Panto U.S.A. Presents Cinderella

Panto U.S.A. brings Cinderella to Miller Outdoor Theatre on Tuesday, October 20, and Wednesday, October 21. Both shows run at 11 AM and last about an hour, so it's a morning thing rather than an evening one.

It's the Cinderella you know: bullied by two mean step-sisters, Cinderella's future looks bleak until her Fairy Godmother sends her to the ball, from which she flees at midnight, leaving behind a single glass slipper. Panto U.S.A. tells the story with original modern songs and a good deal of hilarity, so it's a true-to-story version that doesn't take itself too seriously.

The venue is part of the city's long-running outdoor tradition. Miller Outdoor Theatre opened in 1923 and is now in its second century, sitting on about 7.5 acres of Hermann Park. It runs the largest free performing-arts program of its kind in the country, sponsored by the Miller Theatre Advisory Board and presented by H-E-B with funding from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. The stage was recently renovated with nearly $2 million in upgrades, including new air conditioning and electrical work, covered seating and a sloping hillside that fits around 4,500 people on blankets or lawn chairs.

Admission is free and no tickets are necessary; seating is first-come, first-served, so if you're planning to go, you'll want to get there early to snag a good spot on the hill. Both performances start at 11 AM on October 20 and 21, and they run for an hour.