Beauty and the Beast

Anabelle has found her passion in both show choir and theater, and I imagine that many of the next 4 years will be full of posts similar to this one.   For the Fall, the theater group has been working very hard almost every day on the "Beauty and the Beast" show.   I think Belle tried out to be the star "Belle", but as just a freshman, the coveted role went to two seniors.   But she did get into the ensemble, and had a solo line as a woman in the village singing "Set to sacrifice our children to his monstrous appetite" as Gaston stirred up everyone to follow him to "Kill the Beast".   

It was fun watching the performance, with a child in the ensemble.   As your focus on any play is the main characters, but when you focus is just one of the girls in the village, or one of the plates on the dinner table, or one of the stationary gargoyles protecting a castle, it was interesting to see what else is going on to help the scenes move forward.   I think magan saw this show 4 times to my 2 times, and we got to see two separate shows with a different cast as the major roles.   I cringed for Belle every time she had to walk up on top of that table with those heels, and cringed even more each night when she pulled off those eye lashes.   

Our church group was well represented with Jamison Francis playing Mrs. Potts in one of the casts, then Cash, Linley, and Belle in the ensemble for both casts.   Belle was all smiles with almost all of the family making it down to see one show or another.   After being caught behind the group of villagers in one show, she learned a trick to slide out and into the lights for her one big line at the other shows, delivering it very well.   

And after several performances for the school, and for the public, the run was finished.   She did amazing, and I can't wait to see her more on that stage.   I believe "The Outsiders" is next for the spring.   And I think Belle and I both have our fingers crossed that Les Mis will show up sometime over the next 3 years (perhaps a bit watered down for the high school show, but it would be amazing, and Belle could nail some of those songs...said by the super biased proud dad).