By DOUG GILLETT
Staff Writer

Everyone remembers the Grimm fairy tale and the Disney animated film. But this weekend, the Athens Ballet Company will present a different spin on "Cinderella" when they present it at the Morton Theatre downtown.

The company, now in its 25th year, presents one major full-length performance annually. Composed mostly of residents from Athens and surrounding areas, the ballet’s members range in age from 10 to the mid-40s.

"It’s not just a children’s group. We have adults who have performed with us," said Marianne Hale, the director of "Cinderella." "We even have some who have danced professionally."

Hale said their production of the ballet likely will be different from what most people expect. The style of the music is classical, but contemporary (Prokofiev wrote the score in 1939) and there’s plenty of humor as well.

"There’s a lot of comedy in the ballet, especially as far as the stepsisters and stepmother are concerned, and that’s reflected in the music," Hale said.

Whitney Orr, a senior at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, will play Cinderella for two of the four performances. "It’s so much fun because ‘Cinderella’ is a lot of acting and not a lot of showing off and technical stuff," she said. "It really gives you a chance to get into the character."

Orr, who has been dancing since the age of seven, said her fascination with the character as a child is something she can see in the youngsters who see the show now. "A lot of the little kids look up to you. They say, ‘Wow, you’re Cinderella,’ and they love looking at (the) costume," she said.

Cinderella’s stepsisters are played by Meg Andrews (Prunella) and Anita Russo (Euphronia). Andrews, also a senior at Cedar Shoals, described her character as "a really big priss … all that she does is make life miserable for Cinderella and flirt with Prince Charming."

Russo, who works with the University’s Information Techno-logy Outreach Services, emphasized the "comic relief" aspect of the stepsisters’ roles. "We fight a lot, and there’s a lot of physical abuse going on, especially between the stepsisters and the stepmother," she said. "She tries to bring her daughters in line."

This weekend’s ballet is unusual in its emphasis on drama, said Allen Rowell, who plays Prince Charming. Though he doesn’t have a lengthy dance background, Rowell is a member of two local drama troupes.

"It appeals to a much broader audience than I think most people realize," Rowell said. "I think that’s a very important thing about these kinds of shows. They have a large dramatic appeal. There are a lot of dramatic parts and a lot of comedic action."

Hale agreed, saying the show would be enjoyable to "anyone who has an appreciation of fine arts, just from the aspect of the complexity of the chorus … it’s appealing on a number of levels."