Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...Fairy tales, even more than the plays of Shakespeare, open themselves up to endless reinvention. And Jackie Taylor's hilarious, musically sophisticated, hipper-than-hip show, "The Other Cinderella" - first produced in 1976, and remounted (and continually tweaked and updated on an every-other-year basis ever since) - is a prime example of how to breathe fresh, and happily irreverent life into a familiar story."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...writer/director Jackie Taylor doesn't otherwise wander far from the original, so there are practically no surprises. Still, the music, cowritten by Taylor and Michael Ward, is delightful and even, at times, astonishing. Taylor clearly understands that, because she's packed her cast with first-rate singers (Raymond Wise is a standout as a plucky page) and backed them up with an amazing orchestra led by Robert Reddrick."
Windy City Times - Highly Recommended
"...You'd never guess this material's age seeing the production making its debut in sumptuous new quarters, replete with turntable platforms, video projections, flying equipment, shimmery costumes, and a sound system every theater in town should hope Santa brings them. The score by Michael Ward, Herman Wheatley and Taylor herself might include a few songs recalling '70s luminaries (Gladys Knight, the Fifth Dimension), but the "hoodies" contribute plenty of hip-hop action, thanks to Rueben Echoles' intricate, down-front dance choreography. The cast is anchored by such BET regulars as Rhonda Preston, Dwight Neal, Dawn Bless and David Simmons, along with recent discoveries like Lisa Beasley, Raymond Wise, Ta-Tynisa Wilson and A'rese Emokpae, playing the irrepressible Fairygodmama whose signature song "You Make The Wish" we will be humming for weeks afterward."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...As everybody learns to be themselves no matter what anybody else thinks, Taylor finds sly ways of mocking the story's absurdities and supplies the cast members with plenty of opportunities to ham it up and sing their faces off. The results are soulful, campy and a lot of fun."
ShowBizChicago - Recommended
".. From the Brothers Grimm to sanitized Disney animations, fairy tales have certainly earned their place in musical cannon — they’re classics that can be endlessly reimagined on stage. And that’s precisely what Jackie Taylor and the Black Ensemble Theater attempt with the popular and long-running The Other Cinderella, which is now a staple on the holiday theater lineup."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"... Delivering a fine message of love, hope and the importance of believing in yourself, The Other Cinderella is a uplifting ode to the human spirit. It is also a refreshinglyfun holiday show thatbegs to be seen over and over. I must admit that,untilnow, I have never seen thsi terrific show. Shame on me. I’ll be sure to put this show on my list of “Must See” each year it is mounted."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...Playwright and director Jackie Taylor introduced her Kingdom of Other in 1976. So like a finely aged wine, the 2012 flavor is robust and lingering. On the surface, THE OTHER CINDERELLA is pure, high energy family entertainment. The singing is upbeat, hand-clapping, spirit-moving gospel choir. The story follows the traditional plot with additional layers of messaging. Taylor tackles identity, homophobia, unemployment, classism, skin color. And she does it with sass and grit. Taylor has an original and unique showcase!"
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...It is hard to believe that it was 1976 when Jackie Taylor's Black Ensemble Theater premiered her musical, "The Other Cinderella", her version of the classic story that deals with hope, love and the importance in believing in one's self. In Taylor's version, we are in the Kingdom of Other!, where all are welcome and the story has a lot more "soul" with music and comedy for everyone. Ms Taylor herself was the original Cinderella ( now played with great vocal range by Ta-Tynisa Wilson. The basic story remains that The king ( Dwight Neal) and The Queen (Rhonda Preston) want to see their son, The Prince ( deftly handled by Lawrence Williams) married, so they are arranging a Ball, where every woman in the Kingdom can be met an done selected."
Splash Magazine - Recommended
"...The Other Cinderella, performing now through January 13th at the Black Ensemble Theater, could never be accused of being low energy. Whereas most children theater is content to use canned music, the Black Ensemble Theater rocks it out with their house band. In fact, longtime ensemble veteran Robert Reddrick (Musical Director and Drums) provides such a charge to the production it is easy to forget one is watching a play aimed primarily for pre-teens (albeit a play that has sixteen song and dance numbers designed to bring the house down). The last time I saw so many middle aged adults dancing in their seats it was at a Rod Stewart concert. Come to think of it, the first time The Other Cinderella was performed before a live audience, Rod Stewart was just starting out."