Her big coming out was as "Cinderella," her first show as a member of the Children's Theatre's salaried acting company. She played the straight character to the stepfamily played with gusto by Reed Sigmund, Autumn Ness and Dean Holt. But before that, she starred in "Stick Fly" at Park Square and the national tour of "The Color Purple." Allen goes so deep into characters, she was hardly recognizable in "The Scarecrow and His Servant," a production in which she played a constable, a crow and various other ensemble roles. Allen is a gifted, protean performer with a great sense of timing and an inviting spirit. Children's Theatre, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls.; 612-874-0400; childrenstheatre.org