"Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast." One of Disney's classic fairy tales comes to life in Tri-School's production of "Beauty and the Beast."
Woven together in two acts, "Beauty and the Beast" portrays the complexities of love between a pretty, bookish girl named Belle and a prince who was placed under a curse that turned him into a ghastly beast. Before the spell can be broken, he must learn the true nature of love, and have someone who loves him in return. Under this foundation, the lively musical is set, focusing on Belle and the villagers, and the Beast and his companions at the castle.
As a whole, the cast blends a wondrous amount of energy and fairy tale charm to their production of Beauty and the Beast. The two leads, deliver performances that stay true to their well-known characters. Christine Doidge as Belle maintains a consistent voice that never misses a note, while Tyler Mercer portrays the vulnerabilities and sensitivities of the Beast under his gruff exterior. Meanwhile, Robert Dudley (Gaston) and Sean Faley (Lefou) bring true delight every time they arrive onstage.
With high energy and impressive vocals, Dudley exudes a confidence and arrogance that commands the stage. Perfectly complementing Dudley is Faley, who brings forth a thoroughly amusing performance with an animated character voice and hilarious physical movements.
Within the castle, many enjoyable characters reside. Matthew Galligan as Lumiere demonstrates comedy with his expressive face and silly flirtations with Francesca Carpello (Babette), who expresses a wonderful French accent. Additionally, Virginia Nolde's (Mrs. Potts) kind, motherly nature comes across with her sweet voice and interactions with her fellow cast members. As Madame Grande Bouche, Emily Pankau also delights, with a hilariously operatic voice. And despite having no dialogue, Natasha Tran gives an exciting performance as the always happy Rug.
"Beauty and the Beast" puts forth many musical performances, which Tri-School performs with cheerful singing and dancing. The ensemble works well with the lead characters, showing a good amount of entertainment and skill in each song. A highlight of the entire production is "Gaston," an energetic, musical number in which Dudley, Faley and the ensemble deliver a sensational performance with clinking silver cups.
With vibrant performances that bring the timeless musical to live, Tri-School puts on an enchanting production of "Beauty and the Beast."
Tri-School Theatre is an award-winning theatre arts conservatory in Anaheim. The program consists of high school students from Cornelia Connelly High School, Rosary High School and Servite High School.
Elisabeth Farmer attends Brea Olinda High School.
