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| Nicki Elledge at Belle and Russell Sunday as Beast Photo: jeri Tidwell Photography |
It is clear we’re in the midst
of Beauty and the Beast Season. The long-anticipated live-action remake of Disney’s
animated film opened a couple of weeks ago.
Currently, Toby’s, the Dinner Theatre of Columbia, is serving up the
vaunted musical version.
And what a job they do! Even with Toby’s already high bar of
consistently churning out quality musical theatre productions over the years,
this mounting of Beauty and the Beast
soars to a new level.
Directed and choreographed by Helen
Hayes Award winner Mark Minnick, the production clearly reflects his meticulous
attention to details as well as his keen awareness of the in-the-round stage
that is a hallmark of Toby’s. It is an
enchanting spectacle of superb music performed by a talented company
demonstrating strong vocals and dazzling, high tempo dancing. #hocoarts
Combine that with brilliant,
extravagant period costumes designed by Lawrence B. Munsey, the imaginative set,
set pieces, and props by David A. Hopkins, Lynn Joslin’s lighting design and
the precise staging, Beauty and the Beast
is far more beauty than beast.
Several hundred costume pieces
are employed including colorful 18th century gowns, dresses with
hoopskirts, as well as attire for wolves and the beast himself. Prosthetics and other devices are used to
outfit the enchanted objects—clock, tea pot, candelabra, etc. There are great challenges in designing such
costumes but Mr. Munsey succeeds spectacularly, which fortifies the aesthetics
of the show.
The musical, which opened on
Broadway in 1994 was based on Oscar-nominated Disney’s 1991 animated feature
film with the same name. It became the tenth longest ever running musical on
Broadway.
Beauty and the Beast
featured the Oscar-winning score with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard
Ashman, with additional songs composed by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice.
The book was written by Linda Woolverton.
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| Photo Jeri Tidwell Photography |
Show-stopping production numbers
that highlight the singing and dancing talents of the ensemble are audience
pleasers to be sure. The rich score is
ably presented by Ross Scott Rawlings and his six-piece orchestra. Yet, it is the fairy tale itself that sweeps
you away on an emotional and romantic journey.
The story of a spoiled prince
who had been transformed by an enchantress into a boorish, hot-tempered, unsightly creature
(Russell Sunday) until he can find love and return to his human form before
petals fall off from an eternal rose given by the enchantress and a beautiful
woman Belle (played by Nicki Elledge) from a provincial town is tender and
endearing. This relationship has the
audience rooting hard for both.
Also pushing hard for the couple
to fall in love are various servants in the prince’s castle who were converted
into enchanted household objects when the spell was cast on the prince. They, too, have a stake in the spell being
removed so they can return to being humans.
Simultaneously, the town’s
egomaniacal, bicep-flexing, bully, Gaston (David Jennings), rejected by Belle
to be his wife, strives to make her change her mind.
Exquisite as Belle, Ms. Elledge,
making her Toby’s debut in stunning fashion, shines throughout. Considered “weird” by the townsfolk because
of her passion for books, Belle is strong-minded, and her eventual attraction
to the beast that requires his becoming more gentlemanly for starters is
tearful in its sweetness. Ms.
Elledge showcases her lovely soprano voice in such the ballads “Belle,” “Home”
and “Change in Me.”
For his part, Mr. Sunday as the
Beast is also excellent. He is called
upon to be mean, gruff and demanding. Yet, he competently softens his demeanor
as his love for Belle grows, demonstrating his acting gifts. Mr. Sunday’s pleasant baritone is evident in
the emotional numbers “How Long Must This Go On?” and “If I Can’t Love Her.”
David Jennings romps through his
role as the superior, perfect-looking God’s gift to women, Gaston. His character, though an antagonist, provides
most of the comic relief throughout because of his over-the-top
self-centeredness and swagger with the amusing help from Lefou, Gaston’s goofy,
ever-fawning sycophant, played deliciously by Jeffrey Shankle. Mr. Jenning’s commanding baritone in “Me,”
“Gaston” and “The Mob Song” is on display.
As mentioned earlier, because of
the spell, the Prince’s-then Beast’s staff had been turned into such objects as
a teapot, Mrs. Potts played by Lynn Sharp-Spears. Her rendition of the title song in the second
act was performed sweetly.
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| Photo: Jeri Tidwell Photography |
Other characters in this group
include Cogsworth, the head of the castle and who converted into a mantle clock
(David James); Babette, the enchanted feather duster (Elizabeth Rayca); the suave
Lumiere, the maitre d’ of the castle and enchanted candelabra (Jeremy Scott
Blaustein); former opera diva Madame de la Grande Bouche, the enchanted
wardrobe (Jane C. Boyle); and young Chip, the teacup and son of Mrs. Potts (Nathan
Pham). All perform brilliantly in their
mostly comic roles as foils to the Beast.
Also, turning in a solid
performance is the always reliable Robert John Biedermann 125 as Maurice,
Belle’s inventor-father thought to be crazy by Gaston and the townsfolk.
Production numbers, such as “Gaston,”
“Be Our Guest,” and “Human Again” involving the ensemble are extraordinary in
their execution of Mr. Minnick’s choreography.
Precise throughout, these numbers are simply sensational.
AJ Whittenberger, a member of
the ensemble, is dazzling in his acrobatics as a carpet in “Be Our Guest.” If this was gymnastics, he would have
garnered a sterling 9.5 in the floor exercise.
Rounding out the energetic, talented
ensemble are Justin Calhoun, Andrew Horn, MaryKate Brouillet, Coby Kay
Callahan, Samantha McEwen Deininger, Rachel Kemp, Julia Lancione, Kyle
Louviere, RJ Pavel, and DeCarlo Raspberry.
...this mounting of Beauty and the Beast soars to a new level.
With the talent overflowing and
the technical crew’s skill, Toby’s
presentation of Beauty and the Best
excels in all facets from direction to staging to performances.
This production proves why the
musical has received such worldwide popularity. No matter our age, we can all
enjoy a good fairy tale with a happy ending to brighten our lives.
Running time. Two hours and 45
minutes with an intermission.
Beauty and the Beast runs
through June 11 at Toby’s the Dinner Theatre of Columbia, 4900 Symphony Woods
Rd., Columbia, MD 21044. Tickets may be
purchased by calling the box office at 410-730-8311 or visiting
tobysdinnertheatre.com.
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