'Beauty and the Beast' musical comes to the LHS stage

Date: 3/16/2009

By Kaitlyn Schroyer

Staff Intern



LONGMEADOW -- The Longmeadow High School Drama club has done the impossible. After their recent performance of "Dinner at Eight, Dead By Nine" and "Beowulf on a Budget," the club is back already, this time with a musical.

On March 19 at 7 p.m. in the Longmeadow High School Auditorium, the curtain opens on "Beauty and the Beast."

"At first, it was a little bit challenging with the strong vocals and the costumes, but we're really pulling it together really well and it's going great," Lauren Middleman, assistant director and stage manager, said.

Starring junior Emilie Ferreira as Belle, senior Nick Erwin as the Beast, and freshman Dan Barron as Gaston, the play looks to be promising. Besides the show on opening night, there will be a 7 p.m. performance on March 20 and a 2 p.m. matinee on March 21.

"We're going to be ready for opening night. It's so much fun [being in this play] because Gaston is an arrogant jerk and it's awesome to play someone like that. It's going to be a good time. We're all excited," Barron commented.

"Beauty and the Beast" features music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton. It is based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. The musical ran on Broadway for 5,464 performances, becoming Broadway's sixth-longest running production.

The musical tells the story of Belle, a beautiful but strange young woman, who comes face to face with the Beast after he locks her father in the dungeon of his castle. Belle is lusted after by the arrogant Gaston; the Beast is actually a man who has been transformed and who needs to find true love to be changed back. The musical tells the classic story of good versus evil, and its main characters learn that love can conquer all.

During intermission, concessions provided by the Longmeadow High School Culinary Arts Club will be sold.

Tickets for all three performances will be sold at the door. They cost $10 each for adults and $8 for students.

For more information, call 565-4220 ext. 118.