Photo courtesy of Paula Nemes John Voit conducts the orchestra for the Marshall Area Stage Company’s 2022 summer musical “Cinderella.”

The Marshall Area Stage Company waited two years to perform the 2013 version of the musical “Cinderella,” and they almost didn’t get to finish what they started.

The musical was performed twice in June before several cast members came down with COVID. The four remaining performances needed to be either rescheduled or canceled.

After an emergency meeting and communication with cast and orchestra members, it was decided to move the performances to June 27-28 and July 11-12. The show wraps up tonight at 7 p.m. at Marshall High School.

“I can’t say enough about the dedication of our cast and crew,” said Artistic Director Paula Nemes. “Everyone came together. We all absolutely wanted to finish the show.”

She said the scheduling came down to several factors. It was necessary to plan around the Fourth of July holiday and individual vacation plans.

At the same time, organizers had to work around Marshall’s Wednesday night city band concerts since some participants play in the band. They also wanted to avoid schedule conflicts with the Lake Benton Opera House and its upcoming performances of the musical “Newsies.”

“It was a matter of when we could get everybody,” Nemes said. “Nothing was possible on weekends, which meant we weren’t able to do afternoon matinees. We were left with Mondays and Tuesdays.”

She said audience turnouts have been favorable even though performances have taken place early in the week. Much of the main seating area of the theater has been full.

Two cast changes were required for important roles. Mike Van Keulen stepped in to play Pinkleton, the royal court announcer, and then the Lord Protector Sebastian, who was ruling the kingdom until the prince was old enough to become king.

Jordan Stangeland came forward to play Jean-Michel, the revolutionary who wanted reforms in the kingdom and who influenced both Cinderella and one of the stepsisters.

“They had very little time to learn their roles,” Nemes said. “It worked out because they’re very competent performers and were very accommodating.”

She said original cast members who came down with COVID were able to step back into their roles after their quarantine periods expired.

A previous version of “Cinderella” was MASC’s first summer musical in 2000. They had planned to do the 2013 version as a 20th anniversary show in 2020, but had to wait until this summer because of the COVID pandemic.

Nemes said several cast and orchestra members were also part of the production in 2000. Audience members who’ve seen both versions have enjoyed the variations in the newer script.

Creators of the 2013 version made one of the two stepsisters an ally of Cinderella. They created a backdrop of political intrigue in the kingdom involving Sebastian, Jean-Michel and an uncertain young prince.

The fairy godmother was cast as “Crazy Mary,” someone who was actually everyone’s fairy godmother but who was befriended only by Cinderella.

“People are enjoying the differences,” Nemes said. “The version we’re doing this year has more humor. It also offers a really good message.”