The sets were great, the special effects, sharp, and Cinderella was lovely and talented (as were many of the cast); but, I missed the memo that the original story had been changed for Broadway (around 2013, it seems).
I can appreciate the integration of caring for the poor -- in my opinion, that's something a true Prince Charming would care about. But, from the point Cinderella *doesn't* leave her glass slipper on the castle stairs, I felt the writing/dialogue rushed downhill and never recovered. It was disjointed filler, and the nervous, dorky prince and town crier characters were so much so that it was distracting; they couldn't sell me on the noble desires. As for the female empowerment piece, yes, please give me that, but even it was lost as Cinderella's main focus became encouraging and doting on the prince to...become who he is? It felt weird -- not empowering.
When the book suddenly became important, and the audience was expected to go along with "Chapter 2!!!!" as the answer to everything, I almost walked out. My mother leaned over to me and asked, "What happened to the story?"
I have no idea, Mom.