Disney's Beauty and the Beast
at Freedom High School

Reviewed on February 26, 2022

Leydi Cris Cobo Cordon
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

All eyes are on Belle and the Beast as an ominous fog overtakes the stage. Will her bold declaration of love be enough to lift the curse? Freedom High School invites you to be their guest as they challenge the ideas of what makes a monster in their production Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Bringing a beloved animated classic to life, Linda Woolverton's Beauty and the Beast tells the story of Belle, a misfit in her small provincial town, after she offers to take her father's spot as a prisoner in an enchanted castle in the woods. With the help of Alan Menken's music and Howard Ashman and Tim Rice's lyrics, the tale as old as time challenges assumptions made based on appearances as Belle begins to fall for the monstrous Beast that rules over the castle and its servants-turned-furniture. The almost thirty-year-old musical has won countless awards and even received nine Tony Award nominations during the course of its original Broadway run.

The distinct characterization in the ensemble's performances created a vibrantly populated town for the story to take place in, breathing life into the production. Even roles with minimal lines had their moments to shine, such as when Nikita Shah stripped off her cloak in one grand, swift motion to reveal her true identity as the Enchantress during the prologue. Even in larger group numbers, the actors utilized their brief moments in the spotlight to the fullest, elevating the performance from enjoyable to memorable. From the Carpet's incredibly acrobatic dance solo in "Be Our Guest" to the Silly Girls' frantic fighting with their color-coordinated fans in "The Mob Song," Freedom's cast proved that with the right attitude, no role was insignificant.

Embodying the flame between Belle and the Beast, Sloane Helmick's Lumiere truly shined with her fiery fingers. Adorned with long wick-like nails in shades of orange and red, Helmick would twiddle her fingers to mimic the flickering of a flame whenever things were heating up between the two lovebirds. In one instance, Helmick had been excitedly flittering her fingers in anticipation of the Beast's confession of love to Belle, but upon hearing that he let her go instead, Helmick snuffed out the flames by abruptly placing her hands into a frozen fist.

With a splash of glam and sass, Sam Borromeo brought a flirtatious energy to the stage as Babette. As a choreographer, Borromeo did excellently in all of the dances, especially in her sharp, yet heartwarming waltz with Helmick's Lumiere in "Be Our Guest" that symbolized the push-and-pull of their relationship. However, Borromeo continued to shine even in her non-dancing movements, such as when she flirtatiously sat on Maurice's lap to make Lumiere jealous.

This show was incredibly dance heavy and included new dance numbers such as the Nutcracker-reminiscent blend of acrobatics and ballet for the wolves. The costume design created by Aadya Modugumudi, Conan Boland, and the costumes team was wonderfully executed in a way that accentuated the beautiful silhouettes of the choreography without hindering movement. The scenic painting done by Brogan Haley, Annika Pugh, and the set team sparkled with intricate detail that brought the royal setting to life. The crew painstakingly painted every stone brick on the castle, but the tedious task paid off and helped materialize a castle that was grand, yet chillingly isolated.

Filled to the brim with lively dancers and sweet vocalists, as adults and young children alike watched from the audience, there was most definitely something there in Freedom High School's charming production of Beauty and the Beast: magic.

Charley Braceland
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

An enchanted castle lies deep in the woods, ordinary household objects magically come to life, but a frightening beast lurks within. Freedom High School's production of Beauty and the Beast captivated audience members of all ages with this "tale as old as time."

Beauty and the Beast originated from the Disney classic by the same name, released in 1991. Its popularity led to a musical adaptation by Linda Woolverton just two years later in 1993. It tells the story of the Beast, a secluded creature burdened by hate, hidden away in an enchanted castle. His life fatefully crossed with a smart girl named Belle, who went from his prisoner to his friend, teaching him how to love just in time. Freedom High School's production of this charming musical brought color and energy to the stage with skillful actors, singers, dancers, and technical designers.

Sarisha Thakur as Belle was nothing less than spectacular, taking the stage with grace and poise. She delivered not only excellent characterization and stage presence, but a gorgeous voice in songs such as "Is This Home?" and "A Change in Me." Thakur and Eric Wilfong (the Beast) showed authentic growth in their characters through expressing their emotional range.

Actors' chemistry throughout the show was faithfully executed with full commitment. A perfect example was seen between Lefou (Cami DiVenere) and Gaston (Carlton Krueger). DiVenere's frantic bubbliness contrasted with Krueger's cruel composure, highlighting the comical contrast between Lefou and Gaston. Nimbly leaping about the stage, DiVenere's energy never waned. Her full dedication was executed flawlessly.

More outstanding performances were displayed by the castle objects, including Lumiere (Sloane Helmick), Mrs. Potts (Ivy Ridenhour), Cogsworth (Sydney Munsell), Babette (Sam Borromeo), Madame De La Grande Bouche (Heather McLaughlin), and Chip (Maddie Amme). With such different personalities for each character in the ensemble, each actor showed natural reactions to their scene mates, with smooth and realistic movements that perfectly fit the heart of their characters. Borromeo's skill as a dancer was not only stunning but elegant. Clearly a well-practiced dancer, Borromeo commanded the stage with Babette's sass and her own accomplished abilities.

Borromeo also assisted Ella Walters in stunning choreography design. Meticulously planned, each song kept the entire ensemble busy, managing to fill the whole stage in "Gaston" and "Be Our Guest" without feeling crowded. Borromeo and Walters' choice to individually feature ensemble members let dancers such as Stuart Crumbliss show off their masterful acrobatics that would otherwise have not been exhibited.

Costumes designed by Conan Boland and Aadya Modugumudi were nothing short of exquisite. Designed to properly represent the time period of the show, each costume did just that with every lovely detail adding animation and life to each character. Boland and Modugumudi's designs were not only visually magnificent, but also physically practical, allowing dancers to perform without hindrance, specially crafted to move as if it were dancing along with the performers.

For such an involved show, the set was a daunting challenge. Set designers and constructors Brogan Haley and Annika Pugh exceeded expectations, finding clever ways to overcome difficulties. Rotating parts of the set gave the possibility to include multiple locations in a single set piece, all with beautifully hand-painted design features.

With genuine affection and joy, Freedom High School made their production of Beauty and the Beast a perfect example of what this show is all about: love, excitement, and magic.

Nikki Kumar
Lightridge High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Presenting a tale as old as time, Freedom High School brings the enchanted world of Beauty and the Beast to life with countless colors, lights, and flourishes. With songs as old as rhyme, the cast and crew were able to reawaken Little Town with fantastical vocals and heartwarming moments.

Beauty and the Beast is a fairy tale that was first written in 1740, which was later adapted into a Walt Disney Animation film in 1991. It first appeared on Broadway as a musical in 1994 and ran for 13 years. Beauty and the Beast is a story that follows an individualistic Belle who learns there is much more to life than what appears, and that inner beauty can shine more than what meets the eye.

Freedom High School's retelling had a spirited ensemble who had meaningful onstage relationships with evident world-building. Beauty and the Beast has a large cast and requires a solid ensemble, with many voices that were successfully blended. Throughout the show, the cast played with well-grounded characterizations, creating believable choices to intensify storytelling. The entire ensemble used the space on stage incredibly and even connected to the audience offstage. The moments of organized and choreographed chaos were engaging and delivered in character to accent a hardworking cast and crew, where there were clear choices made from Act I to Act II. The movement and pairing relationships were captivating and charming, adding extra attention to smaller character detail.

Sarisha Thakur, as Belle, was the embodiment of a princess, with beautiful vocals and elegant movements. Her moments with actor Eric Wilfong as the Beast were heartfelt and created wonderful chemistry. Cami DiVenere, as Lefou, brought alive the musical number Gaston with fluid movements, fun ensemble dances, and astonishing comedic chemistry with Carlton Krueger, who portrayed the "strong and handsome" Gaston. DiVenere's motions as Lefou were extremely well done, and she perfected physicality in the awkward and happy-go-lucky Lefou.

Lumiere, played by Sloane Helmick, was exceedingly lively with emphasized facial expressions and voice decisions. Her little details in character development terrifically moved the story and were attractive, especially the attention to detail when Lumiere's candle flames would go on and off. Helmick's chemistry with Sydney Munsell, who played Cogsworth, was endearing. Helmick's movement and singing were dazzling in the energetic and iconic Be Our Guest, showing off the many talents of Freedom High School's theatre ensemble. The active number featured various dance styles like ballet and tap. Sam Borromeo, the magnificent actor of Babette, was remarkable in all aspects of her character. From the choices in physicality to voice alteration to chemistry with Helmick, Borromeo's performance was spectacular and stunning. Her movement was very alluring, and it is plain that Borromeo propelled the story along. Ivy Ridenhour's vocals as Mrs. Potts were wondrous and unreal, taking the sincere song Beauty and the Beast and assembling a touching description of Belle and Beast dancing together. Ella Walters' acting and dancing as Silly Girl #1 was jaw-dropping. Stuart Crumbliss as the acrobatic Carpet was exceptional, the choreographed movements were joyful and dynamic.

The technical elements of Freedom High School's Beauty and the Beast were very supporting to the cast and crew. The pit orchestra was gorgeous and pleasant! The set, costumes, and lighting were carefully crafted to reflect the mood of the story and progressed the tale.

Beauty was found within Freedom High School's performance. The ensemble brought adventure from the great wide somewhere, transforming the stage to heighten vivid imagination.

Lareina Allred
Dominion High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

With a tale as old as time, Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is as much a cultural landmark as it is a beloved children's story. The animated movie was adapted into a musical in 1994, becoming one of the most successful Broadway shows in history. It found new audiences recently at Freedom High School, spearheaded by director Rachel Wickham and assistant director Abby Luck. Their tireless efforts combined with the dedication of the cast and crew to make for a show that was filled with energy and charm.

Sarisha Thakur as Belle was a consistent stand-out. Everything from her princess-eque physicality to her impressively clear vocals created a heroine that called back to the original film but was still uniquely her own. The Beast, Eric Wilfong, was played with incredible nuance that tracked a clear arc of character in his hopes of gaining Belle's affection. The couple's dynamic was the show's soul, whose quiet intimacy left audiences swooning.

The ever-hilarious Lumiere, played by Sloane Helmick, possessed incredible comedic timing, and whose interactions with Sam Borromeo's Babette (flirty, flouncy, and flamenco-dancing) were always fodder for laughter. They played wonderfully against the rest of the castle staff, which included the tightly wound Cogsworth, Sydney Munsell, and Heather McLaughlin's Madam De La Grande Bouche. Mrs. Potts, played by Ivy Ridenhour, was accompanied by Maddie Amme's adorable Chip. Ridenhour's beautiful vocals shined throughout the show, especially in the solo piece "Tale as Old as Time."

Many musicals can suffer from lack of ensemble energy, but this production was not one of them. In every group number, there was a palpable enthusiasm and dedication to the scene. Even in moments of wide ensemble work, such as the numbers "Gaston" and "Be Our Guest," every actor was fully engaged and understood their significance in the larger production. Their staging across the space even sometimes extended to the audience seats, and student choreographers Sam Borromeo and Ella Walters created visually stunning numbers from start to finish.

However, all of these efforts wouldn't be possible without tech and stage management. The running crew led by Molly Bercher completed set changes with a practiced ease, making the transitions between scenes effortless. The orchestra pit, composed primarily of student musicians, were vital to providing scenes with atmosphere in addition to the sound team's use of recorded growls and howls. A work of art in and of itself, the set was bedecked with painted set pieces and a beautiful, larger-than-life castle. Various props were done with incredible attention to detail, including a personalized portrait of the Beast and the famous magical rose. The lighting crew created a dizzying splash of spotlights and color during Beast's transformation, an example of true Disney magic. All of these elements combined with the work of the production's costume team, headed by Conan Boland and Aadya Modugumudi. The costume team took on a hefty challenge, creating multiple unique garments for the ensemble, interactive costumes for the castle staff, and a fun twist to Belle's classic yellow dress. The final touch of the makeup department had a commitment to character that was clear in everything from the Beast's fur to the tips of Lumiere's fingers, painted red and glimmering like flames.

The dazzling final transformation of the Beast into a human was the cherry on top of an already spectacular show. If the large crowds during a Saturday matinee are anything to go by, Freedom High School's "Beauty and the Beast" will be an audience favorite for many years to come, as well as a reminder of all the joy that live theater can bring.

Kaylee Wisner
West Springfield High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Times-Mirror

"Bittersweet and strange, finding you can change," Mrs. Potts sings. From prince to beast, hag to enchantress, servant to object, prisoner to lover, Beauty and the Beast transforms every character and its audience.

A much-beloved movie-turned-musical, this show, performed by Freedom High School, followed two outcasts on their journey to acceptance: Belle, a beautiful young woman shunned for her intelligence, and the Beast, a cursed prince who must find love to become human again. This musical debuted on Broadway in 1994, enjoying the tenth-longest run in history.

This performance was characterized by its ensemble's chemistry, physicality, and characterization. Between the wolves' evocative movements, the tavern-goers' raucous cheering, the Beast-hunting mob's twitchy agitation, the silly girls' swooning, and the castle staff's plaintive harmonies, every ensemble conveyed complex characters. No stone was unturned when it came to character moments. From the curtains' opening, actors remained in character even during transitions, creating tiny private moments through which to glimpse characters' rich inner lives.

Eric Wilfong's Beast had tortured gravitas, prowling about, face turned away in shame. Gravelly snarls and hunched body language made the character truly animalistic, but in songs "How Long Must This Go On" and "If I Can't Love Her," he opened himself to the audience, revealing wounded vulnerability. Eventually, Wilfong's rebukes softened into gentle clarity, displaying the man within the monster. Sarisha Thakur's Belle was genuine from the start, head held high and every movement deliberate and graceful. Her smooth voice glided from stage to house. Thakur cultivated the intimacy between her character and others, fervently embracing Maurice after "No Matter What" and gazing into the Beast's eyes during "Beauty and the Beast." Solo number "A Change in Me" stunned, combining Thakur's emotion-laden vocals with mastery of Belle's steadfast demeanor.

The supporting cast consistently thrived. Ivy Ridenhour (Mrs. Potts) shone with motherly love as she stooped to sing to the effortlessly adorable Chip (Maddie Amme). Sam Borromeo illuminated the playful Babette with coquettish dance and a spot-on accent, while Carlton Krueger gave Gaston a love-to-hate machismo, strutting about, flexing his muscles. Most notable were Cami DiVenere (Lefou) and Sloane Helmick (Lumiere). DiVenere's simpering Lefou brought many a giggle to the audience, trembling frantically in the woods, jumping onto Gaston's shoulders, scampering across the stage, and exhibiting a knack for physical comedy. Helmick's melodramatic Lumiere expertly used red-gloved hands as flames atop candlestick arms to accent moments. She found her best comedy in vocal technique, displaying whimsically over-the-top emotion in an expressive French accent that left the audience roaring.

The intricate set (Brogan Haley and Annika Pugh) showed an attention to detail, featuring a whopping 952 hand-painted stones. The castle loomed large, accented by the omnipresent rose, stairs bridging the set's two levels, and an impressively accurate painting of pre-curse Beast, later ominously scratched. Set pieces were multi-purpose, including a triangular piece with images on each side, unfolded to become a library, adorned with hand-painted books. Costumes (Conan Boland and Aadya Modugumudi) influenced by the lush Rococo style, were functional, including Madame de la Grande Bouche's, whose doors opened, containing additional costumes within. Lumiere's blindingly sparkling suit earned its candlestick appearance with ingenious gloves, mimicking flames. Belle's golden dress was stunning, getting its shape from a bustle. Finally, choreography (Sam Borromeo and Ella Walters) incorporated several dance styles, including ballet, jazz, ballroom, and fascinating body percussion in the "Gaston" number.

Beauty and the Beast is a story with a massive legacy, leaving huge shoes for a high school to fill, but Freedom High School's take on this tale as old as time was admirable and dynamic, a testament to teamwork and dedication.

Rebecca Walyus
H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
Submitted for publication to Blue Ridge Leader

Who wouldn't want to enter a whimsical world filled to the brim with Disney magic brought to life in front of a live audience? Freedom High School's musical production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast brings many elements of fantastical storytelling to draw the audience into this fairytale world.

Adapted from Disney's animated musical film, this stage musical has music composed by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Making its Broadway debut in 1994, Beauty and the Beast is a production bursting with large, elaborate group numbers, lavish costumes, and songs showcasing the actors' singing skills. A classic, the story communicates the strong themes of hope and change as the two leads, Belle and Beast, deemed social outcasts by their society, slowly begin to empathize with each other growing together and starting a budding relationship that saves the castle staff from a curse that was placed on them by a witch.

Contributing time and energy, it is clear that the actors and crew members gave this show the attention and precision it deserves. Highlighting the amazing dancing and acrobatic skills the actors possessed, the choreographers (Sam Borromeo and Ella Walters) made thoughtful decisions resulting in every dance number adding a certain level of energy and life to the stage. It should also be acknowledged that these choreographers are students, making complex dance numbers such as "Gaston" all the more impressive.

Impressive performances by students didn't stop there. Sarisha Thakur (Belle) and Eric Wilfong (Beast) communicated complex emotional arcs in their characters and truly performed dynamically on stage. Along with this pairing was a number of intricate partnerships such as Gaston and Lefou (Carlton Krueger and Cami DiVenere) as well as Lumiere and Cogsworth (Sloane Helmick and Sydney Munsell) cracking up the audience with their clear chemistry and strong character choices polarizing the personalities of the characters.

In addition to these actors were a number of others who truly committed to their performances with that attention to detail that advanced the performance and made the show come to life. Characters such as Mrs. Potts (Ivy Ridenhour), Madame de la Grande Bouche (Heather McLaughlin), and Babette (Sam Borromeo) deserve mentioning for not only being active actors even when they weren't speaking, but also for having subtle, but beautiful vocals.

The crew of this show deserves the same attention for adding so many small details to the set, lighting, and props that made the story so convincing. The costuming team (Aadya Modugumudi and Conan Boland) clearly put so much thought into the character's costumes. Not only were they beautiful, but the shapes and movements added to the choreography and proved useful for characters like Belle who was able to have a beautiful ball gown that also allowed her to sit down.

Overall, this was a joyful, engaging performance that convinced the entire audience that they were Freedom High School's guests.