By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Lightbox stages a twist on classic fairy tale
Cinderella eats rice and beans
The Lightbox Theatre Company is performing “Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans” with Ileana Ramirez as Cenicienta and Breanna Visaraga as Rosa (Photo contributed).

What will happen to Cinderella at the ball … game?

That’s the surprising climactic question in the contemporary Latin-American Cinderella musical, “Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans: A Salsa Fairy Tale,” which is being staged by the Lightbox Theatre Company at the Carnegie Arts Center.

This version turns the classic fairy tale on its head, telling the story from both Cinderella and the stepsister’s perspective. Cinderella, a newcomer from Puerto Rico, comes to visit her stepsister, Rosa, in the United States. The difficulty arises in that Cinderella only speaks Spanish and Rosa only speaks English.

With a fairy godfather and other twists to the original story, “Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans: A Salsa Fairy Tale” crosses language and gender barriers, weaving a subtle lesson on empathy, sportsmanship and respect.

The show stars Ileana Ramirez as Cenicienta, Breanna Visaraga as Rosa, David Narbona as Padrino, and Keny Pernett as Joey.

The show opened Friday and will continue its run through Oct. 7. Shows are at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and matinees are at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The show is 60 minutes long with no intermission.

Tickets for the show are $12 general admission, $10 for Carnegie Arts Center members, and $8 for youths and students with valid ID. Tickets are available online at lightboxforyouth.org or at the Carnegie Arts Center.

Gallo Center introduces 25/26 season
Jay Leno and Arsenio Hall
Comedy legend Jay Leno, with special guest Arsenio Hall, will kickoff the Gallo’s 25/26 season on Sept. 13 (Photo contributed).
MODESTO, CA — The Gallo Center for the Arts announced its 2025/26 season, marking the 18th anniversary of the downtown Modesto performing arts center, recently named a Top 10 venue globally by Pollstar. Advance ticket sales to Gallo Center donors are already underway. Tickets go on sale to the public on June 2.
Keep reading for free
Enter your email address to continue reading.