VALDOSTA —
Lowndes High School Off-Broadway brings a story of love, song and singing inanimate objects to life this week as it presents “Beauty and the Beast.”
During rehearsal Monday, Joi Jones’ Belle brought a mature power to her songs. Through a dynamic, multi-storied set, the Lowndes auditorium has been transformed into the Beast’s castle. Rental costumes replicate the wardrobes of the animated movie.
Director Phyllis Childree has been preparing this large-cast extravaganza for several weeks of rehearsal. With the costumes arriving this past Friday, Childree led her student cast through a long Saturday rehearsal to get the students accustomed to the many dresses, gowns, candelabra arms, clock springs, and beastly masks.
They will wear these various costumes while performing the well-known songs such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Is This Home?” and the show-stopping “Be Our Guest.” As a movie, these songs helped propel “Beauty and the Beast” to be an Oscar nominee for Best Picture back in the 1990s then onto a live stage show.
In addition to this show’s performances at the school, LHS Off-Broadway will bring “Beauty and the Beast” characters to the St. Augustine Road Applebee’s Saturday morning for a Flapjack Fundraiser to benefit the school production. Students will wear their costumes and greet guests in character.
It may be the only chance to see the cast in character. Tickets are selling fast for the show, with some performances already sold out earlier this week. If you plan to be “Beauty and the Beast’s” guest, you may want to buy a ticket as soon as possible.
THE CAST: Joi Jones, Noah Dalton, Dylan Schindler, Shanice Bridges, Brandon Chandler, Avery Sirmans, Asher Brooks, Casey Van Nortwick, Haley Aguero, Lindsey Scarbrough, Zach Johnson, Josh Duvall, Noel Carter, Kimsey Aguero, Laine Fletcher, Heather Adkins, Megan Anderson, Will Black, Dakota Bostick, Asher Brooks, Allyson Broyles, Marchetta Crawford, Kennedy Coleman, Jimmy Dao, Kenny Dao, Chris Dean-Fiskal, Danielle DeLoach, Sholeh Duncan, Darla Dunning, Cole Gavitt, Gaquan Hankins, Henny Hari, Cidavia Hepburn, Shad Hurst, Paxton Joiner, Joanna Josinski, Tanesha Jones, Autumn Kulka, Lorin-Ashlee Livings, Aerial Livingston, Olivia Maule, Kayla McCray, Ashlyn Parker, Elyssa Pate, Ashleigh Phillips, Gabby Powell, Allena Riske, Dana Rumker, Dena Rumker, Keileigh Sams, J’Len Shaw, Allison Souris, Karissa Smeenk, Malikiz Thorp, Mikala Williams.
DIRECTION, PRODUCTION: Phyllis Childree, director; Caroline Hatchett, musical director; Shanice Bridges, choreographer; Yeager Gaston, set construction; Anna Butcher, Andrew Mast, Reynaldo Hicks, Gloria Stanley, tech; Morgan Brady, Eryn Guilmette, Savannah Mace, Andrea Sirmans, backstage.
SHOWTIME
Lowndes High School Off-Broadway presents Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, March 14-16; 3 p.m. Sunday, March 17.
Where: Lowndes High School auditorium, off Norman Drive.
Ticket: $8, and can be purchased in Drama Classroom A-123; or Lowndes High front office.
Flapjack Fundraiser: 8-10 a.m. Saturday, March 16, Applebee’s, 1301 St. Augustine Road. Ticket: $6, includes pancakes, sausage, orange juice, and unlimited coffee, tea, or soda. Tickets available from any cast member, or at the school.
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Beauty and the Beast
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