I’ll be the first to admit that the stage may be one of the hardest places to adapt a fairy tale. After all, a key element of any fairy tale is the magic that is inherently missing in our everyday life. While special effects can mimic magic, movies and animated features have an advantage in that respect over the stage’s reliance on practical effects, suspension of disbelief, and imagination on the audience’s part.
Nevertheless, there are many adaptations of fairy tales that have featured on stages around the world which, in my opinion, are magical in their own right.
This list is fully my own opinion, and I know other people will have their own favorites (leave yours in the comments, I’m always looking for more!). Also, I should mention that another stage favorite of mine is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, which I talked about in my list of favorite movie fairy tales, and so I won’t be including it again here.
Into the Woods
I feel like anyone who spends even a little time around me will quickly realize that this show is quite possibly my favorite fairy tale adaptation of all time. The musical, written by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, premiered in 1987 and ran for 765 performances. In 1989, the original cast reunited for a taped production that is, in my opinion, the definitive version of the show. The musical seamlessly weaves together the stories of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and his cow, the baker and his wife, and Little Red Riding Hood. But they all seem to get their happily ever afters as Act 1 ends, leaving the entire second act to explore what it really means to get what you wish for and find it isn’t all you thought it would be. The music is phenomenal (and quite technically difficult), and I will never tire of watching this show.
Swan Lake
In 1877, a new ballet premiered in Moscow. Swan Lake, composed by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky and first choreographed by Julius Reisinger, drew from Russian and German folk tales to tell the story of Odette, a princess captured by a sorcerer named Von Rothbart. Odette is cursed to be a swan by day and a human by night. Prince Siegfried, after a chance meeting with the beautiful princess, falls in love and vows to end her curse, but theirs is a tragic tale. While it initially received rather mixed reviews, Swan Lake has become one of the most notable ballets in the world. I, for one, really love the music, which is one of my go-to soundtracks to write to.
Once Upon a Mattress
Once Upon a Mattress is a comedic musical retelling of The Princess and the Pea. Since premiering in 1959, the show has seen several revivals and TV and movie adaptations. The songs are catchy, the jokes are witty, and it brings a new perspective to a tale I don’t see retold often. This has been a go-to watch of mine for years and will undoubtedly continue to be so.
La Cenerentola
I’m no expert when it comes to opera. I’ve only seen a few, but one of the first ones I saw was La Cenerentola, a Cinderella retelling. This opera cuts out magic entirely, replacing the fairy godmother with a tutor and godfather and swapping the glass slipper for a silver bracelet. Of course, I admit some of my attachment to this particular opera stems from the fact that I got to see my sister sing the main role.
Hex
Oddly, this is a show I don’t know a lot about. But I’ve heard the highlights soundtrack, and every time a clip comes across my social media feed, I’m entranced. Hex is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with (what I can tell from summaries online) some similarities to Ella Enchanted (a fairy blessing gone wrong) and Wicked (a ‘villain’ who isn’t really one). A fairy is asked to help the newborn Princess Rose sleep, only her “blessing” ends up being more of a curse, both to the sleeping princess and herself, as it causes the fairy to lose her magic. She then sets out on a quest to break the curse and regain her power. This is a show I’d jump at the opportunity to see.
The Nutcracker
Every December, I find at least one afternoon to make myself a warm drink, curl up on my couch under a blanket, and watch The Nutcracker. This classic ballet is adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ short story, which itself was a retelling of E.T.A. Hoffman’s 1816 story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. It’s a beautiful production, with an incredible Tchaikovsky score. My Christmas season just isn’t complete without at least one viewing.
Honorable Mention
I was hesitant to include three Tchaikovsky ballets on my list, so Sleeping Beauty gets an honorable mention, not because I love it any less, but because I’m less familiar with it. I’ve only seen it once, and while I do love the music (parts of the score form the foundation of the music for Disney’s 1959 animated hit of the same name), I have more attachment to the other two on the list. But Sleeping Beauty has had a significant impact on fairy tale adaptations and ballet in general (remaining one of the most famous ballets of all time) and is worth including in a list like this.
What’s your favorite staged fairy tale?
Until next time, word nerds!
Kate G. Jameson 