‘The most beautiful love story ever told’ comes to life

By DANA LYNN FLATEKVAL

News Editor

TERRI SWAN

Copy Editor

A “tale as old as time” was renewed in the Broadway adaptation of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

The show brought all the original characters of the animated movie to life in the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on West 46th Street.

The theme in the original movie is that beauty is only skin-deep, and it is also reflected on stage.

Ornately designed sets were used to create vivid images of various scenes that were familiar to audience members.

In a matter of seconds, a transparent drop-down screen and flashes of bright light, similar to lightning, could be seen on stage, changing happy scenes of Belle’s village to a dark and dismal forest where her father was chased by wolves.

Another stand-out aspect of the set design was the way the castle’s atmosphere changed from dreary to bright once Belle’s presence became prominent. When she became happy and content in the castle, she brought a prevalent aura, which was reflected by special lighting techniques.

Before seeing this show, the average person might be confused as to how the actors are able to portray some of the characters, such as Lumiere and Cogsworth, a candlestick and clock, respectively. However, they depicted their roles with ease; it was visible that they perfected the qualities their particular characters would have.

For example, Billy Sprague, Jr., who played Lumiere, brought forth a warm and illuminating character. He also had the added advantage of having actual flames shoot out of candles attached to his hands, which were used for emphasis during some of his lines.

Another example of an object with defining characteristics provided by an actor was Mary Stout, as the wardrobe, Madame de la Grande Bouche. She was obviously quite a large character, and this shined through in her boisterous and outgoing personality.

Sarah Litzsinger (Les Misérables), who played the main character, Belle, was amongst a handful of the actors who were not objects. Her beautiful singing voice captured the audience, and her feelings could be felt by all as she sang wholeheartedly.

Although the plot of the musical did not stray far from that of the original movie, it was somewhat different because it was more emotional; the audience could comprehend what the characters were feeling.

By adding more scenes to the show, additional songs were also added to the Oscar-winning film score, which gave way for more opportunity for the expression of emotions. One of the original songs, “A Change In Me,” which Belle sings when she feels she belongs in the castle and is falling in love with the Beast, is an example of how a song can make a scene more emotional.

In order to make the show appealing to both adults and children alike, comedy was introduced into various scenes. This is especially apparent when the Beast (Steve Blanchard) tries to gain the adoration of Belle. He tries to playfully flirt with her throughout the play, which is funny because he apparently hasn’t had much experience with the outside world and needs to portray a stern character.

A busload of Rider students attended the Student Entertainment Council-sponsored trip on Feb. 10 and thoroughly enjoyed it, including junior Allison Pechow.

“The show exceeded all my expectations,” she said. “One of my favorite parts was ‘Be Our Guest,’ because of the great costumes and scenery.”

Beauty and the Beast has gained a large audience since its debut; in fact, it has been on stage for almost eight years. Any day of the week, those interested in seeing the musical can feel free to be their guest.