A Quick Background
Beauty and the Beast is a romantic fantasy, involving a peculiar girl named Belle, and a Beast Prince. Belle is the daughter of Maurice, an inventor who spends most of his time working. On the other hand, Belle spends most of her time in the library due to her love of books. The whole town views Belle as a strange but beautiful girl; yet, they see Maurice as an insane man—holed up in his workshop. Gaston, the most popular man in the village, is set on making Belle his wife, whether she wants to be or not. Events unfold, landing Belle in a cursed palace locked away with the Beast Prince.
Words from Teachers
Throughout the process of making the musical, there are four teachers who bring the story to life: Mr. Nguyen the director, Mrs. Fetrow the choreographer, Mr. Hawkins the song director, and Mr. Bui the band director.
When asked what he thinks is special about Beauty and the Beast, Mr. Ngyuen said, “The perception of Belle’s story has become very negative in today’s society. We are hoping that people see that this story is about learning to be more empathetic and understanding despite what people may put up as a front, as a facade to protect themselves. Ultimately with more patience we can build a stronger sense of community.”
While Beauty and The Beast has deep meaning, its message is emphasized by numerous dances. When asked about her favorite dance number, Mrs. Fetrow replied, “I think Be Our Guest is my favorite because it has all different genres of dance in it and a variety of different groups that come in and off stage. It’s organized chaos.”
Be Our Guest is just one of the many iconic songs that comes from Beauty and The Beast. When asked why he believes the songs from this musical are so popular, Mr. Hawkins said, “It hits on themes that people can really relate with. The songs are about loving people or who they really are so when we hear songs like that it hits close to home.”
These teachers have conducted a talented group of students and placed the building blocks for an extravagant musical.
Words from the Cast
There can’t be a musical without the cast itself. These people have spent many hours memorizing lines, dances, and songs–putting sweat, tears, and even a dash of blood into this production. Three cast members were interviewed and they truly had a lot to say.
Lorelei Dumas is an active member of the Cal High Theater Community. She is the Vice President of the Thespian Board, a Comedy Sportz captain, and has participated in a large number of Cal Productions. It is no surprise that she plays Belle, the lead in Beauty and the Beast. When asked why she finds each year’s musical important she said, “Every year is different, a new cast, new music, new dances. It’s so exciting and fun, something that I hope everyone gets to experience whether that be by performing or watching.”
We also talked to Martes Ramirez, a member of the Cal High Chamber Choir: She luminates the stage as the well-known candlestick Lumiere. When asked why she thinks other people should go see the musical, she said, “We put a lot of hard work into it. We spend days and hours working on this and we deserve some attention, in my opinion. I also think that by seeing the musical you can see the strong connection the actors and cast have with each other.”
Lastly, Joshua Mungia, another member of the Chamber Choir was interviewed (he plays the he-man Gaston). He was asked: What good comes from being in the musical? His response was, “You’re constantly being exposed to different types of people who might have more in common with you than you think. You also elevate your experience and skills in music, acting, and dancing. In many ways, you grow as a person and you allow yourself to let loose and feel free with people.”
The spring musical is most definitely going to be a hit and you should go see it!
