Jack Bradford, Director
Directors Notes: “Beauty and the Beast” is a big undertaking, and well worth the effort, as you will see! Our cast has been incredible in the rehearsal process, and this is reflected in the show. The music and story, straight from the Disney archives, are brilliant and full of life. Thank you to the production team, without them the show wouldn’t go on!
Synopsis
Once upon a time, an Enchantress turns a cruel, unfeeling Prince into a hideous Beast. To break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose.
Ten years later, in a small village below the Beast’s Castle, a beautiful and intelligent young woman. Belle yearns for something more than her provincial life. Belle’s father, Maurice, gets lost and seeks shelter in the castle. Enchanted servants-Cogsworth, Lumiere, Babelle, Mrs Potts and Chip-try to make Maurice comfortable, but the Beast imprisons the intruder. To the dismay of the Silly Girls, who fawn over Gaston, the village brute proposes to Belle who turns him down. When Belle sees Gaston’s sidekick, Lefou, wearing Maurice’s scarf, Belle runs off to search for him. Belle finds her father at the castle and offers herself in exchange for his freedom. The Beast agrees.
In the village lavern, Lefou and the villagers try to lift Gaston’s spirits. When ‘crazy old Maurice’ barges in claiming he has seen a Beast, Gaston and Lefou form a plan to win Belle. At the castle, the servants coach the Beast on how to act like a gentleman. When Bell refuses to accept the Beast’s invitation to dinner, he loses his temper, and tells her to starve. However Lumiere and the Servants offer Belle an extravagant feast. While Cogsworth is gives Belle a tour of the castle, she wanders off and into the forbidden West Wing. The Beast discovers this and explodes causing the frightened Belle to flee the castle. In the forest, Belle is attacked by wolves. The Beast saves her, but is injured.
Having a change of heart, Belle helps the Beast back to the castle, and dresses his wounds. The servants sense something different between Belle and the Beast and express their hope that the spell may soon be broken. Belle longs to see her father, and she uses the Beast’s magic mirror and sees that he is in trouble. The Beast lets her go and she finds Maurice in the forest and takes him home. Gaston has arranged for Monsieur D’Arque to take him to the lunatic asylum. Belle proves that her father is not crazy by showing the Beast in the magic mirror.
Jealous of Belle’s affection for someone else, Gaston whips the villagers into a frenzy to kill the Beast. Gaston confronts and stabs the Beast. Belle arrives and holds the dying Beast in her arms. Her weeping breaks the spell and the Beast transforms back into the Prince. The servants become human again and they live happily ever after!
Cast List
Mirror Cast |
Rose Cast |
|
|---|---|---|
| Belle | Bethany Conwell | Macarra Berthaly-Martyn |
| Beast | Jonathan Albrecht | Robbie Mitchell |
| Gaston | Sam Tully | Jackson Head |
| Lefou | Alex Kuchmenko | Kayne Missen |
| Maurice | Yael Gilbert | Yael Gilbert |
| Mrs Potts | Marcia Penman | Gabrielle Parkin |
| Lumiere | Nathan Hollingworth | Liam Head |
| Cogsworth | Travis Harries | Meg Cohen |
| Chip | Abigail Theil | Jessica Stone |
| Babette | Lauren McGuckin | Jasmin Paterson |
| Madame de la Grand Bouche | Maddi Coleman | Teresa Stringer |
| Young Prince | Ned Franklin | Patrick McGrory |
| Young Belle | Gabby Mumford | Martina Marrama |
| Young Mrs Potts | Chelsea Docherty | Chelsea Docherty |
| Old Woman/Enchantress | Grace Keane-Jones | Stephanie Inches |
| Silly Girl 1 | Hannah Rae | Claudia McNaughton |
| Silly Girl 2 | Rachael Macnaught | Bronte Paterson |
| Silly Girl 3 | Samantha MacKenzie | Rachel Markham |
| Narrator 1 | Courtney Fitzgerald | Elly Smith |
| Narrator 2 | Becky Ho | Emma Venzke |
| Narrator 3 | Chloe Theil | Zachary Miller |
| Narrator 4 | Challanor Gilbert | Elannah Vicca |
| Monsieur D’Arque | Brendan McGrory | Brendan McGrory |
| Aristrocratic Lady | Brianna McGrory | Claire Rigg |
| Fish Woman | Kelsey Pigram | Anna McGraw |
| Egg Woman | Piper Rosenblatt | Caitlin Grant |
| Sausage Curl Girl | Melanie Kerr | Georgia Huf |
| Baker | Anais French | Laura Shaw |
| Lady with Cane | Ellie Gresham | Jessica Bellby |
| Lady with Baby | Mina Aanat | Bridie Isaac |
| Candle Woman | Shontelle Price | Ebony Wilson |
| Hat Seller | Lauren Bellby | Roseanna deAndrade |
| Milkmaid | Bethany Irvine | Izaiah Fergusson |
| Shepherd Boy | Henry Franklin | Aaron Aanat |
| Bookseller | Jesse Price | Twyla Akhurst |
| Castle/Village Chorus | Cassle Woolf, Isabelle Olding, Lucy Stone, Katrina Kerr, Trinity Huf, Spencer Mitchell, Leo Franklin, Kate Gresham, Jacqueline Vincent, Dominic Frech, Nicholas Olding, Charlotte Vincent, Siena Hardie | |
| Servlettes | Rachael Macnaught, Grace Keane-Jones, Stephanie Inches, Rachel Markham, Chloe Theil, Claire Rigg, Melanie Kerr, Becky Ho, Anna McGraw, Hannah Rae | |
| Wolves | Challanor Gilbert, Zach Miller, Mina Aanat, Ellanah Vicca, Martina Marrama, Gabby Mumford | |
Production Team
Role |
Name |
|---|---|
| Director | Jack Bradford |
| Director’s Assistants | Janet Theil, Jesse Bradford, Jose deAndrede |
| Music Director | Debbie Bradford, Chantelle Bradford, Jacob Bradford |
| Production Manager | Debbie Bradford |
| Choreography | Janet Theil |
| Costume Design | Geena Luckin, Jennifer French |
| Costume Assistants | Coralie Stringer, Leanne Head |
| Makeup Design | Bridget Ingle |
| Publicist | Alix Hill |
| Props | Karen deAndrade |
| Stage Set | Karen deAndrade, Ian Bulloch, Ian Fair, Nicole Franklin, Josh Miller, Jo Hart, Jess Schultz, Rachel Bishop, Brian Clark |
| Artwork | Josh Miller |
| Sound | Neil Moodie |
| Lights Design | Stephen Moodie |
| Lights Operation | Jesse Bradford |
| Spotlight | Lachlan Farnfield |
| Overhead | Jose deAndrade |
| Music Operator | Glenda Whittred |
| Administration | Sandie Mitchell |
| Canteen | Jackie Hill |
| Box Office | Chantelle Bradford, Sandie Mitchell |
| Stage Manager | Julie Canham |
| DVD Production | Mike Canham |
| Photographer | Leanne Head |
| Smoke Machine | Josh Lucht |