Beauty and the Beast boasts a cast of 95 from 9 school districts
By Scott Daniels
June 10, 2016
577
The Wayne County Performing Arts Center will bring its production of Beauty and the Beast Junior to the stage on June 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 7 p.m. and June 26 at 2 p.m. at the Wooster High School Performing Arts Center. Production artistic director Jenny Karger said the show boosts a huge cast and young performers from all over the area.
We had nearly 100 kids come out to audition, and we decided to use just about all of them, Karger said. So we have a cast of 95 kids ranging in age from 6 to 18 years old. They represent nine different school districts, plus private schools and home-schooled students. We have 20 primary characters, 50 villagers and close to 20 others.
Beauty and the Beast is a show Ive always wanted to do, Karger said. This seemed like the right year to do it. Every year our summer production gets bigger and better.
We also have the whole spectrum of experience. This is the very first show for some of the kids, and others are veterans, she said.
Samantha Ponting is in charge of publicity for the show. Shes also the parent of a performer and knows firsthand how critical the role of parents can be to bringing such a production to the stage. Theres so much to do, from ticket sales and makeup, costuming and all of it. The show would be impossible without parents and volunteers.
Karger said they have been rehearsing since April. The show has presented many technical challenges.
We wont get access to the stage until dress rehearsal, she said. We are spread across several locations until then. We rehearse in a space at Foursquare Gospel Church. Our set is being built in donated spaces elsewhere, then well have to transport it all to Wooster High School.
Karger said the summer show date and a cast filled with young people means competing with family vacations, soccer practices and other activities for rehearsal time.
We are extremely grateful for all the help we get from volunteers, parents and family of the cast members. The crew is pretty much all made up of parents, and they are extremely important. Theres a lot to be done to make this production a reality.
Ponting said she knew the show would be exceptional from the first rehearsals. The main characters have these amazing voices. It is well worth catching the show to hear all of them.
Raffle Tickets will be sold at the performances at $1 each or six for $5. The raffle prizes are fantastic, Karger said. Theres a night at the St. Paul Hotel, a mobile fire pit, a date night basket, professional services and huge gift baskets and collections.
To get a free raffle ticket all one has to do is come in costume. Anyone who attends dressed as any character from any Disney movie will get a free raffle ticket, she said.
The show is sponsored by The Village Network. A cutting from Beauty and the Beast will be taken to compete at the junior level Ohio Community Theater Association play competitions in August.
Tickets for the WaCPAC production of Beauty and the Beast Junior are $10 each and available at the organizations website: www.wacpac.org.
