Jennifer Paz and Eric Polani Jensen star in Village Theatre’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
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IF YOU GO
The Issaquah Show
Where: Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah
When: November 12–January 4, Wednesday through Saturday evenings: 8 p.m., Sundays and selected Saturdays: 2 p.m., selected Tuesday evenings: 7:30 p.m., selected Sunday evenings: 7 p.m.
Six extra performances: Because of the shows popularity, six additional performances have been added for November and December. Saturday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $22–$58
Box Office: 425-392-2202
Toll Free:866-688-8849
The Everett Show
Where: Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., Everett.
When: January 9–February 1, Wednesday through Saturday evenings: 8 p.m., Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 2 p.m., Sunday evenings: 7 p.m.
Village Theatre’s new production, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, has been playing to packed crowds since the show opened in mid-November. There are two reasons for that. First, it’s an immensely popular musical. Ever since the fairytale was “Disney-fied” in 1991 (winning two Oscars in the process), then brought to Broadway in 1994, it has only grown in popularity. Second, the production is great!
The story of Beauty and the Beast originated in mid-sixteenth-century France. It begins with “once upon a time…” and ends with the main characters living happily ever after, but in between is a rather unusual fairytale. The heroine is not typical. She has a mind of her own, doesn’t care if others think of her as “different,” and has the backbone to stand up to intimidation and bullying. Rather than being rescued by a prince, she ends up rescuing him.
The story begins with a pompous prince (Eric Polani Jensen) being asked for charity by a rather unattractive old woman. She actually is a beautiful enchantress in disguise, and when he scornfully turns her away, she puts a spell on him and the servants who surround him. He becomes the Beast, and the servants become inanimate objects (which are actually rather animated), in his now-enchanted castle.
Meanwhile, Belle (Jennifer Paz) is a book-loving heroine who longs for more than her small-town life can give her. She has an odd, distracted inventor for a father (Maurice, played by John X. Deveney), and is pursued by the overblown, muscle-bound village boor, Gaston (Troy L. Wageman), who is accompanied everywhere he goes by his ineffectual sidekick LeFou (John David Scott).
Maurice becomes lost in the woods on the way to an inventors’ fair, and ends up being imprisoned by the Beast in his castle’s dungeon. When he fails to return to the village, Belle goes in search of her father, and volunteers to take his place as the Beast’s prisoner, vowing never to leave.
Belle is repulsed by the Beast’s appearance and overbearing behavior, but finds sympathy and friendship with the former servants; Lumiere (Nick DeSantis), Cogsworth (Ian Lindsay), Babette (Haley N. Ostrander), Wardrobe (Ellen McLain), Mrs. Potts (Bobbi Kotula) and her son Chip (Anders Ledell). They treat her to a cabaret-style dinner complete with a fantastic show, including dancing teacups, silverware and a tap-dancing salt and pepper.
After getting into a dispute with the Beast, Belle runs into the woods and is surrounded by wolves. The Beast subdues them but is injured. Compassion overcomes Belle’s desire to flee, and she helps him back to the castle and binds his wound. He wins her over by showing her the castle library, and she reads him the story of King Arthur.
Back in town, Gaston whips up virulent anti-beast fears in the villagers. They descend upon the castle with pitchforks and bats. Gaston ascends the staircase, accosts the Beast and stabs him when his back is turned. Belle comforts the Beast as he lays dying, and the enchantment is broken because they have fallen in love.
Several new songs have been written especially for this production, using familiar background music from the movie for the melodies. This may make for some squirm-worthy moments from youngsters as they listen to unfamiliar lyrics, especially when characters wax poetic about love. However, enough of the songs are familiar, and there is sufficient action onstage, that most the production will keep kids’ attention. The production runs two hours and 50 minutes with one 15-minute intermission, which may be too long for some kids, but there are two soundproof family rooms available at the Village Theatre’s Issaquah location.
The production is truly magical, with fantastic makeup, amazing transformations and great sound effects. The lighting and sets work together to make the stage seem enormous. The sets are wonderfully imaginative – the village has colorful, cartoon-like buildings that lean cozily over the town square. The castle is atmospheric with its sweeping stone staircase, balustrades and gargoyles. Costumes in Beauty and the Beast are simply amazing, particularly for the inanimate objects. Lumiere, Cogsworth and the Wardrobe are standouts. When Belle swept down the staircase in a voluminous ball gown, a little girl in the audience was delighted. “Sparkly!” she breathed.
There is almost too much good talent in the show to list. Jennifer Paz is perfectly cast as the spunky Belle, and has a true Disney-esque heroine’s voice. It’s amazing that Eric Polani Jensen can move, let alone belt out songs, in his humongous Beast costume and makeup. Nick DeSantis is riveting as he and Haley N. Ostrander flirt outrageously as the French couple, Lumiere and Babette. Greg McCormick Allen makes a wonderful hissing, snaky villain. Kudos to Bobbi Kotula as Mrs. Potts and to Ellen McLain, who really knows how to belt it out as Wardrobe. Young Anders Ledell makes a delightful Chip. Ian Lindsay made a fabulous Cogsworth, becoming more clock-like as time went on.
It’s Troy L. Wageman, though, who just about steals the show with his larger-than-life, perfectly cartoonish Gaston. Every time Gaston bounds onto the stage flashing his muscles and dwarfing the doll-like Belle, he’s the center of attention, even though he’s a bullying buffoon. His evil baritone laugh perfectly sums up the character’s callous nature.
Village Theatre’s production of Beauty and the Beast will make a great family outing for the holiday season in Issaquah, or early next year in Everett. In the words of one young theatergoer: “It’s just like watching the movie on the stage!”
Chris Stay is calendar editor for Seattle’s Child.
