By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
A tale as old as time debuts tonight at Thomas More Prep-Marian’s Dreiling Theatre with the performance of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
Travis Grizzell, director, said this year’s fall musical has been so popular the school has added an extra performance. Show times will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Madelyn Seiler, TMP-M sophomore, is playing the female lead of Belle. Grizzell said she has already had many years of experience in musical theater.
“I usually have singers who act or actors who sing, but she does both really well and has great stage instincts and is always prepared and well rehearsed,” he said. “She’s an amazing Belle!”
Lucas Kraus, who is playing the Beast, unfortunately has had laryngitis. He practiced in costume with the cast on Tuesday night with Grizzell voicing his parts. He was off vocal rest just in time for the cast’s first performance for Holy Family Elementary on Wednesday.
“He’s done an amazing job of preparing, so I knew he’d be fine,” Grizzell said.
Grizzell added “There are plenty of scene stealers in this one. The enchanted objects, the vain villain, his lackey, the bumbling but golden-hearted father or the macabre asylum director … they’re all here.”
The tale of “Beauty and the Beast” is a fable. The story tells of a vain prince who is turned into the Beast. The spell can only be broken by someone finding true love in him, Grizzell explained.
A trip to see Salina Community Theatre’s performance of “Beauty and the Beast” might have finally been the inspiration for Grizzell to tackle such an ambitious project.
“I took my drama class to Salina Community Theatre’s production, and it definitely got my ideas going as far as set and costumes if we tackled it one day,” he said. “I look at about every show imaginable each year before picking one, and I kept coming back to B&B and could really start to see this group making it happen.”
Grizzell said costumes where one of the biggest challenges for this production.
Lumiere’s candles light up, and Cogsworth’s hands and gears spin. The school rented a few of the costumes, some of which have been used on Broadway. Grizzell’s wife, Pam, has been among the crew helping with costumes.
” ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a show I’ve looked at for years and I finally gave in,” he said. “The costuming and set are major challenges, plus you’re up against a very well-known film and its iconic characters. Through very generous donations of time and money and talent, we’re in a position to pull it off, I think.”
Tickets can be ordered online by clicking here. Tickets can also be reserved by leaving a message at the Fine Arts Ticket Line: 785-621-5478. Tickets cost $8 each.
Cast list
- Nick Helget – Fish Man, Cronie, Mob
- Hunter Flax – Cogsworth
- Ben Pfannenstiel – Maurice
- Kadrian Ayarza – Wolf, Ensemble
- Natalie Loftus – Silly Girl, Mob
- Whitney Befort – Bookseller, Cronie, Ensemble
- Madelyn Seiler – Belle
- Aidan Normandin – Monsieur D’Arque, Shepherd Boy, Cronie
- Kooper Hudsonpillar – Lefou
- Jensen Brull – Prince, Cronie, Ensemble
- Maggie Baalmann – Mrs. Potts
- Avery Werth – Chip
- Jessica Herrman – Hat Seller, Cronie, Ensemble
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Belle meets the Beast for the first time. Lane Werth – Lumiere
- Gracie Jo Stanton – Wolf, Ensemble
- McKynlee Stecklein – Silly Girl, Mob
- Mary Greenwood – Candlewoman, Cronie, Ensemble
- Delaney Staab – Silly Girl, Mob
- Nicholas Herrman – Egg Man, Cronie, Male Villager
- Sarah Braun – Lady w/Cane, Mob
- Maggie Brull – Lady w/Baby, Female Villager, Ensemble
- Sam Allen – Baker, Cronie, Mob
- Morgan Olmstead – Babette
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Local girls flirt with Gaston. Aakash Patel – Gaston
- Lucas Kraus – The Beast
- Izzy Peine – Enchantress, Wolf, Ensemble
- Annie Wasinger – Madame De La Grande Bouche
- Chorus/Ensemble
- Jake Brady
- Nathan Stecklein
- Allison Weber
- Claudine Stein
- Breanna Seiler
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Belle reads in her village’s courtyard. Tessa Befort
- Anabelle Leach
- Jenna Brull
- Jaden Brull
- Kendall Seiler
- Madighan Norris
