Cappies Review: 'Beauty and the Beast'

By Sarah Santoro of Stone Bridge High School

A prince in disguise. A beautiful girl. A curse that can only be broken by true love. In classic fairy tale form, Centreville High School’s enchanting production of “Beauty and the Beast” was packed full of magic, conflict, romance, and the talent to back it up.

Adapted from the 1991 Disney film that was itself adapted from a traditional French fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast opened on Broadway in 1994 and ran until 2007. The show, with music by Alan Menken, is the 9th longest running Broadway production in history. Nominated for a myriad of awards, including a Tony for Best Musical, Beauty and the Beast continues to be a popular and beloved production.

The familiar story tells the tale of a young prince who, as a punishment for his unkindness, is turned into a horrifying beast and can only be redeemed by the love of someone who can see past his hideous exterior. In a nearby village, the beautiful and kind Belle spends her days reading, looking after her eccentric father, and fending off the persistent advances of the handsome but conceited Gaston. One night Belle’s father loses his way in the woods and ends up imprisoned by the Beast until Belle sacrifices herself to take her father’s place. While she is frightened and withdrawn at first, her kind spirit begins to bring hope to the crumbling castle for the first time in years.

Bright and spirited, Cameron Daly’s portrayal of Belle had unique spunk and verve. Her interactions with the volatile but secretly kind-hearted Beast (Nick Ingargiola) called to mind classic, iconic scenes.

Joshua Ewalt completely embodied the swaggering, hyper-masculine Gaston. Delightfully cocky and self-assured, every roughish wink or macho flex of his muscles helped bring the arrogant beefcake to life. With strong vocals and slick handling of the choreography, Ewalt’s standout performance created a positively villainous antagonist.

Emilio Canals was hilarious and winning as the suave, amorous Lumiere. An honesty and authenticity brought substance to back up the charisma, bringing believability to fantasy and providing convincing chemistry in all of his interactions. With his debonair French accent maintained even while singing and his dashing, jaunty physicality, Canals commanded laughter with ease and lit up the stage.

As the saucy feather duster Babette, Nora Winsler stood out as a talented vocalist. The unmistakable chemistry between her and Canals made their characters’ flirtatious exchanges some of the show’s most comedic moments.

While the actors gave nods to their animated counterparts, they added their own winning characterizations that were reminiscent but not derivative. The performances brought back memories of the beloved film while still being original and lovable in their own right.

Infectious choreography heightened the production, and, although a few performers struggled a little with the dances, the charm and liveliness of the entire cast made numbers like Be Our Guest and Gaston vibrant, dazzling, and memorable.

Stylized and cohesive, the charming sets transported the audience to the world of fairy tales with a quaint village of lattice woodworking, a magnificent, imposing castle, and shadowy, ominous woods, all impressively detailed and imaginative.

The cast and crew of Beauty and the Beast brought the beloved tale to life with charm, humor, and heart with strong characterizations and authentic relationships. The talent and creativity of the students of Centreville High School created an endearing production straight out of a fairy tale.

PHOTO by Kimberly Powell

From left to right is: Margot Vanyan, Gabie Nicchitta, Joshua Ewalt, Kourtini McNeil, Zainab Barry