BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
‘Beauty and the Beast’ opens Friday evening at Savoy Theatre
Iconic musical opens Friday at Savoy Theatre.
The transformation of a key character is not the only big change audiences will witness when the Savoy’s red curtain is pulled back on Friday for “Beauty and the Beast.”
The Glace Bay theatre’s stage and lightning have been noticeably upgraded for the performances, leading officials to refer to it as the most ambitious show in the recent history of the theatre.
“Les Miz, musically, was definitely ambitious. This is more technically ambitious,” said Pam Leader, executive director at the Savoy.
“The cast is wonderful. It’s just the technical things that we really don’t do — the bells and whistles — because we don’t have the bells and whistles when it comes to our lighting and everything. This is more bells and whistles, with a great cast.”
The play is based on the Academy Award-winning animated Disney feature and tells the story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress.
Among the more noticeable ‘bells and whistles’ for the Savoy’s version will be an onstage castle the theatre purchased from Neptune Theatre last year.
The very detailed structure is the same castle the Halifaxbased venue used in its staging of “Beauty and the Beast.”
“It’s too nice to take down. I’ve said the next four musicals we do will have a castle,” Leader said very much in jest.
“It’s been so much work to put up. This has been the most ambitious show we’ve ever done (plus) we’ve had other shows in here the past few weeks. If we had a whole month on stage with the set and everything, but right now we are in the time crunch and these (crew) guys have literally been here 14 hours a day.”
Figuring out how to make people fly as part of a key transformation in the play was among the final touches crew were figuring out on Monday, just days away from opening night.
Stage performers have been working as hard as theatre crew, according to Leader.
The large cast of 37 includes Leslie MacLean in the role of Belle and familiar names such as Joella Foulds, Ron Newcombe, Holly Gillis and Colin Appleton in other roles.
“Normally, when we do rehearsals it might be one day through the week and one weekend and they have given up probably their last eight weekends. It’s been tough, but it will all be worth it.”
The show will be directed by Jeremy Webb, who was recently named the artistic director at Neptune Theatre.
Leader said Webb has been in “Beauty and the Beast” at least three times so he knows the show inside and out.
Barbara Stetter is handling the music direction while Cynthia Vokey is in charge of choreography.
Ticket information is available at the Savoy box office, but Leader said the shows were nearly sold out as of Monday.
“I know people will want to see this that are not going to get to see it,” she said.
Another show can’t be added because the theatre has too many other bookings.