CHILDREN’S THEATER REVIEW : A Good Share of the Royalties : Buena Park Children’s Musical Theatre offers winning Cinderella and dreamy Prince. Villain turns out to be the sound system.

If Cinderella’s fella had been a ‘90s kind of guy, his ad in the personals might have read something like this:

“Meltingly handsome prince, 21, seeks downtrodden country girl for dance, romance and marriage. Must have charm, wit and itsy-bitsy glass slippers.”

But as the Buena Park Children’s Musical Theatre’s current production reminds us, Cinderella and her prince wooed in the best fairy-tale tradition: a little magic, a little music and--whammo!--it’s happily-ever-after time. The outdoor staging, directed by group founder Ruth Walp, continues through Saturday at the Buena Park Community Recreation Center.

A word of warning for your little couch potatoes, though: this is “Cinderella” according to Rodgers and Hammerstein, not Walt Disney. There are no chatty mice or cantankerous cats, and because of the physical limitations of live theater, it takes more than a couple of “bibbidy, bobbidy, boos” to turn the ragged Cinderella into a glittering goddess. (It took more than a minute for Cinderella, discreetly shielded on stage, to change into her wedding gown for the final scene, an eternity for post-bedtime audience members.)

There are drippingly romantic R&H; tunes including “Ten Minutes Ago” and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?,” vaudevillian comedy from the stepsisters and enough ruffles and lace on the costumes to charm your own little princess. The well-loved story, however, remains the same.

Walp has double-cast most of the major roles. At Friday night’s performance, 14-year-old Christine Perreault and Lance Callahan were a winning pair as Cinderella and the Prince. Perreault has a smooth, confident way of moving on stage and a strong, easy singing voice that’s best in her opening tune, “In My Own Little Corner.” Callahan, with his wavy blond hair, patrician features and regal bearing, makes such a dreamy young prince that you can forgive the times his gaze seems more dazed than love-struck.

Assisted by some impressive stage magic (including a black-light dance number and a larger-than-life pumpkin coach), Erika Callahan did a commendable job as the fairy godmother who brings these two crazy kids together.

Providing a comic counterpoint to all this cooing and swooning are stepsisters Portia (Melanie Marchant), Joy (Christy Winton) and Prunella (Christine Summers). The three work well as an ensemble, with particularly strong vocal work from Winton and Summers. Heidi Hermreck’s stepmother, however, is more wacky than wicked, which makes you wonder just how tough Cinderella really has it at home.

If anything, the real villain in last Friday’s show was the sound system. Most of the problems seemed to stem from the body mikes, which sometimes were more effective at amplifying secondary noise than dialogue. A seven-piece orchestra playing over a recorded score was a nice touch, but the live music occasionally suffered from distortions on the tape.

The set by Robert Gore and Mike Hays is well-crafted and makes good use of the temporary stage’s wings, but the lengthy scene change to conver Cinderella’s house into the castle caused a lag in an otherwise well-paced show.

The Buena Park Children’s Musical Theatre features youngsters from across Orange County in grades four through 12. “Cinderella” is the first of two family shows scheduled for this year; the group will present “Annie” in December at the Buena Park High School Performing Arts Complex.

‘Cinderella’

A Buena Park Children’s Musical Theatre presentation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Directed by Ruth Walp. Sets by Robert Gore and Mike Hays. Costumes by Ruth Walp and Cindy Hernandez. Lighting by Jim Book. Musical direction by Cindy Hernandez. Featuring Erika Callahan, Deena Dorion, Jennifer Arnobit, Heidi Hermreck, Colette Naffae, Melanie Marchant, Natalie Morales, Brooke Duprey, Christina Summers, Melissa Mitchell, Christine Perreault, Lance Callahan and Ricky Messina. Performances Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Buena Park Community Recreation Center, 8150 Knott Ave., Buena Park. Tickets: $5 to $6. (714) 821-1394 or (714) 821-1010.