Disney's Beauty and the Beast
at Delaware County Christian School

Reviewed on March 11, 2022

Gabriel Planas-Borgstrom
Bordentown Regional High School
Submitted for publication to WordPress Site and Cappies Page

Stunning sets, captivating costumes, and an absolutely "enchanting" cast made Delaware County Christian School's production of Beauty and the Beast one to watch until the last petal fell!

With a book by Linda Woolverton and music by Alan Menken, "Beauty and the Beast" is the stage adaptation of a classic Disney tale. It tells the story of an arrogant, cold prince who has a curse laid upon him and the servants within his castle, making him a hideous beast until he can learn to love and be loved by someone in return. As luck would have it, a headstrong village girl named Belle wanders into his castle after he imprisons her father. The two slowly form a bond, and the questions of finding true love and saving the castle's inhabitants are answered within this heartwarming tale.

Delaware County's show was brought to life by a strong core of leading and supporting actors, who created a backbone within the cast that elevated everyone to give their best performances. They were complemented excellently by the simple yet impressive sets, as well as the costuming which made the lively cast of household objects believable.

The commanding stage presence and smooth vocals of Emma Carrington made her the perfect fit for Belle. She charmed the audience whenever she took the stage and kept the production both moving and engaging. Alongside her was Noah Dutton as the Beast, whose acting wonderfully highlighted the sensitive, human side of the larger-than-life monster.

Every great story needs an even greater villain, and as Gaston, Jeremy Mitchell delivered. His barbaric and arrogant character was only outdone by his impeccable singing, seemingly unable to miss a note all evening. Another high point within the cast was Emily Chung as Cogsworth, whose comedic timing and bold mannerisms created a refreshing, hilarious spin on the classically wound up character.

It's no easy feat to make a whole village or castle appear on any stage, but the ingenious multi-level set design created the perfect atmosphere for the performance. Although the balance between the orchestra and the ensemble microphones was occasionally amiss, the cast persevered and kept the overall effect alive.

A timeless animated classic such as "Beauty and the Beast" can be very difficult to transfer to the real world, but the extraordinary performance of Delaware County Christian School took this challenge head on and delivered a very memorable experience.

Evelyn Walker
Conestoga High School
Submitted for publication to WordPress Site and Cappies Page

Delaware County Christian School's cast of "Beauty and the Beast" made the audience their "guests" and brought them into the enchanting story with energy and creativity. The students exhibited impressive dance skills, character work, and humor that earned them a standing ovation.

Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice's classic Broadway musical re-introduced audiences to the magic of Disney onstage following a long period of sadder shows. The show tells the story of a young French girl who "wants much more than [her] provincial life". When young Belle finds herself the prisoner of a prince under a spell, she becomes determined to make the best of her situation and eventually finds love in the place she would least expect it. Avoiding the advances of the town heartthrob Gaston and dancing with enchanted cookware, Belle embarks on an adventure of romance, family, and magic, meeting unlikely friends along the way.

The orchestra opened the show with "Beauty and the Beast's" well-known refrain, immediately immersing the audience in its magic. From the sets to the costumes the design was impressive, and the students showed enthusiasm and hard work in every scene.

Emma Carrington was spunky and adventurous as Belle, depicting a young girl's struggle to fit in and eventually find a home with bright vocals and deep emotion. She worked particularly well with Noah Dutton's Beast in "Home--Reprise", the song in which Belle professes her love for the Beast. Her interpretation of "A Change in Me" was beautiful and filled with hope. Dutton's take on the Beast was unique and refreshing and he collaborated comedically with the enchanted ensemble.

While Carrington and Dutton told their love story, many supporting cast members helped them on their journey, including Jeremy Mitchell as Gaston, Jazmine Scotton as Mrs. Potts, and Emily Chung as Cogsworth. Mitchell's impressive vocals, swagger, and stage presence brought Gaston's larger-than-life character to a new level. Scotton's interpretation of the classic song "Beauty and the Beast" was stunning and received raucous applause. She easily riffed on the number and sang with deep emotion. Chung's sarcastic energy as Cogsworth was unique and kept the audience on their toes. She was consistently funny and brought a special energy to the Beast's castle. Along with these performances, the featured dancers added excitement to the show with their tightly choreographed numbers, including the Wolf Chases and the napkins' "Be Our Guest" dance break.

DC's stage crew created impressive sets, lighting, and costuming to fully immerse the audience in the show. The crew was efficient with scene changes and quickly responded to lighting cues.

Delaware County Christian School's performance of the "tale as old as time" brought fresh energy and excitement to a classic story.

Clara Steege
Conestoga High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies Page

From the first moments of Delaware County Christian School's production of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," the audience was put under a spell just as strong as the enchantment on the Beast's castle. The vivacious cast, exceedingly dedicated crew came together to produce a show that was simply magical.

"Beauty and the Beast" is a well-known tale of true love and belonging, centering around a bright young woman who feels out of place in her small village and a selfish prince who has been cursed to take the shape of a monster due to his callous treatment of an enchantress. When Belle and the Beast cross paths, their relationship allows them to learn more about themselves and their places in the world. The story's universal themes and entertaining plot give it much appeal, and it has graced the silver screen as well as the stage.

Because of its many settings, intricate costumes, and elements of magic, Beauty and the Beast is certainly a difficult production to put on. DCCS rose to the occasion admirably, taking advantage of the show's magical proportions to turn out a wonderful spectacle.

Emma Carrington led the cast as Belle, amplifying every scene with her emotive facial expressions and body language. She was exceptional at communicating Belle's feelings to the audience, and she was strongest when building on her rapport with other actors like Noah Dutton, who played the Beast. The pair had great chemistry, and each effectively portrayed how their characters changed as the relationship developed.

Another standout duo included Emily Chung (Cogsworth) and Benjamin Favino (Lumiere). Both Chung and Favino had masterful comedic timing, and they contrasted their character's attitudes well to add even more humor. Some of the strongest vocals of the night came from Jazmine Scotton – whose incredible talent as Mrs. Potts made "Beauty and the Beast" a highlight of the show – as well as Jeremy Mitchell – who paired his excellent singing with impressive swagger and confidence as Gaston.

Supporting the actors, the orchestra added energy in every moment, whether that was a quick scene change or a lengthy, full-cast musical number. The set, props, and costumes were also all very elaborate and impressive, and the crew managed every element of the complex staging skillfully.

Delaware County Christian School truly brought "Beauty and the Beast" to life onstage, making the audience feel every bit as welcomed as Belle in "Be Our Guest."

Ryan Kaufman
Bordentown Regional High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies Page

We were certainly welcomed as their guest as the students of Delaware County Christian School put on a once in a lifetime performance of Disney's "Beauty & the Beast."

In this tale as old as time, Belle is locked up in a castle with the hideous Beast. She meets the Enchanted Objects and they tell the Beast that he needs her to fall in love with her to break the enchantress's spell. Along the way, Gaston plots to woo Belle and marry her. All of the characters meet during the final battle at the castle where true love prevails in the end.

Emma Carrington (Belle) did a phenomenal job portraying someone conflicted by the world as well as those around them. Her character development throughout the show that led up to the final climactic moments made the entire finale believable. Noah Dutton (Beast) was able to give a notable performance in this role. The change at the end was done in such a quick manner that was very impressive and a spectacle to watch.

Another notable performance was by Jeremy Mitchell (Gaston). His vocals were magnificent and he gave a memorable performance as the dastardly villain. The physicality of the character was done very well and was a standout of the show. The Enchanted Objects were another part of the show that made it feel like the movies came to life. Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Babette, and Madame De La Grande Bouche were all believable as humans turning into objects with only so long left to live. The performances that they all gave in numbers such as "Be Our Guest" and "Human Again" were highlights of the show.

The sound (Rachel Anderson, Tyler Toms, Connor Transue) was always on point and clear. With how many microphones there were, the sound crew did a fantastic job making sure that they were all on and adjusted to appropriate volumes. The lighting (Bryce Cooper) was also a standout with the many lights that filled up the entire stage to the spotlights that enhanced numbers with the Beast as in "If I Can't Love Her" and its reprise.

The set design (DC Stage Crew) was very intricate with many moving parts. The castle being able to be hidden behind the curtain is very unique and made for great reveals of the set. Sometimes the set changes would take a while with long periods of blackouts, but this did not take away from the excellent performance.

Overall, Delaware County Christian School's "Disney's Beauty & the Beast" put on a heartwarming show that was an exhilarating experience for everyone.