‘Beauty and the Beast’ expected to draw crowd

Everyone enjoys a trip back to childhood, back to when fantasies became reality and consequences were minimal. It is in the musical Beauty and the Beast that director Ms. Amanda Malo and the cast and crew hope to draw a great crowd on March 3, 4, and 5 at 7:00 p.m. and on March 6 at 2:00 p.m. It is on those days that audiences will be allowed to relive the joys of childhood.

“[Beauty and the Beast] appeals to everyone [because] a lot of people grew up with it,” Mrs. Malo said.

The musical contains all the songs from the movie plus nine additional ones that provide great ballads and extra songs for characters like Gaston and Beast. With senior Jacob Bair as Beast, junior Bethany Perkins as Belle, and senior Zachary Campbell as Gaston, the production is a sure hit. This is the first big role for all three students and all seem extremely excited to be a part of the production.

“Everyone’s working really hard,” Bair commented, referring to the hours during rehearsal and at home that the cast and crew commit to the musical.

Beauty and the Beast is Ms. Malo’s first musical in two years since she briefly stopped directing to take care of her newborn child. “I was nervous coming back but it’s been wonderful; everyone rises to [the challenge].”

As for nerves, Bair, Perkins, and Campbell all agree there will be some but seem to focus more on how fantastic the experience has been. “We have a great crew who try to [help us] stay true to the movie,” Perkins commented.

While Perkins has only performed in musicals, this is the first one for both Bair and Campbell. “I’m not in choir so it was weird because I’ve never sung before,” Campbell commented on how different this musical is from other productions he has done.

As for the comparison to the movie, Ms. Malo and the cast assure that the musical stays true to the Disney movie we all know and love.  “It is a fantastic combination of the familiar [from the movie] with added songs,” Ms. Malo said. Essentially, the musical is more in every aspect. “[We have] some scenes no one has ever seen before,” said Campbell. “There are a lot more songs and it’s more emotional,” added Bair.

After the performances the cast will be on stage in costumes for pictures with the audience. The live interaction with the cast will allow dreams to continue and will really provide something for everyone. “For younger kids it’s cool to see what we do. [Beauty and the Beast] is pure entertainment [and] appeals to little kids and older people,” Perkins said.

Overall, the cast and crew hope the universal appeal will result in a great turnout. Ms. Malo noted that they added a Thursday showing, something they have never done before, because they have such faith in the production. “I think it will be a wonderful family show that also is a great collaboration of the arts program,” said Ms. Malo enthusiastically.