“An insult to the entire NIU School of Theatre and Dance is the only way to describe...” Lindsey Kastning’s review of “A Cinderella Waltz.” I was left speechless after reading the review to, what I felt, was one of the better plays put on so far, especially considering it was a Studio Show, as opposed to the normal Main Stage shows that are expected to be produced in a much grander fashion. This article made it very clear that the reviewer does not understand the first thing about the theater.

The show is supposed to be a twisted fairy tale of sorts. A response to fairy tales and an examination into one of the most well-known and beloved stories. Therefore, it is not the fault of the school to turn away those people that the play may be deemed inappropriate for. This was supposed to be a “perversion of what fairy tales should be.” If the character that was portrayed by Mitchell Beecher made you feel uncomfortable, then bravo to him for doing his job properly.

Insulting the craft and skill of the actors simply because they make you feel uncomfortable says that you are not mature enough to appreciate the art and glory of the theatre. Also, to drop “Cinderella” from the title and call the play “A Waltz,” not only takes away from the point and message of the play but could very well be a violation of the play’s rights, which would be illegal and generally NOT a good thing!

It should be known that these Studio Shows have a budget of less than $100. That would include anything that would be required for sound, costumes, lighting, set and other miscellaneous expenses. To call into question the effort and drive of the designers is highly inappropriate and uncalled for.

I have also noticed that the reviewer keeps bringing up the point of actors turning their backs to the audience, a point that was also made when she reviewed “A Thurber Carnival.” There is NO such “cardinal rule” of the theater that says “never turn your back to an audience.” There are times when set, blocking, focus and/or script will call for such action to be done. While it is never a good idea to shut the audience out as an actor, it is fully acceptable and fairly common to have an actor with his back to the audience at some point in any given play.

I am appalled that this sort of review would be printed in the Northern Star, and I respectfully request that this review be retracted and that the reviewer apologize for a misleading and inappropriate review. I applaud the NIU School of Theatre and Dance for putting on a play such as this. A play that made audiences laugh, that made audiences uncomfortable and that made audiences think about what a fairy tale would be in the most absurd of real life situations.

Doug Kwiecinski,
senior theatre major

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