Theater fans are in for a treat with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bad Cinderella coming to Broadway this spring after the play debuted in 2021 in London’s West End. Even more exciting, the title role will be played by Dominican actress Linedy Genao.
The stage actress is bringing the retelling of the classic fairy tale to new territory by shedding the persona that we all know. Not only is this Cinderella a rebel, but she will also look like those in our communities. (You can even catch the title song Bad Cinderella in Spanish soon!)
Genao is excited for the opportunity to proudly represent her community on Broadway, especially when leading a show by Lloyd Webber, the legendary composer behind the music of Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita, and so many other famed stage performances. Genao gushed that she has always wanted to originate a role on Broadway. Now, she gets to live out her dream while uplifting her community one show at a time.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine achieving that dream alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber and such an incredible team of collaborators,” Genao said during the announcement, according to PR Newswire. “As a proud Dominican American, I am most excited about this opportunity to represent my community and show the world that fairy tales do come true — and are for everybody.”
You can already listen to the English-language version of the title song, “Bad Cinderella,” on streaming platforms. The Spanish-language version will be released later.
Bad Cinderella previewing will open February 17 at the Imperial Theater, the day before the final show of Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running show on Broadway with music by the famed composer. Bad Cinderella’s opening night is scheduled for March 23, the day after Lloyd Webber’s 75th birthday.
Other Latina Cinderella’s include Dania Ramirez from Once Upon a Time season 7 and Camila Cabello in the 2021 movie Cinderella.
You can watch Linedy Genao perform Bad Cinderella on TODAY here.