Chicago Shakespeare Presents BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Review

Belle sits on the corner of the stage, on the first step, with her eyes glued to a book. Meanwhile Gaston, dressed in his flashy, bright costume, attempts to impress her through various displays of his physical strength. The whole town invades the stage, singing melodiously about the young woman’s oddness, and yet, her eyes remain fixed on her book. Soon enough, she returns home to her father, who is about to venture onto the woods with his latest invention. He gets lost in the dark woods and is chased by dancing wolves onto the gates of the Beast’s palace.

The classic tale of Beauty and the Beast follows a beautiful young woman called Belle, who ends up trapped in a Beast’s palace after trading her freedom for her father’s life. This production of the timeless story brings the palace to life in front of our eyes.
As soon as Belle steps foot in the castle, the whole atmosphere of the stage changes. Large chandeliers descend from the ceiling, the lights dim and turn dark blue, and the landscape projected onto the back wall becomes black and white. Smoke invades the stage, and a mixture of violins and cellos play a dramatic tune. On the back, Lumiere’s fire ignites as if by magic, and the personified candle stick welcomes Belle into her new home.

The play is not short on magic: the petals from the Beast’s rose fall on command, food appears on plates spontaneously, and costumes change in the blink of an eye.

Chicago Shakespeare’s Production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Recreates the Experience of Reading a Book

The pages of a book are projected onto the back wall of the theatre, and they turn when the scenes shift, giving us a sensation that we are reading a story as well as seeing it. After the Beast saves Belle from a heard of wolves, Belle tends to the Beast’s wounds, while the ensemble watches secretively in the back. Each touch triggers a comedically high-pitched, child-like whimper coming from the actor in a large, bear-like, Beast costume. Belle laughs tenderly in return. Belle reads aloud to the Beast, who becomes just as engrossed in the story as Belle, and it becomes clear that they are meant to be. They dance together under the light of the chandelier, Belle now wearing a beautiful yellow gown, similar to the iconic dress she wears in the movie. Audience gasps are heard when Belle is revealed, under the spotlight, wearing this magnificent dress.

The whole ensemble of dancers, singers, and actors adds to the magic of this play, in this writer’s opinion. The first time the audience sees Le Fou, he is stumbling onto the stage acrobatically. During his large song in praise of Gaston, the ensemble dances in a kick line while rhythmically banging their cups together, adding to the song’s melody. The personified furniture of the Beast’s palace comes to life slowly and unexpectedly. Madame de la Grande Bouche, cursed into becoming a sentient wardrobe, remains quiet and hidden under a mirror for the majority of her first scene, until she suddenly reveals herself, spooking Belle and the audience alike.

This play is perfect for everyone who loves classical tales with a flare of magic.

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CAST:

Emily Ann Brooks: La Fille de la Ville
Jason Michael: Evans Beast
Tim Foszcz: Monsieur D'Arque
Audrey Hare: Belle
Evie Hsu: Chip, at select performances
Layla Joan: Chip, at select performances
Christopher Kale Jones: Lumiere
James Earl Jones II: Cogsworth
Michael Kingston: Maurice
Sam Linda: Le Fou
Maggie Malaney: La Fille de la Ville
Harriet Nzinga Plumpp: Madame de la Grande Bouche
Rebecca Prescott: Mrs. Potts
Maya Rowe: Babette
David Sajewich: Gaston
Maxel McLoud Schingen: Ensemble
Aalon Smith: La Fille de la Ville
Halle Bins: Understudy
Eric Desnoyers: Understudy
Alley Ellis: Understudy
Sadie Fridley: Understudy
Daniel Houle: Understudy
Nathan Karnik: Understudy
Kevin Kuska: Understudy

CREATIVE TEAM:

Alan Menken: Composer
Howard Ashman: Lyricist
Tim Rice: Lyricist
Linda Woolverton: Book Writer
Amber Mak: Director and Choreographer
Charlotte Rivard-Hoster: Music Director
Jeffrey D. Kmiec: Scenic Designer
Theresa Ham: Costume Designer
Jason Lynch: Lighting Designer
Mike Tutaj: Projection Designer
Sarah Ramos: Sound Designer
Heidi Joosten: Orchestrator and Assistant Music Director
Susan Gosdick: Dialect Coach
Nich O’Neil: Assistant Director and Choreographer
Sarah Scanlon: Intimacy Director
Jerry Galante: Fight Choreographer
Katie Cordts: Beast Wig and Make-up Designer and Creator
Milo Bue: Associate Scenic Designer
Andrei Borges: Assistant Lighting Designer
Parker Molacek: Assistant Projection Designer
Mary Zanger: Stage Manager
Drew Donnelly: Assistant Stage Manager

About the Author: Madalena Martins

Madalena is a young writer and actress based in Chicago. She was born and raised in Lisbon (Portugal- the home of soccer and custard tarts) then moved to Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and finally made it to the United States! Her international background resulted in a deep love for languages, cultures, travelling, and food. She is also a lover of theatre, cinema, music, and literature. In her free time, she enjoys writing, going to the beach, doing improv comedy and sketches with friends, talking to strangers, and suffocating her dog with love.

Besides this, she is interested in climate activism, feminism, and queer studies, and is interested in the intersections between these fields.