has offered Louise a job at the café. Alone, Mariette asks Franço is to tell her about what life is like at the Opera. The Opera House. La Favorite is in full swing. The ballerinas line up for their entrance. Albert notices the Duke backstage waiting for the young, lovely ballerina Pauline Duvernay. They are interrupted by Grenville, another of Duvernay's admirers. The men vie for her attention. Duvernay tells Grenville to knock out one of his teeth if he wants to secure an audience with her. Albert invites the Duke to the café for a party after the performance. The Duke promises to come - and to bring Pauline Duvernay with him. Albert explains that his task is to bring all the characters of the story closer together and to find out if they will live happily ever after or not. He wonders if Mariette will play Cinderella in the upcoming opera. The song becomes an aria from La Favorite as we transition to the café. The party is in full swing. The children dance the Vegetable Ballet for the customers. The Duke and Pauline Duvernay enter, followed by Grenville who is missing a front tooth. The Duke recognizes Louise, but is interrupted by Albert before he can speak to her. Encouraged by the guests, Mariette sings and dances a "marotte." Everyone is entranced by her fresh, natural talent and the Duke realizes that Mariette is his daughter. He arranges to pay, anonymously, for her to attend the Ballet School, but says she must never know that he is her benefactor. Louise turns to Guillaume for advice, lamenting that Mariette ever sang or danced in public. He tells her not to worry and together they wish for better times ahead. Two days later. Silvain presents Mariette with a new pair of ballet slippers and tells her that she must keep them a secret from her mother - she is going to the Ballet School! Albert joins in the fun of the surprise and Mariette, mistaking him for her benefactor, thanks him for his kindness. At the Ballet School, Monsieur Petit and the Petits Rats are gathered around the Duke. The Duke announces that the Petits Rats will perform in Cinderella that coming December. The children, including Mariette, must audition for the Duke so he may cast them in their roles. After school, the Petits Rats meet their Mothers outside the café. Amélie tells Louise that she and Mariette have been cast as rats in Cinderella. Louise is furious and forbids Mariette to participate. Albert tries to reason with her, but it is of no use. Albert takes Mariette and Amélie to the theater to try to calm them down and shows them the beautiful gaslights he cares for. Amélie and Mariette marvel at the beautiful costumes in the glow of the gaslights. Mariette slips on a costume and begins to dance. Amélie cautions her not to dance near the gaslight, but Mariette doesn't listen. Her dress bursts into flame as Les Petits Rats materialize from the shadows. ACT TWO Three months later. Albert, having lost his job as lumiére, is unemployed and destitute. He regrets letting Mariette and Amélie play on the stage unattended. In the hospital, Louise reads Cinderella to Mariette. There is a visible burn on Mariette's face. Franço is comes to visit and learns that Mariette will be home soon. When he leaves, a doctor arrives to help Mariette practice her walking, but she can barely bend her legs. The doctor is replaced by Petit as the hospital becomes the Ballet Studio. The other ballerinas join Mariette as the Opera prepares for Cinderella. Mariette practices more diligently than any of the other Rats. The Rats tease her, but the Ballerinas notice her talent. Madame Grosnier pays Mariette special attention, bringing her soup and bread to keep up her strength. The Petits Rats become even more jealous of Mariette as Petit and Grosnier spend extra time with her. Mariette is dancing for Albert. Guillaume drinks as he counts the money from the week. Amélie asks her father if she can help. As they work, Amélie tells him about the situation at the Ballet School - inexplicably, Guillaume explodes in anger and rushes out the door. Louise sits darning a ballet shoe. Monsieur Silvain is upset - the shoes are of poor quality and will ruin Marietta's feet. The Silvain's children run in. Pierre is convinced he's just seen Monsieur Albert down the
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