Red & Black Players continue return to live theatre with “Beauty and the Beast JR.” March 25, 26, & 27
Dan McClelland
The Red and Black Players continue their return to live, in-person performance as they present Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. at the Tupper Lake Middle/High School auditorium, 25 Chaney Avenue, on March 25 and 26 at 7 p.m. and March 27 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and senior citizens and will be available at the door. Children 5 and under admitted free. As restrictions have been eased by the school district, wearing of masks by audience members will be optional for these performances.
Beauty and the Beast JR. tells the story of Belle, an adventurous young girl, and the Beast, her hideous captor who is actually a young prince trapped under a spell. In order to break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and earn her love in return – before time runs out. With the help of the castle’s enchanted staff, including a loving teapot, a charming candelabra, and a nervous mantel clock, Belle and the Beast find a beautiful friendship and love that neither knew was possible. Beauty and the Beast JR. features classic songs from the Academy Award®-winning film score such as “Be Our Guest” and “Belle,” as well as original songs from the 1994 Tony®-nominated Broadway musical.
The cast features Meika Nadeau as Belle, Lowden Pratt as the Beast, Cody Auclair as Gaston, Jenna Switzer as LeFou, Emileigh Smith as Mrs. Potts, Raegan Fritts as Lumiere, Nolan Savage as Cogsworth, Karen Bujold as Maurice, Shae Arsenault as Babette, Sophia Staves as Madame de la Grande Bouche, Lacey Pickering as Chip, Hannah Barber, Joelle Bedore, and Nevaeh Toohey as the Silly Girls, Aubrey Sparks, Haylee Callaghan, Antwon Gachowski, and Samantha Flagg as the Narrators, and Hailey Bissonette as Enchantress/Milkmaid/Dance Captain. Other cast include: Aubrey Bissonette, Jeevika Branchaud, Eliza Bujold, Ava Facteau, Bug LaVigne, CJ Levey, Dane O'Connor, Rylee Preston, Ayden Rabideau, Bryce Richer, Lyla Robillard, Ghost Switzer, Noah Switzer, Brianna Towne, and Sireea Zaidan.
Crew for Beauty and the Beast JR. are stage manager Genna Carmichael, assistant stage manager Alison Richer, Hannah Callaghan, Liza Crouse, Mya Fortier, Raegan Hudak, Nick LaPlante, Kelsie Liscum, Morgan Lohr, and Robert Paige. Lighting crew is Johnathan Jauron, Caydence Flagg, and Casper Pratt.
Stage director George Cordes and music director Elizabeth Cordes have again been joined by lighting and tech director David Naone and assistant director Danielle LaMere. Choreographer for this show is Kendall Davison.
There will be flowers and a bake sale in the lobby before the show and during intermission. Kids of all ages are encouraged to come in costume, and there will be a Costume Parade across the stage on Sunday during intermission. Pictures in front of the enchanted dining room background will also be available each show.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International. With this production, the Red and Black Players celebrate their 16th anniversary of bringing musical theatre to Tupper Lake. Previous shows include Footloose: The Musical, along with Guys and Dolls, Godspell, Anything Goes, Hello, Dolly!, All Night Strut: A Jumpin', Jivin', Jam!, Back to the 80s: The Totally Awesome Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, Annie, Seussical: The Musical, The Boy Friend, and Bye, Bye Birdie. In 2020, we had to cancel our production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope to revisit this production (with our original cast) sometime in the future. Stay tuned!