MRHS Makes Onstage Magic With ‘Beauty And The Beast’

Get ready for a delightful journey into a tale as old as time, as Monomoy Regional High School presents “Beauty and the Beast” March 12 through 16 in the MRHS auditorium, 75 Oak St. in Harwich. Performances will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12; Thursday, March 14 and Saturday, March 16, with a 2 p.m. matinee also offered on Saturday.

MRHS’s “Beauty and the Beast” is based on the 1991 Disney animated feature, but the tale dates back to a late 18th-century classic French fairy tale, adapted for the Disney film by American screenwriter Linda Woolverton. “Beauty and the Beast” was Disney's first animated film to be adapted into a Broadway musical, running from 1994 to 2007 and eventually becoming the 10th longest-running show on Broadway.

“Beauty and the Beast” tells the story of Belle, a beautiful and intelligent young woman who feels out of place in her provincial French village. When her father is imprisoned in a mysterious castle, Belle’s attempt to rescue him leads to her capture by the Beast, a fearsome and fuzzy — yet strangely charming — humanoid monster who was long ago trapped in his monstrous form by an enchantress. The only way for the Beast to become human once again is to love and be loved in return before the final petal falls from an enchanted rose. Belle and the Beast grow ever closer as the clock ticks and petals continue to fall. Will they confess their love for one another before it is too late?

Is musical director Rosemarie Richard excited about opening night?

“Excited is an understatement!” Richard said. “COVID hit the performing arts everywhere, like a brick. As much as I thought the last two years were rebuilding years, this year has truly been the beginning of the process and this show was the best possible choice! People came out for it who were new to theater, and auditions were incredible. This was the first time since the world shut down that there was competition for roles.”

Director Rachel Barnes agreed, saying she and Richard struggled with casting the show because there were simply so many talented people to choose from.

“There were too many good choices, and what a gift that is,” Barnes said. “It was agonizing but rewarding!”

Richard added that audiences can look forward to hearing many favorite songs they’ve come to know and love from the movie.

“We have a big and mostly student pit band which is something the woman who taught me everything I know about putting on a musical insisted upon,” Richard said. “The lead pianists (who will alternate shows) and the bass player are adults, but all of the wind players, the synth player who covers the strings, and the percussionist are all band students who are in from the very first rehearsal. I think the highlight for me is watching students grow whether they are tech, pit band or on the stage as actors. Theater teaches so many skills: risk-taking, self-confidence, and community building being my favorites!”

Barnes added that one of her favorite things about theater is that it is a “Yes, and” space, in which mutual support is in abundance. When you add the fact that just about everyone involved in bringing “Beauty and the Beast” to the MRHS stage has been familiar with the material for as long as they can remember, you have a recipe for fun.

“Everyone is so supportive of each other,” Barnes said. “They all grew up with this, and they are loving bringing it to life in their own way. Every time someone adds a nuance, everyone else notices, and they support and applaud it. Our crew is building the most intricate set we’ve seen on this stage, and the members of the cast ask. ‘How can I help? Can I help paint something?’ Members of the crew in turn are asking how they can support the cast, and everyone collaborates to make everything just right.”

Don’t miss the opportunity to see MRHS’s production of “Beauty and the Beast,” a tale for not only children, but anyone who believes in the power of a good book to transform a life, who believes that who you are in inside is so much more important than your outside, and who feels good about people coming coming together again.

“Beauty and the Beast” features narrator Connor Francis, Alexis Arruda as Belle, Faye Viprino as the Beast, Payton MacRoberts as Enchantress, Tim Gray as Young Prince, Ben McGrath as Gaston, Boden Mabile as Lefou, Payton MacRoberts as Maurice/Clarice, Raine Christakis as Madame D’Arque, Connor Francis as Cogsworth, Wellington Holmes as Lumiere, Emory Hines as Babette, Chloe Thompson as Mrs. Potts, Dante Rossetti as Chip and Leyla Holmes as Madame de la Grande Bouche. Les Filles La Ville are Stella Seufert, Asher Porter, Bobbi Braz, Dahlia Viprino and Delaney Bowers. The Villagers/Castle Staff are Vesper Follett, Kit Donovan, David Mitchell, Liam Goley, Quinn Viprino, Kamalea Hill, Patrick Kelleher, Jackson Craig, Jenna Zaloom, Stella Linnell and Reese Labinski. The crew are Jasper Hayes, Timothy Gray, Milo Pillsbury, Elizabeth Rodgers, Georgia Storey, Maria Lopes, Maeve Kelleher, Jericah Dujua, Quill Adamsons, Michael Considine, Charlotte Skinner, Emma Eldredge, Kayandra Watson, Charlotte Mahoney and Oliver Cornell. The pit band are Talia Tambolleo Perez (who is also MRHS’s talented performing arts intern), Jordan MacRoberts, Isaiah Woodland, Simon MacBride, Lillian Gould, Jillian Stevenson, Mackenzie Bowers, Livia LeBlanc, Benjamin McMullin and Jameson Lapsley.

Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for the general public. To purchase tickets visit www.msbtickets.com/monomoyregionalhighschool/event/BATB31224. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door. Note: prop weapons, loud sounds and theatrical fog may be included in this production. Online ticket sales will close at 8:30 a.m. the date of the show. Food and drinks may not be consumed in the auditorium. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime. Student ID may be requested at the door. No refunds will be given. Seating will be general admission/open.