NAHS’s theatre program rarely disappoints and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast was no exception.
The next shows are March 3 7:30, March 4 at 7:30 and March 5 at 2:00. Tickets are $6 for children, $9 for senior citizens, and $11 for adults. To get tickets call the box office at 812-542-2290.
To start, the sets were absolutely breathtaking and made me feel as if I was in the streets of France or an enchanted castle. They bore a distinct resemblance to that of the original movie. NAHS’s technical theatre program made the show run incredibly smoothly.
As for the acting, I was genuinely surprised at the level of professionalism the actors displayed. Senior Juliet Gahan and sophomore Aiden Phillips were crowd favorites with their portrayals of Lumiere and Babette. I found their accents hilarious but also very impressive and accurate to the characters they were portraying. Without them, the play would’ve lacked a comedic element.
Another cast member worth mentioning was senior Logan Lienhart’s role of the villain, Gaston. Leinhart made the character someone you love to hate and his voice was one of the most impressive of the night.
Senior Katie West has starred in many theatre productions including Shrek the Musical and The Sound of Music. West played a classic character very gracefully and did not disappoint when it came to the famous music we all know so well.
The entire cast embodied excellence, but the night belonged to junior Ben Dickman with his role of the Beast. Dickman wowed me and the crowd with his acting and had me feeling extremely sorry for the character he played despite already knowing how the play was going to end. I found myself wanting to cheer on the Beast’s triumphs. Dickman perfectly grasped the Beast’s struggles and had great chemistry with West. The standing ovation Dickman received was well deserved.
The music was so close to the actual movie I wouldn’t have known the difference. The voices of Katie West, Ben Dickman, and Logan Lienhart are powerhouses that demanded to be heard. Some of the other cast members were overpowered by the very talented orchestra, but that is my only critique about the entire show.
Opening weekend of the show has already passed but there is still a chance to see the show on the dates of March 3 and 4 at 7:30 and March 5 at 2:00. Tickets are $6 for children, $9 for senior citizens, and $11 for adults. To get tickets call the box office at 812-542-2290. It’s a fun event and great for young children and trust me, it is definitely worth attending.