Cast connects with the audience in
Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Reviewed by Sondra
Morishima/Sacramento
Stage & Theatre
Dick Decareau
as Cogsworth, William Michals as the Beast and Ron Wisniski as Lumiere
in a scene from the Music Circus production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE
BEAST at the Wells Fargo Pavilion July 5-17. Photo by: Charr Crail.
OK, I'll give it to
you straight - I'm sixteen years old and I just watched a Disney
production. Out of character? Possibly. Worth
it? Yes.
I can say, with complete certainty, that Music
Circus' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is perfect
for all ages. The characters cater to everyone with their jokes
and gestures, compelling the whole audience to burst out in laughter.
It not only exhibits wonderful choreography, but
also a timeless tale known by the young, the old, and everyone in
between.
Much of the humor and connections between the
audience and the characters could not have been possible without the
actors' and actresses' wonderfully animated gestures and facial
expressions.
Just a wink from Lumiere, the skirt-chasing
candelabra, or a flex from Gaston and the audience roars with
laughter. The expressions and movements of the characters did so
much more than make the audience laugh, however; it gave the characters
life. It added to and embellished the personality and the quirks
of each individual.
These little additions filled in the holes that the
script could not cover. I found myself re-living the magic of
Disney - and loving it.
I thought I had forgotten many of the songs, but,
once the music started up, I found that they had been stored somewhere
inside my brain, along with my inner child.
This production stirred my memories and brought back
my love of the story of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Of course, there
were some melodies not exhibited in the Disney film, but these did not
faze me. It was only during some of the solos, where the
characters would sing a slow monologue that I felt myself losing
interest. This would only last for a short while, however, since
the next song would be full of characters and choreography.
It was the choreography of this production that
really took my breath away. The songs involving multiple
characters easily outshone the solos. The song "Gaston" was full
of much elaborate cup-clanging and energy that brought grins to
everyone's faces. "Be Our Guest" which, even in the movie
version, was quite extravagant, did not fall below anyone's
expectations. It in fact exceeded mine, with much confetti,
sparkles, and bright lights to spare. The production was quite
flashy, amusing, and full of personality. It was songs like these
that told me exactly why I was sitting through a Disney
production. It was songs like these that made everything
worthwhile.
I rate it 4 stars out of 5 and highly recommend it
to anyone. This production is a sure crowd-pleaser, catering to
an audience of all ages. Although the majority of the
theatergoers were over 40 or under 10, don't let that stop anyone in
between those ages. They may not sell Belle dresses that fit sixteen
year-olds, but the show itself is quite entertaining.
Evening performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays
at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. Matinees are Thursdays and
Saturdays at 2 p.m. There are two special 7 p.m. performances on
Tuesday, July 12, and Wednesday, July 13.
Tickets for Disney's Beauty and the Beast and other
Music Circus shows are $49 for Friday and Saturday evenings, $46 for
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings and Saturday
matinees, and $34 for Thursday matinees. All ticket prices include a $5
facility fee. Tickets can be purchased at the Wells Fargo Pavilion Box
Office, 1419 H Street, Sacramento, by phone at (916) 557-1999 or online
at www.SacramentoMusicCircus.com.
Tickets are also available through Tickets.com.
