Beauty & the Beast at PARC

A bookish village girl becomes a princess. A savage monster becomes a prince. And a candelabra with an outrageous French accent becomes a human again, along with his fellow magical objects.

These and other characters from the fairy tale that became a beloved Disney film and hit Broadway show will come to life in downtown Plymouth, as Forever After Productions presents the youth theater version of “Beauty and the Beast”.

In six performances from October 18 through 21, a cast of nearly 60 talented children and teens from Plymouth, Canton and surrounding communities will present the musical, which is suitable for all ages.

Called “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” for its family-friendly length of 70 minutes with one intermission, the show will transform the stage of the Plymouth Arts and Recreation Center (PARC) Playhouse into a French village and castle, with the help of parent volunteers who create scenery and costumes.

The musical is based on the 1991 animated movie and 1994 Broadway hit, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and dialogue by Linda Woolverton.

Ticket prices are family-friendly, at just $10 for each general admission seat. They’re on sale now via www.iheartforeverafter.org or by calling Forever After Productions at (734) 547-5156.

The young cast includes dozens of elementary, middle and high school students who have rehearsed since August for the performances.

“This is a story of transformation, and it’s so rewarding to see our cast members transform from regular kids to a cohesive cast,” says Sarah Chapman of Canton, the show’s director. “Even though these characters and songs have become so familiar, we hope families can discover it again through our shows.”

"We have had so much fun rehearsing the songs, and bringing out both the fun and the drama of this show," says Mary Anne Martin, Music Director.

The show has evening performances at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 18, Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20, and matinees at 2 p.m. on October 20, and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on October 21. All shows are at PARC, at 650 Church St. in downtown Plymouth, with free parking available behind the building off Adams St.

For more about Forever After Productions, visit www.iheartforeverafter.org, email foreveraftermail@gmail.com or follow on Instagram at @foreverafter_productions or Facebook at www.facebook.com/ForeverAfter/ .