Beauty and Beast

 If you want to be reminded of the magic of theater, take a young child to see their first show. It’s nothing short of exhilarating to see their face light up when a story comes alive in front of them. Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s current production of Beauty and the Beast pulls out all the stops. This show is the perfect example of the theater doing what it does best and it’s one of the finest shows I’ve seen there in years.

The stage may be on the smaller side, but the cast uses the entire theatre, wandering the aisles to the delight of the children in the audience. The production uses scenes of taverns and castle interiors projected on the walls to give Michael Layton's set design added depth. Just wait for "Be Our Guest" to be blown away by the Main Street Music Theatre's lavish costumes.

Jameelah Leaundra is the perfect Belle. Her voice is lovely, especially in the number "Home". Her vocals are excellent, but it's the warmth and intelligence she brings to the role that captures why young girls have loved the character for decades. The casting of John Vessels as the cranky Cogsworth and Jonathan Studdard as the lusty Lumière is pitch perfect! The cast includes Rachel Shelby, an aerialist who brings her skills to the stage in a delightful way. Rounding out the excellent cast is Jon McHatton as Gaston, the conceited lug you love to hate.

Elizabeth Stark Payne directs and despite the elaborate switching of scenes and huge cast, it flows beautifully. She makes the production feel grandiose and even adults in the audience were wowed. 

Don't Miss the Show
Performances: Beauty and the Beast runs until July 9th.

Tickets: To purchase tickets call (317) 872-9664 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Prices range from $52 to $79 and include the show, tax, coffee, tea, and the buffet.

Up next at Beef & Boards is Sophisticated Ladies, based on the music of Duke Ellington, opening July 13th.

Photos courtesy of Beef & Boards