Over the weekend I went to see this year’s musical, Beauty and the Beast Jr. The cast, composed of 30 middle and high school students, have been practicing and perfecting their performance since January and on Saturday night, their hard work showed. 

The crowd was buzzing as they waited in their seats, teachers, friends, and family all waiting for the lights to go down. 

The show was roughly an hour and a half and although it was the Junior version of the musical, it had everyone’s favorite songs from the Disney movie such as “Be Our Guest” and “A Tale as Old as Time.”

While you can see the full cast list here, there were some standout performers. Obviously the two leads, senior Maddie Cashen (Belle) and junior Joey Uzabel (The Beast) were amazing. Maddie has a wonderful voice and Joey is able to portray with his body language the often tumultuous emotions of the Beast all without even showing his face. 

Cashen, in particular, stood out because of her excellent acting. Much of the cast were novices, and while good, Cashen’s acting was a cut above the rest especially during the fight scene when the beast is wounded. Cashen conveyed Belle’s love for the Beast with her melancholic singing and tears. The emotional outpour was moving and it’s clear to see why she was chosen for the leading role. 

The set design was innovative and engaging with both revolving and sliding panels crafted by the engineering class. They really made the most out of their limited space with props that doubled for different scenes. 

Another notable performer was middle schooler, Willow Weisblum, who played Chip was not only an excellent singer but was earnest and devoted to her role, portraying the teacup with its signature childish innocence and naivety. 

Additionally, Josh Sket and Noah McCray were a dynamic duo as Gaston and LeFou, respectively. Their antics were convincing and hilarious as their well-timed jokes brought the characters to light. 

The best part was the ending where the Beast and castle staff are returned to their previously human forms. The actors vibrantly express the joy their characters feel as they’re reunited with their dear friends free from the witch’s curse. 

While there were a few mistakes, like the occasional missed lines, an accidental trip, etc., overall the acting, singing, and dancing was clearly well practiced and enthusiastic. 

The next shows are on Thursday and Friday the 24th and 25th at 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively. You can find out how to get tickets here.