Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
June 23-24, 27-30 – 7pm
June 24-25, July 1 – 2pm
MainStage Theatre @ Lee High School
Purchase Tickets
Huntsville’s own Independent Musical Productions (IMP) is gearing up to bring the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast, to life later this month. The original movie arrived in 1991 and immediately captured audiences along with a best picture Oscar nomination – the first for any animated movie. Three years later, in April of 1994, the story jumped to Broadway, debuting as the first Disney adaptation to do so. With so much history and a series of firsts, this writer recently sat down with a few members of the cast to see what it means to them to be able to bring this story to life.
First, we have Eliza Gazi playing Madame De La Grande Bouche – the proclaimed “diva” of the group. Eliza speaks about Beauty and the Beast with a sparkle in her eye as she recollects the memory of it being the first show she ever saw on Broadway. For her, it was the magic that this experience created that made her want to join the cast. Having the opportunity to share this with others, across generations and in our local area – means a lot. One of her favorite songs is, “No Matter What,” a sentimental song between Belle and her father Maurice. Get the tissues out for this one!
Chris Carter and his daughter Kai Carter look to make it a family affair. As it turns out, Chris’s wife and Kai’s mom, Megan is also a part of the cast! Kai, who is seven, practically grew up with Beauty and the Beast. When she found out IMP was doing the show, she got really excited and could not wait to try out. Kai did such a wonderful job at auditions, she was selected for two roles! One of a villager and the other of a cupcake. When asked why people should come see the show, she said “because we have been practicing really hard and y’all are going to love it!”
Chris, who in addition to being Kai’s dad, is the Artistic Director of Theater at Lee High School, approached auditions differently. His philosophy is that once you are on the team, you play whatever role that is asked of you. Going in with an open mind, Chris was considered for multiple roles but ultimately was selected to fill that of the honorable Cogsworth. When asked what aspects of Cogsworth would be needed to bring the character to life, Chris advised “he is a tightly-wound clock, so you will see a lot of clenching in the muscles with a high British accent and an amazing French-styled mustache.” The combination of it all should be a delight to see on stage!
While the music and acting help bring the story to life, one aspect that often gets overlooked is the choreography. That is where Lucy Bausano comes in, one of four choreographers and a student a James Clemons High School (Go Jets!). While Lucy can be seen on stage as one of the Les Filles De La Ville (silly girls), she also has the honor of choreographing the Gaston Tavern song, and the iconic Beast and Belle waltz. Coming in to auditions, she describes just wanting the opportunity to dance as her only goal. What a surprise it was to not only be called back, but asked by the lead choreographers to assist! Lucy is excited for audiences to experience the beer stein dance break during the Tavern song as it is proving to be both fun and highly technical.
Our final interview was with Jordan Smith, the Beast. While we could have talked about what Jordan brings to the role or what he was most excited about, our interview centered around others. How the rest of the cast is working hard to deliver a special show, how he grew up with Belle (Maddie Johnson) and admires just how hard she works as an actress, and a story about how Beauty and the Beast impacted his life. That story involved a friend who came to Jordan feeling discouraged, thinking singing was not a skill that could be improved upon. After Jordan shared his favorite Beauty and the Beast song, “A Change In Me,” with this friend and encouraged them not to give up – they took the song to heart, gained confidence, and continued to work on their craft. It goes without saying, we could all use a friend like Jordan in our lives.
After talking to several of the cast members, the one thing that became clear is how humble each and everyone of them are. It is not about one single person, or one single role. Instead, its about about how their role is just one part of a greater piece of theater. How the cogs in the wheel work together to create something that our community can be proud of. That collective energy is bound to come across to those who watch, leaving all with a bit of Disney magic on their way out.
IMP’s Beauty and the Beast welcomes you to the “tale as old as time,” starting June 23. Tickets on sale now!
June 23-24, 27-30 – 7pm
June 24-25, July 1 – 2pm
MainStage Theatre @ Lee High School
Tickets at 256-415-SHOW or imphuntsville.org
