stepsisters suddenly rise and pose dramatically.)
STEPSISTER 1 (too loud)
Some women are born mysterious.
STEPSISTER 2
Some women are born unforgettable.
STEPSISTER 1
Some women are born ready for destiny.
(Prince walks past without noticing.)
STEPSISTER 2
Did destiny just ignore me?
STEPSISTER 1
I think destiny blinked.
STEPMOTHER
You blinked aggressively
(They rise dramatically.)
PROJECTION CUE 2: Market continues bustling. BLACKOUT.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
SCENE THREE: “The Leak”
SETTING:
Inside Cinderella’s house. It looks cleaner and more organized than Scene One, but still imperfect. A bucket sits center stage catching water from a leaking roof. Occasional dripping is heard. Projection shows the interior of the house with light rain visible through the windows.
PROJECTION CUE 1: Interior house with light rain outside windows.
MUSIC CUE 1: UNDERSCORE (soft, reflective strings)
(Lights rise.)
(ENTER CINDERELLA wearing muddy rain boots and a raincoat. She closes the door carefully behind her.)
(She looks up toward the ceiling.)
CINDERELLA
Please tell me you stopped.
(Drip. A drop of water hits the floor.)
Of course not. You’re consistent.
(She removes her raincoat and hangs it neatly. Wipes mud from her boots.)
(She moves the bucket slightly.)
No, no
That’s too confident.
(Drip misses.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
Excuse me.
(Moves it again. Drip lands inside.)
There we are.
Communication.
(She steps back, satisfied.)
Progress.
(She looks around.)
Floors? Clean.
Windows? Closed.
Laundry? Folded.
Roof? Moody
(Turns to audience.)
CINDERELLA (to audience)
Hello again, dearest audience.
I see you’ve returned.
Which means either you care about my story… or the storm did.
(pauses, gestures around)
You may notice… the house looks better.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
The dust has surrendered. The chairs are standing proudly. The kitchen smells like effort.
But the roof… the roof is auditioning for drama.
(Drip.)
CINDERELLA
I used to think my life would begin when something magical happened. A ball. A dress. A miracle. Turns out it began when I learned how to hold things together with one bucket and a sense of humor.
(She nudges the bucket.)
This is not what they write songs about. But it is what they live in.
CINDERELLA
I didn’t plan this life.
I didn’t choose the chores. I didn’t choose the waiting.
I didn’t choose the quiet.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
But somewhere between sweeping floors and chasing leaks…
I found my voice.
(pauses)
It just hasn’t learned how to interrupt yet.
(Drip.)
Working on it.
(The door FLIES open.)
(ENTER STEPMOTHER, STEPSISTER 1, and STEPSISTER 2 in raincoats, buzzing with gossip and attitude.)
STEPSISTER 1
We just passed the palace street!
STEPSISTER 2
The Prince was definitely in the air
STEPMOTHER
The wind carried royalty
STEPSISTER 1
He was walking with his friends again.
STEPSISTER 2
Laughing like a regular person.
STEPSISTER 1
That’s mysterious.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
STEPSISTER 2
That’s suspicious.
(They notice the bucket.)
STEPSISTER 1
Why is there a puddle in our living room?
CINDERELLA
Because the roof has joined the weather
STEPSISTER 2
I knew something would go wrong the moment I felt productive.
STEPMOTHER
I told you to prepare the house.
CINDERELLA
I did.
The house prepared a sequel.
STEPSISTER 1
He smiled today.
STEPSISTER 2
At the wind.
STEPSISTER 1
That smile could be destiny
STEPSISTER 2
That smile could be allergies.
STEPSISTER 1
Do you think he notices strong women?
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
STEPSISTER 2
He didn’t notice us at the market.
STEPSISTER 1
We were sitting beautifully.
STEPSISTER 2
We were sitting loudly.
STEPMOTHER
Enough.
We must prepare for the ball.
(Stepsisters gasp.)
STEPSISTER 1
The dresses!
STEPSISTER 2
The shoes!
STEPSISTER 1
The way I will walk into history!
STEPSISTER 2
The way I will walk without tripping!
STEPMOTHER (to Cinderella)
We will be in the next room.
No interruptions.
No opinions.
And no water near the silk.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
CINDERELLA
Of course.
The bucket and I will stay humble.
(Stepsisters exit, still gossiping.)
STEPSISTER 1
My dress must sparkle like confidence.
STEPSISTER 2
Mine must whisper wealth.
STEPSISTER 1
Mine must say, “I am unforgettable.”
STEPSISTER 2
Mine must say, “I own mirrors.”
(They exit with Stepmother.)
(Silence. Drip.)
CINDERELLA (to audience)
And just like that they go to dress for dreams while I dress the house for survival.
(pauses)
Funny thing about waiting
It teaches you how to listen.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
To storms.
To silence.
To yourself.
(She steps forward.)
Maybe this isn’t the life I imagined …but it’s the one that made me ready.
MUSIC CUE 2: NEXT SONG – INTRO UNDERSCORE
(Light shifts. Bucket drip softens.)
CINDERELLA
(quiet, determined)
If the world is going to hear me…
I might as well start speaking.
SONG CUE: [NEXT SONG TITLE – Cinderella Solo or Ensemble]
(She begins singing.)
BLACKOUT.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
SCENE FOUR: “ROYAL PREPARATIONS”
SETTING:
The palace grooming chamber. A chair center stage like a salon chair. A mirror or imaginary mirror. FRIEND 1 and FRIEND 2 hold combs, scissors, and wax strips. Projection shows an elegant royal interior.
PROJECTION CUE 1: Palace grooming room – warm gold and royal blues.
MUSIC CUE 1: LIGHT COMEDIC UNDERSCORE
(Lights rise on the PRINCE seated in a chair FRIEND 1 trims his hair FRIEND 2 prepares a wax strip.)
FRIEND 1
Hold still.
PRINCE
I am holding still.
FRIEND 2
Your eyebrows disagree.
(Wax strip is pulled.)
PRINCE I HAVE LEFT MY BODY!
FRIEND 1
Beauty requires bravery
PRINCE
So does survival.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
(TRUMPET FLOURISH.)
(ENTER QUEEN and KING in full royal elegance.)
QUEEN
Behold.
The future.
(She circles the Prince.)
A prince is not born. He is revealed.
KING
Yes, my love.
Revealed and very shiny.
QUEEN (to Prince)
Stand tall, my son. Even your silence must look expensive.
PRINCE
I feel like furniture.
QUEEN
Furniture can be admired.
Remember:
“A crown does not shout. It listens.”
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
KING
And it listens beautifully.
QUEEN
We come from the royal tasting.
KING
The soup.
(He tastes imaginary soup again and grimaces.)
QUEEN
It is bold.
KING
It is emotional.
(He speaks Tagalog more strongly.)
What is this?! It’s stronger than me!
QUEEN
Darling.
Control your eyebrows.
KING
Yes, my Queen. But the soup attacked me.
QUEEN (to Prince)
A good soup is like a good marriage. Balanced.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
Warm. And never rushed.
PRINCE
Is everything a lesson?
QUEEN
Everything is destiny wearing a costume.
KING
I agree with your destiny.
QUEEN
My son, tonight you will meet many young women. Some will love the palace. Some will love the crown. Some will love the idea of you. But remember: “Not every jewel is meant for every crown.”
PRINCE
What if I don’t want a jewel?
QUEEN (smiling sweetly)
Every prince wants a jewel. Eventually
KING
Yes. She will sparkle like the soup but less painful.
FRIEND 1
Shall we practice your entrance?
FRIEND 2
And your smile.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
PRINCE
What if I say the wrong thing?
QUEEN
Then say it beautifully. A royal mistake is still a statement.
KING
And I will clap.
(Friends step back. Music begins to change.)
MUSIC CUE 2: PRINCE LOVE SONG INTRO (Soulful strings, longing tone)
(Prince steps forward. Friends freeze slightly. Queen and King observe.)
PRINCE
(to himself, then outward)
Somewhere there is someone who does not know my name, but already knows my heart. Someone who does not need a palace to feel at home. Someone who will see me before she sees the crown.
SONG CUE: [PRINCE SOLO – Love Song to His Future Bride]
(Prince sings — soulful, longing, hopeful. Queen listens closely.)
(During the song, the QUEEN’s smile slowly tightens.)
QUEEN
(quietly, to King)
This song is not for the ball.
KING
It is very emotional.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
QUEEN
It is very… specific.
KING
Do you think he is choosing love over lineage?
QUEEN
I fear he is choosing someone we did not invite.
(Song ends. Prince breathes.)
PRINCE
I will find her
QUEEN
(smiling, controlled)
Of course you will.
A prince always finds what is meant for him.
KING
And what my Queen approves.
QUEEN
Come, my King.
We must speak to the soup again.
KING
Yes, my Queen.
That soup is truly bold
(Queen and King exit.)
CINDERELLA:
(Friends surround Prince.)
FRIEND 1
That was intense.
FRIEND 2
You sang like someone in love.
PRINCE
Maybe I already am.
FRIEND 1
With who?
PRINCE
With who she will be.
MUSIC CUE 3: TRANSITION INTO NEXT SCENE BLACKOUT.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
SCENE FIVE: “THE LIGHT AND THE STORM”
(Act One Finale – Split Stage)
SETTING: Split stage.
● STAGE LEFT: Cinderella’s home dim, leaking roof, bucket catching water
● STAGE RIGHT: Stepmother’s elegant but shadowed space.
Wind and distant thunder underscore the scene.
PROJECTION CUE 1: Darkening storm clouds across both sides of the stage.
SOUND CUE: Wind. Low thunder (“clap… clap…”).
(Lights rise on CINDERELLA alone, center Stage Left. She looks up at the leaking roof.)
CINDERELLA
They never hated me loudly. That would have been easier. They just didn’t see me. I was ordinary, and that made me nothing in their eyes. No praise. No protection. No warmth.
I learned to feed myself…comfort myself…survive myself. And all I ever wanted wasn’t gold or royalty — I wanted to be chosen. To be cared for without having to earn it. To be loved without being different.
(Thunder: “clap.”)
I kept asking the sky what I did wrong. It never answered.
(She kneels by the bucket. Silence.)
(A soft glow appears behind her. The FAIRY GODMOTHER slowly materializes mysterious, radiant, calm.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
FAIRY GODMOTHER
You ask the storm questions meant for the light.
CINDERELLA
(startled)
Who are you?
FAIRY GODMOTHER
A memory. A promise. A door you forgot you could open.
CINDERELLA
Are you here to fix this? (gestures to the roof)
FAIRY GODMOTHER
No. I am here to show you what still stands.
CINDERELLA
My mother died first. My father followed her like he couldn’t breathe without her. She raised me but she blamed me. And when he was gone everything else went quiet. Every meal. Every silence. Every storm. I became invisible.
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Invisible is not the same as unworthy. The world taught you to rely on yourself because it worships attention, not kindness. But you learned something rarer You learned how to endure.
CINDERELLA
I don’t want to endure anymore. I want to belong.
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Then stop waiting for permission. Your parents did not leave you empty. They left you brave. Look up.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
(She gestures upward. Light brightens slightly.)
The storm is not your enemy. It is your passage.
(Thunder.)
STAGE RIGHT: STEPMOTHER & FAIRY GODFATHER
(Light rises on STEPMOTHER pacing. A low laugh is heard. FAIRY GODFATHER appears from the shadows.)
FAIRY GODFATHER
(laughing softly, dragging vowels)
Ahhh listen to the storm, my dear. It sounds exactly like indecision.
STEPMOTHER
Don’t sneak like that.
FAIRY GODFATHER
Sneak? No, no, no I arrive. (pauses, smoothing his coat) And I always arrive when fear begins to think.
STEPMOTHER
She is becoming a problem.
FAIRY GODFATHER
Ohhh…say her name properly. Cin-de-relll-la. Such a small word for such an inconvenience.
STEPMOTHER
My daughters deserve the Prince.
FAIRY GODFATHER (laughs)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
Ahhhh deserve. How delicious that word is. You raised them for greatness. You dressed them for admiration. You trained them to shine. And what did she learn?
STEPMOTHER
To endure.
FAIRY GODFATHER
Precisely. Endurance is not attraction. Kindness is not currency. And ordinary… (leans in) ordinary is invisible.
STEPMOTHER
She survived when my husband did not.
FAIRY GODFATHER
(slowly)
And you have never forgiven her for breathing afterward.
STEPMOTHER
Don’t say it like that.
FAIRY GODFATHER
Truth sounds better when it wears velvet.
(laughs)
You built a kingdom for your daughters. She lives in the cracks.
STEPMOTHER
What if she dreams?
FAIRY GODFATHER
Dreams are for those who are seen. Your daughters are seen. She must…stay…out…of the way
(Thunder.)
CINDERELLA:
STEPMOTHER
I never hated her.
FAIRY GODFATHER (smiling)
Of course not. You simply forgot her loudly. Much kinder.
STEPMOTHER
You make it sound cruel.
FAIRY GODFATHER
Cruel? No. Practical. The Prince wants spectacle. Your daughters are fireworks. She is a candle.
STEPMOTHER
But she is my husband’s child.
FAIRY GODFATHER
And they are your future. Which one will you protect? (Long pause.)
STEPMOTHER (quietly)
I protect what shines.
FAIRY GODFATHER (laughing softly)
Ohhh… how royal that sounds. Let the storm take care of the rest.
STEPMOTHER
What do you mean?
FAIRY GODFATHER
Sometimes fate needs encouragement.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
(Thunder grows louder.)
STEPMOTHER BALLAD
MUSIC CUE: STEPMOTHER BALLAD – “WHAT THEY DESERVE” (Big Voice, Dramatic)
(Stepmother steps into the spotlight. The Fairy Godfather circles her like a shadow.)
(Song about duty, loss, bitterness, choosing her daughters over Cinderella.)
SPLIT STAGE – BOTH WORLDS COLLIDE
(Fairy Godmother reaches for Cinderella’s hand.)
FAIRY GODMOTHER
The light is not given. It is claimed.
CINDERELLA
What if I fall?
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Then the world will finally see you.
(Lightning flashes.)
SOUND CUE: Thunder “CLAP! CLAP!”
(Ceiling creaks.)
CINDERELLA
Something’s wrong—
SOUND CUE: CRASH.
(A section of the roof collapses. Debris falls. Cinderella is struck and collapses.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Cinderella!
(Blackout on Stage Left.)
(Stage Right: Stepmother freezes mid-song.)
STEPMOTHER
What have I done…
SOUND: One final thunder CLAP LIGHTS OUT.
FAINT LIGHT (HOPE)
(After collapse.)
A small glow appears where Cinderella lies.
FAIRY GODMOTHER (V.O.)
The storm does not choose her ending.
(Glow remains as blackout.)
INTERMISSION.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
ACT TWO – SCENE ONE: “AFTERMATH”
(Draft Version with Opening Impact Adjustment & Narrator Lighting Option)
SETTING: Exact same picture as Act 1 finale collapse. No visual reset. Cinderella remains under rubble.
PROJECTION CUE 1: Ruined interior with pale dawn light
SOUND CUE: Wind through broken beams. Occasional drip of water
LIGHTS: Sharp snap up (not slow fade) immediate restart impact
(CINDERELLA lies motionless under debris.)
ENTER STEPMOTHER from Stage Right. She steps carefully through rubble, sees Cinderella. She pauses performs sympathy.
STEPMOTHER (overly soft, performative)
Oh no… oh this poor child…
Such a fragile little thing…
(She almost kneels then instantly drops the act, stands, brushes dust away.)
STEPMOTHER (cold, flat)
What dreadful timing.
I saw it fall. I heard the sound. And I will not relive it. (pauses, straightening herself)
Do you know what tonight is?
The Ball.
My daughters must shine.
I will not have tragedy wrinkle silk.
ENTER FAIRY GODFATHER
LIGHT SHIFT OPTION: Stage dims spotlight on Godfather above.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
FAIRY GODFATHER
Ahhh… so we pretend the storm was merely… inconvenient.
LIGHTS RETURN TO STAGE
STEPMOTHER
Do not dramatize this. If she is hurt, it is unfortunate. If she is gone it is fate. Either way, I have no time. Handle it. Quietly.
FAIRY GODFATHER (smiling)
And where is the inconvenience?
STEPMOTHER
Under whatever the sky decided to drop. Clear it.
Remove it. Make it disappear. I will not have this house smell like memory. (She turns away from the rubble.)
My daughters are waiting. (cold)
Do not follow me with questions.
EXIT STEPMOTHER
LIGHT SHIFT — spotlight to GODFATHER (if using narrator structure)
FAIRY GODFATHER
Ahhh… responsibility in a hurry. How very royal.
LIGHTS RETURN
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
(ENTER MOUSE 1 and MOUSE 2 from the aisle or upstage, circling the rubble.)
THE MICE (comic duo)
MOUSE 1
Careful careful this place looks like yesterday’s cheese.
MOUSE 2
I heard there was thunder and no dessert.
MOUSE 1
Do you think the Royal Cook saved soup for the ball?
MOUSE 2
If not, we riot.
(They sniff around.)
MOUSE 1
Cinderellee?
MOUSE 2
Cinderellee?
(They spot Cinderella’s hand or foot under debris.)
MOUSE 1
What in the cheddar cheese is going on here?
(Cinderella’s foot twitches.)
MOUSE 2
SHE MOVED!
MOUSE 1
That’s not rubble—that’s a person!
(They try lifting debris.)
FAIRY GODFATHER (watching)
FAIRY GODFATHER
Well, well
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
The storm has poor aim.
(Cinderella stirs.)
CINDERELLA AWAKENS
CINDERELLA (weakly)
The roof
She said—
(to herself)
“Do not get in the way of what my daughters deserve.”
MOUSE 1
You’re alive!
MOUSE 2
Alive and dusty!
(Soft glow appears. ENTER FAIRY GODMOTHER.)
FAIRY GODMOTHER & CINDERELLA
FAIRY GODMOTHER
The storm does not choose your ending.
CINDERELLA
I thought… that was it.
I thought I was done being ordinary.
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Ordinary does not survive storms. You did.
CINDERELLA
She saw me fall and she left.
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Then let this be the moment you stop waiting to be chosen.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
(FAIRY GODFATHER steps back, amused.)
FAIRY GODFATHER
Ahhh… the light arrives late.
How poetic.
This no longer concerns me.
Enjoy your miracle.
(EXIT FAIRY GODFATHER.)
MICE + FAIRY GODMOTHER + CINDERELLA
MOUSE 1
You’re shaking.
MOUSE 2
But you’re standing.
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Then sing.
MUSIC CUE 1: SHORT UPLIFTING SONG – “Brave of Heart, CINDERELLA” (Mice, Fairy
Godmother, Cinderella)
(No lyrics in script. Cinderella joins fully at the end.)
COSTUME MAGIC
CINDERELLA
What am I going to wear to the ball?
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Faith… …and fabric.
PROJECTION CUE 2: Light swirls and sparkles.
(A gown descends safely from above.)
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
MOUSE 1
Dress from the sky!
MOUSE 2
Fashion miracle!
PUMPKIN CARRIAGE ENTRANCE
(A magical sound. The MICE run off and re-enter pulling or pushing a PUMPKIN CARRIAGE.)
MOUSE 1
We found transportation!
MOUSE 2
Eco-friendly.
CINDERELLA
You built this?
MOUSE 1
We upgraded a vegetable.
MOUSE 2
It’s a long story
(They position the carriage center stage.)
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Every journey begins with courage.
Step inside.
(Cinderella hesitates, then steps into the carriage.)
CINDERELLA
What if they don’t see me?
FAIRY GODMOTHER They will.
Not because of the dress… but because you finally chose to arrive.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
MOUSE 1 Ready?
MOUSE 2
Hold your sparkle.
(Mice take their pulling positions.)
FAIRY GODMOTHER To the Ball.
Not as a shadow but as yourself
MUSIC CUE 2: TRANSITION TO BALLROOM (hopeful, magical)
(Lights brighten. The carriage slowly rolls forward.)
MOUSE 1
Next stop: destiny!
MOUSE 2 And snacks!
(They exit with the carriage.)
BLACKOUT.
CINDERELLA: ONCE UPON MY TIME
SETTING: