Gaston (Michael Gray) proposes to Belle (Jennifer Dudash) by providing her a self portrait of himself. Photo by: Jack Bowen
By Courtney Edge
Another show is being put on for Plymouth High School’s entertainment but this play is not like the others, this one is a musical of Beauty and the Beast.
Lumiere is a candlestick in the Beauty and the Beast. Senior Jason Pickell will be playing him in the upcoming play. Pickell is in stage crew and acting and he is in the play for the enjoyment. Since he is in stage crew, Pickell got the privilege to make some of the set pieces. He says his costume is like a “candelabra.” Pickell has been to every practice and he does not plan on missing any.
Senior Olivia Hilliard is an actress for PHS and she is playing Babette the feather duster. “I am in this play to have fun and have memories for my last show at PHS,” said Hilliard. She was lucky enough to get the role she wanted and it happened to be one of the lead enchanted roles. Hilliard says she is required to go to every musical and theatrical practice. Every once in awhile Hilliard tutors after school so that conflicts with the practices. Next year Hilliard will be attending Indiana University so her acting career will be pending.
Junior Blake Miller is a singer and an actor and he will be playing the Beast. His costume looks like a “a hippie with dreads, and some extra fur on my face” Miller said. He tried
Mrs. Pots (Cassandra Gaines), Chip (Priscilla Hammonds), and Babette (Olivia Hilliard) have a conversation in The Beast's castle. Photo by: Jack Bowen
out for the play because he had some encouragement from Mrs. Glaub and he wanted to try out himself. “I didn’t plan on getting the Beast,[I] was just trying out for fun,” Miller said. Miller goes to every practice to know the lines. He has nothing to interfere with the practice times after school. Miller does not think he will continue his acting career next year.
The main character of Beauty and the Beast is Belle and she is being played by junior Jennifer Dudash. This play is perfect for Dudash to star in because Beauty and the Beast is her overall favorite Disney movie. There were a lot of people wanting to be the lead role and dance around in the yellow gown and even though the competition was tough she got the part. Dudash has two costumes; an all blue peasant dress and a beautiful yellow ball gown. Dudash goes to most of the practices because she is not required to go to choreography for the chorus. She has work on Tuesday and Thursday but she says “it’s easy to ask for someone to work for me.” Dudash is not sure if her acting career will continue but she does enjoy being up on stage and acting.
Senior Amanda McPherron is going to be playing one of the “silly girls” that follow around Gaston.” She tried out for other parts but she got the part she knew she would enjoy. “My costume looks like a barmaid from the time period this is set in. All of the silly girls have the same costume design but we all have a different color, mine being purple,” said McPherron. She goes to all of the practices except for Act II lines and when she needs to go to practice her coaches excuses her from golf. She will be in college productions and she will continue with her music career, not acting.
“I am in the play because I’m doing three things I love at once,” said junior Victoria Godwin. She does not have her costume completed but she is working hard on it. She will be continuing her acting career and she says it is something everyone should do. Godwin will have a few solo lines as the milkmaid and plate in the play so watch out for that.
“I’m a shepherd and also part of the chorus,” said freshman Andrew Gerard. He likes the idea of having fun up on stage and getting some helpful acting tips. Gerard was not too picky about his part, he really did not mind what part he got. Track is the only thing that could interfere with Gerard’s good times on stage. Sadly, he does not have a very big part so be sure to be watching for him.
Gaston is a very important character in the play, a lead role, and senior Michael Gray will be taking on the role. Gray got the part he wanted and is working on his costume to make it as perfect as the one in the Disney movie. Gray works hard and he has two jobs but luckily his bosses are understanding and he is able to make it to the practices. Next year will not be school play he will be in. Gray has stretched his range to Denver Colorado to where he hopes to be working for Starz Entertainment.
Lumiere (Jason Pickell), Babette (Olivia Hilliard), and Cogsworth (Kelsey Shafer) are scolded by The Beast (Blake Miller) after they let Maurice (Rebecca Brumbaugh) into the castle. Photo by: Jack Bowen
Senior Tia Merritt will be playing a sausage curl girl for the townspeople chorus. When, Merritt tried out for the play she was trying so she could look back on her high school career and say she had the guts to do it. Her character will have spiral curls and have a simple dress on.
We all know the clock who is worried the master will be angry and this loveable character is being played by senior Kelsey Shafer. She thinks that Cogsworth is a character she will enjoy and be fun to play as. Shafer is still working on her costume and it will be made of cardboard and some needed spray paint. She will be going to college and she hopes to find a class so she can continue acting.
An important character we do not normally think about is the narrator and junior Pauline Dagaas is that important character. Narrators do not stay in the whole story and so Dagaas is in the beginning part of the play telling about the Beast. This was her first time trying out so she was not being too picky with her part. Dagaas likes to act and would like to keep doing it until next year but her schedule is too tight.