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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Disney's Beauty and the Beast Also see Gil's review of Be More Chill
Based on the hit animated film, the stage adaptation faithfully follows the movie plot that centers around Belle, a bright and independent young woman who feels out of place in her small, provincial village. When her eccentric father Maurice stumbles upon a mysterious, enchanted castle and is taken prisoner by its master, a fearsome Beast, Belle sacrifices her freedom to take her father's place. Unbeknownst to her, the Beast was once a vain and selfish prince cursed to live as a creature until he learned to love and be loved in return. Over time, Belle and the Beast begin to bond, and she discovers the kindness hidden beneath his gruff exterior, while he begins to soften and show compassion. But as romance blossoms, the villagers, led by the arrogant and brutish Gaston, threaten their newfound happiness. The actors portraying Belle and the Beast, Jess Mangels and Luke Lundberg, do a lovely job bringing depth and authenticity to their roles. Mangels' portrayal of Belle is both relatable and genuine, capturing the character's courage and independence while adding an abundance of warmth and charisma. Mangels voice is strong yet tender, especially in her solo songs "Home" and "A Change in Me," with assured and well thought out lyric delivery that conveys Belle's inner strength and resilience. Lundberg's portrayal of the Beast is just as strong. He skillfully shows the many layers of the character, fierce and intimidating yet vulnerable and also somewhat lonely. His body language instills an impressive physicality to give the Beast a menacing presence, but also a lithe and subtle sensitivity that allows the audience to sympathize with the character's plight. The strong, powerful notes in his performance of "If I Can't Love Her" make the song deeply moving, revealing the Beast's internal conflict and sense of despair. Together, Mangels and Lundberg create a heartfelt duo you root to see succeed. Ben Sparling is excellent as Gaston, the self-centered, arrogant hunter who relentlessly pursues Belle, convinced she will marry him despite her clear disinterest. Sparling instills Gaston with an appropriate larger-than-life personality and his sharp comic timing and powerful singing voice make Gaston a comical villain you love to hate. Carter Giannetti and Thomas Heggem are wonderful as Lumiere and Cogsworth, the suave and charismatic maître d' turned enchanted candelabra and the tightly wound head of the household who has been transformed into a clock. Their comical timing is sharp and they both bring warmth and humor to the production. As Mrs. Potts, the gentle and wise cook who has been turned into a teapot, Reese Tate is lovely and her interactions with her fellow castmates are warm and bright which is perfect since Mrs. Potts is a motherly figure to both Belle and her fellow enchanted friends. Benjamin Avilés is a comical buffoon as Lefou, Gaston's bumbling, loyal sidekick who provides comic relief with his over-the-top admiration of Gaston and his clumsy antics. Caleb Moran, Mikayla Cavanaugh, Emmarie Nichols, and Paola Castellanos are fun as the other supporting roles that add to the plot, and the large ensemble cast do lovely work creating the colorful village and castle characters. Director Cynthia Calhoun does a fairly good job making sure that the comedy in the show never veers too far into farce and that the emotional impact of the plot stays strong. However, some of the comic timing and line readings miss important jokes or emphasis on certain lines and, while the set design by William Symington is grand and impressive, it also means the scene changes are somewhat dragged out. Also, the important rose that determines how much time the Beast has left to find love until its last petal falls, is hard to see as it's hidden behind a railing. Madison Strider's choreography is wonderful; both "Gaston" and "Be Our Guest" build into crowd pleasers and during "Gaston," Sparling lifts and carries Mangles around like a rag doll, which gets large laughs from the audience. Nola Yergen's costumes are great, with fun touches for the enchanted characters. Cora Epton's hair designs are wonderful, especially the large headpiece for the Beast and the wig designs for Lumiere and Cogsworth. Nicholas Hutchinson's lighting is evocative and immersive. The sound design by Andy Zolla provides crisp and clear sounds from the cast and the orchestra under Mark Fearey's bright music direction. While I had a few shortcomings with GCU's production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, with a winning cast and fun choreography, it beautifully captures the spirit and charm of the classic animated film. Disney's Beauty and the Beast runs through November 17, 2024, at Grand Canyon University, Ethington Theatre, 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix AZ. For tickets and information, please visit events.gcu.edu/events/category/ethington-theatre/ or call 602-639-8880 Directed by Cynthia Calhoun The Cast: |
