By Rachel Bevan Hoffman
Draper Arts Council has ushered in the production of Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, the Academy Award winning animated film that comes to life in this romantic and beloved take on the classic fairytale. Disney’s Beauty And The Beast has played to over 35 million people worldwide in 13 countries. The stage version includes all of the wonderful songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice. More than 100 cast members and staff from Draper area have put together a spectacular performance to bring the entire community together for family theater at its best.
I had the privilege of attending opening night. As my husband and I headed to the Draper Amphitheater, we had no idea this beautiful outdoor theater existed. Tucked away against the foothills of Draper, it really felt like summer as we enjoyed watching this performance under the stars. Keep in mind, although the weather was sunny and warm as the production began, the sun eventually fell and the weather became a bit cooler, so bring a blanket or a jacket just in case. The way the seating was marked was a little confusing but with help from the staff we soon were able to find our seats. Be sure to bring a blanket or fold out chair to sit on. The amphitheater is set up so there are no bad seats. They did a great job with the backdrop of the town on the stage and were able to seamlessly switch sets from the town to the castle and other scenes. They also had it set up so that a real horse drawn carriage entered a few of the scenes, which was very fun and unexpected.
Belle was played by Annie English. I am pretty picky when it comes to the main character and can I just say Belle did not disappoint! She was absolutely perfect. I was so happy to see this right from the start. She not only embodied Belle’s character but had a voice that was clear and beautiful.
Some of the other stand outs in the play were Gaston, played by Seth Tippets. I loved that he did not have to fake a deep voice. He had a voice that could not have been better cast and was a fantastic actor who brought many laughs to the audience along with his tagalong, Le Fou played by Bounta Nomichith. Babette (Sarah Mae Ogden) was fantastic and Lumiere (Mike Weaver) also did a great job and played out their relationship in such a fun way. I also want to mention Madam de la Grande Bouche (the wardrobe) played by Serena Mackerell. She is a talented actress who sang a small section of one of Beethoven’s arias several times, and although she made the audience laugh, her voice was so beautiful and at intermission I heard several children imitating her. It was delightful to see and hear. The Beast, Trent English, complemented Belle and played the part of someone who goes from an intimidating beast to caring and loving companion very well. I would have liked to see his makeup lightened a bit as it was hard at times to see facial expressions.
Some of my favorite scenes with Belle and the Beast were when he calls her to dinner and she refuses, the eventual dinner scene, and of course one of the final scenes where he is dying and she tells him that she loves him. It was such a powerful moment and really brought out my emotions. It was so fun as all the characters in the castle, like Chip who was played by Savannah Shepherd and Glory Weaver, began to become human. And for the prince, Chris Kennedy, to appear. It put such a big smile on my face. I was teary-eyed and happy all at the same time.
Stephen Whitechurch, who played Maurice (Belle’s father) brought out some of the important themes of the play. Maurice: “How did you escape the beast?” Belle: “I didn’t escape he let me go, somehow he changed.” Maurice: “But how?” Belle: “I don’t know, Papa, but somehow he changed.”
The supporting cast complemented and enhanced every part of the production perfectly. It was a real delight to see one of my neighbors cast in one of these roles, Kaitlyn Schriener. This is the best part of community theater. You get to see individuals in your community share their incredible talents.
I met with one of the directors afterwards, Susan S. DeMill and shared with her how much I had enjoyed the play and was told by several cast members how wonderful she has been to work with and about her high level of creativity that shows up in many aspects of the production.
One of those aspects of this production was the choreography, which was lively and fun. I loved the choreography done for the wolves. I would have liked to have seen Mrs. Potts placed to the side of the stage as she beautifully sang the “Song As Old As Time”, instead of the front as it did block part of the dinner scene for me. Other than that, the choreography and blocking was impressive throughout the entire production. The scene at the tavern and “Be Our Guest” were real show stoppers.
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The costumes and makeup was professionally done and even my husband mentioned how much he enjoyed Cogsworth (Joey West), Lumiere (Joey West), and Mrs. Pott’s (Cathy Carroll) costumes. One fun aspect was the added lights that came on in Lumier’s candlestick costume and on some of the dresses of supporting cast as the night sky got darker.
This production ended with a bang and left me feeling satisfied and uplifted. If you are looking for the perfect theater experience to take the whole family to this is it.
Draper Arts Council Presents Disney’s Beauty And The Beast
Draper Amphitheater, 944 E Vestry Rd, Draper, Ut, 84020
June 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, and 12th, Show starts at 8:00 PM with gates opening at 7:30 PM
Adults $10; children 3-12 $7; age 2 and under free. (But since the show starts so late, I’d suggest no children under 5 or 6 come–it’s a late night for the littles!)
Call 385-351-9468
Purchase tickets at www.draperartscouncil.org
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