The performance begins from the moment you enter Theater XIV, a 200-seater in the heart of Bushwick, where the atmosphere is so thick with frankincense that it would have choked Louis XIV. The interior of the theater is styled in sumptuous Rococo, drenched in blood-red lamplight and the twinkle of crystal chandeliers. In the antechamber, barmaids and coatcheck-men towering in high heels wear powdered wigs, girdles, and Mozartian capes; virtually nothing is required of them to transform into the characters of “Cinderella,” which occurs as soon as they finish serving drinks and handing out tickets (I believe I was served a $6 pour-your-own coffee by Cinderella herself).
McCormick’s “Cinderella” offers a proper Manhattan indulgence in the senses and wallet, but with reminders of the neighborhood’s gender-fluid, hipster aesthetic throughout. At least half of the performers have visible tattoos, including Prince Charming who has Gumby on his left butt cheek. Cinderella’s two sisters, played by Nick and Ross Katen, are spindly-limbed twins sporting handlebar mustaches who debut with lip-syncing Bobby Troup’s song, “Daddy” (“Daddy I want a brand new car, champagne, caviar). The twins, an obvious crowd-favorite, draw catcalls and hearty laughs throughout the night whether they frolic about nude with just a scanty towel between them, or sashay in gold-sequin bodysuits while waving peacock-feather fans.


