Theatre 308 Brings Disney Classic to Life
NEIRAD enilno edition
The Little Theatre is cluttered with racks of dresses and rags, tables of props, a cart covered in felt, and worn-in couches. These things together mean that, at last, Theatre 308 is almost ready to put on its annual spring musical. After three months of demanding work, hours of rehearsals, and countless late nights have all led up to this week’s performances of Theatre 308’s Beauty and the Beast. Directed by the talented Ms. Herman, and filled with a cast of gifted students, the show is finally ready.
Ms. Herman calls this show “a jigsaw puzzle.” It takes a massive amount of effort and time to put the pieces together, such as “the acting and staging; the singing and dancing; the lighting and sound; the sets and the costumes; the orchestra,” said Ms. Herman, “but it is only during the final week or so that we can begin to put it all together, and that is both an exhausting and exhilarating process.” Presenting a show with so recognizable a plot is no easy feat. Senior Elizabeth Leimkuhler, who plays Mrs. Potts, said that the cast is working hard to keep the classic Disney magic alive. “We don’t want to ruin the illusion,” she said, but they are taking care to “put our own 308 spin on it”.
Senior Alex Rankine plays the Beast. His makeup is an ordeal, because, as Ms. Herman said, “Turning an actor into a beast and back again is no easy feat!” Junior Emily Elliot plays Belle. “For me, the hardest part was to take a cartoon character and turn her into a real person,” she said. Gaston, played by senior Jordan Washer, provides the comic entertainment. When asked what the funniest part of the show was, many cast members cited scenes involving Gaston and his henchman LeFou, played by senior Robbie Florian. Emily Elliot said that “scenes involving myself and Gaston are going to make the audience laugh”.
This production is different from previous years because of its scale. “It is, in every sense of the word, huge,” Ms. Herman said. “The cast is big and the set is even bigger, the costumes are many and varied and intricate, and the props are very specific.” Lighting and sets provided additional challenges. This year, for the first time in recent memory, the crew had to pull art classes to paint sets. Audience members can expect very elaborate costumes and scenery.
Why Beauty and the Beast? Ms. Herman explained that the idea came originally from her daughter. At first, she was against the idea. “I thought it would be too difficult, technically, and it just didn't interest me. Then, though, one of the 308 students gave me the CD to listen to and I fell in love with the music and began to reconsider. Once I read the script and discovered the wonderful characters, I was sold,” she said. Since that decision, the cast and crew have been working hard to put “our own 308 spin on it”, as put by Elizabeth Leimkuhler.
Over the past few months, the cast and crew has put a huge amount of time into putting on the show. “It’s a lot of time, a lot of hours,” said sophomore Reed Morgan, who plays Maurice, Belle’s father. Senior Misha Kushnir, who plays Monsiuer D’Arque, the owner of the mental asylum, mentioned that “I almost spent more time this weekend here than at home.” Elizabeth Leimkuhler piped in saying that “I haven’t been home in a while.”
The best part practicing for this week, though, has been the bonds created within the cast. “The best part is having fun,” said junior Addison Thallhamer. “We’re a real family.” Other members of this family and principles in the show include the students playing Enchanted Objects. Senior Collin Shay plays Cogsworth, senior Max Hanau plays Lumiere, junior Abby Leinroth plays Babette, senior Marin Amyotte plays Wardrobe, and freshman Alex Burke plays Chip.
Now that it is almost time for audiences to partake in this spectacle, many members of Theatre 308 are going to have to say goodbye to their time on the big stage here at DHS. Elizabeth Leimkuhler said that “It’s our last show. We better make it a good one.” It seems as if they will, especially because the Disney musical magic is palpable and the cast is extremely talented. Ms. Herman said that “Every once in a while during a run-through I just put my pencil down, lean my head back in the darkness of the auditorium, and listen to them. I am awed and humbled by their dedication, and energy and spirit, and how they are bringing to life this wonderful story. It is that feeling of being transported which I wish for all of the audience to feel!”
Come see Beauty and the Beast this week! Tickets are on sale online and purchase your tickets soon as they are selling out quickly. The shows are Thursday at 7:00pm, Friday and Saturday at 8:00, and a special Saturday Matinee at 2:00 in the DHS auditorium. Beauty and the Beast is going to be a memorable and enchanting show, and certainly not one to miss!
“Beauty and the Beast” will premier at DHS’s auditorium on March 24 at 7:40pm.
