Beauty and the Beast: The Musical

Beauty and the Beastbegins its tale with a handsome prince, envied by all. Prince Adam (Dane Agostinis) has good looks, wealth, and servants to cater to his every whim. He takes it all for granted and doesn’t appreciate what he has. One night, a hideous old woman begs him for shelter from a terrible storm and offers him a rose in return. Prince Adam takes one look at the woman and turns her away. To his surprise, the woman turns into a beautiful goddess. The goddess accuses Prince Adam of being too shallow and curses him and his castle. Under the curse, Prince Adam is turned into a hideous beast and his servants are turned into household objects. The curse can only be broken if Prince Adam can learn to love another and be loved in return before the rose wilts.

The play continues its tale with a beautiful young girl, Belle (Emily Behny), living in a town where she does not fit in. The people of the town only appreciate Belle for her beauty and mock her for her love of reading, commenting that she is lost in her books. She is very admired by the overly affectionate Gaston (Logan Denninghoff), who attempts to seduce her using his muscular build and cocky attitude. Belle is not impressed by Gaston and turns him down when he asks for her hand in marriage.

The audience is then introduced to Belle’s father , a scientist whom everyone in the town thinks is crazy. He creates an invention and sets off to enter it in a science fair. While on his way, he gets lost in the woods during a storm and ends up at the castle just as the goddess had. The beast locks him in the dungeon and when Belle comes to his rescue, the beast agrees to take her instead of her father.

Emily Behny gave a wonderful break-out performance as Belle. Her beauty, voice, and acting stole the show. Her facial expressions and swift movements kept all eyes on her thoughout the play.

Dane Agostinis performed as both Prince Adam and the Beast, who are one in the same. Playing this character allowed Agostinis to show his range and ability to control himself during character changes.

Logan Denninghoff did an excellent job portraying Gaston's cocky attitude. Although Gaston is hated by all who watch the play, audiences can't help but love Denninghoff.

Overall, the musical does not disappoint. For those who grew up watching Beauty and the Beast and those who have never heard of it, the live broadway musical is great for both adults and children. Showings are available in Charolette, Toronto, and Hershey during the months of June and July.