Beauty and the Beast
at El Dorado

Reviewed on March 21, 2015

Joyce Lee
Northwood High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Be Our Guest at El Dorado's "Beauty and the Beast"

In this stunning remake of a Disney classic, El Dorado's "Beauty and the Beast" exhibits a skillful combination of striking characters and solid vocals that tell a heart-wrenching story about sacrificial love.

The musical follows the story of outcast bookworm Belle (Hannah Quezada) and her encounter, and eventual romance, with a cursed prince known only as the Beast (Zachary Vlastnik).

Quezada's voice is smooth and emotive, the clarity in her melody and enunciation, especially in the opening song, "Belle," adding depth to the brightness of Belle's character.

To contrast the sprightly Belle, Vlastnik plays up the role of a hulking beast, the growl in his voice and his stomping gait making him seem more animal than human. As he transitions from beast to gentleman, his movements become more subtle.

With commanding vocals, Gaston (Xander Pietenpol) is the epitome of a devilish villain complete with swaggering strides and a smirk etched into his face. Proportionate to the Beast's transformation into a human, Gaston becomes more monstrous as the show progresses, replacing his strutting with an animalistic prowl.

Logan Shales as Lumiere amuses with his outrageous French accent and excessive hip movements, his flirtatious nature complemented by the equally playful Babette (Elise Anderson) and countered by the stuffy, yet hilarious Cogsworth (Hunter Nelson). The flamboyance in Lumiere's character is best seen in "Be Our Guest," where Shales prances around the stage with careless abandon, dancing with the cutlery and performing a striking tango with Anderson.

Adding a lively, purposeful energy to the show, the ensembles—from the bustle of frazzled villagers to the showy cancans by enchanted objects—stay organized and execute enchanting harmonies.

The stage management team of Jaret Ashleigh, Jordan Chacon and Rachel Gray conducts scene changes seamlessly, moving the set pieces with efficiency. Mattie Mackessy's make-up design is cohesive, such as with the three Silly Girls (Carissa Hamann, Camryn Burns, and Amy Leonard), whose garish make-up distinguishes them from the other villagers.

Blending beautiful voices with powerful, distinct characters, El Dorado's "Beauty and the Beast" tells this tale as old as time in a fresh way full of magic, comedy and heartache.

Stephanie Chang
Northwood High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

El Dorado is Enchanting in ‘Beauty and the Beast'

Enchantment floods the stage as the cast of El Dorado High School's production of "Beauty and the Beast" commences. From the mystical prologue to the famous happy ending, El Dorado delivers energy in every number.

This classic story tells the tale of Belle, a small town girl who longs to leave her humble beginnings and adventure in far off lands. Meanwhile, the Beast is a handsome prince under a curse who must learn to love. When Belle's father becomes lost in the woods, the two cross paths.

The production is marked by the high energy ensemble, unified choreography, and dedicated lead actors. Throughout the production, the ensemble works together to complete the story and react well to every event.

As Belle, Hannah Quezada showcases a versatile vocal ability as she sustains and projects her high notes. Quezada's expressions range from eager for adventure to distraught over her imprisoned state, displaying a strong emotional connection with her character. Contrasting with Quezada's elegance is Zachary Vlastnik as the Beast. With his powerful voice, Vlastnik stomps across the stage, adding hesitant movements when awkwardly attempting to express his budding feelings for Belle. Xander Pietenpol struts around the stage as the narcissistic Gaston and remains in character throughout the production. Pietenpol's memorable performance is marked by his strong vocals and high energy.

Hunter Nelson plays an anxious Cogsworth through his stiff posture and well-timed comedic remarks as he waddles around to scold Lumiere. As Babette, Elise Anderson remains dedicated to her character and delivers each line with exaggeration and energy. Playing off of both Nelson and Anderson is Logan Shales as Lumiere. With every entrance, Shales lights up with a smile and uses exaggerated movements to emphasize each comedic line. Together, Nelson, Anderson, and Shales all speak with consistent accents and complement each other's performances. Although some singers are off-key, the ensemble displays unified choreography and remains easy to understand.

The stage management team does a fine job coordinating every scene transition and backstage cue. Although a few transitions were awkward, the organization of more complex set movements allowed each to pass smoothly.

"Beauty and the Beast" is truly a "beast" of a musical, but the cast of El Dorado High School rose up to the challenge, delivering an energized and memorable performance.

Claire Pukszta
Northwood High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

El Dorado Spins a Magical Tale

It may be a tale as old as time, but the magic of this enchanting story is alive in El Dorado's production of Beauty and the Beast. The classic follows Belle, a beautiful girl who dreams of adventure. However, upon her father's entrapment in a magical castle, she becomes the Beast's. As the two form an unlikely friendship, and eventually fall in love, outside forces seek to rip them apart and cement the curse that keeps the Beast's monstrous form.

Among the motley objects enchanted by the curse, none is more of a centerpiece than Logan Shales as Lumiere. His grandiose persona is exemplified by flourishing his candlestick arms in songs such as "Be Our Guest". Shales's flamboyant French accent never falters as he cracks jokes at Cogsworth, the irritable clock, and flirts outrageously with Babette, the fierce feather duster. Despite his constant teasing, underneath he maintains a heartfelt devotion to his friends, fiercely jumping into battle against the angry mob to defend them.

Sweet, but still fiercely witty, is Hannah Quezada as Belle. She balances her character's optimism with the deep despair that Belle feels in "Home" upon her realization that she may never leave the castle again. Her counterpart is the fierce Beast, portrayed by Zachary Vlastnik. He starts with his body hunched over, practically crawling on all fours, and seems the epitome of cruelty as he denies Belle her freedom. However, his driving fear of being an outcast forever is revealed in "If I Can't Love Her". Transforming from misunderstood to empathetic, he becomes more human as Belle shows him kindness. Her sweetness is infectious and even the Beast can't resist as the pair slowly falls in love.

Boisterous and booming is the town brute, Gaston, portrayed by Xander Pietenpol, a suitor for Belle's hand. Pietenpol struts about the stage with self-assured confidence, trailed by his lackey, Lefou. His ego is vastly displayed in the song "Gaston", touting his many accomplishments. However, as his advances fail he becomes sinister, becoming darker as the Beast evolves.

The makeup by Mattie Mackessy creates cohesion, unifying ensembles while creating memorable looks. Notably is the mustache made from clock hands on Cogsworth. Stage management by Jaret Ashleigh provided transitions from the castle to the village, keeping the story moving.

Providing wonder and hope, this magical tale shows the importance of humanity and character.