Casting is complete and rehearsals are now beginning for Beauty and the Beast Jr. under the direction of Suzanne Oakley.
Oakley, counselor at Calhoun City High School and a veteran performer with Tupelo Community Theater (TCT), has been granted a $2,000 stipend by the school district to direct the countywide musical set for Feb. 7-9 at the CCHS auditorium.
“Dr. (Lisa) Langford is so interested in offering these kinds of opportunities for what she considers an under served population in our school district,” Oakley said in a presentation to the Bruce Rotary Club. “We have excellent band programs at Bruce and Calhoun City, but we don’t have a choral music program, elementary music, or any theater. She’s interested in serving that population.”
Suzanne Oakley
“I do enjoy musical theater. It’s my favorite fine art,” Oakley said. “I enjoy performing myself, but I also like directing.”
Oakley has directed several shows at school as well as youth and adult productions at TCT. She is scheduled to direct “The Addams Family” at TCT next spring.
Beauty and the Beast will truly be a countywide musical. Oakley said 99 students signed up, 67 auditioned, and 65 earned parts in the show. The cast includes one home school student, Amber McGreger from Vardaman, who is playing the lead role of Belle; one student from Calhoun Academy; two from Vardaman Elementary; four from Bruce Elementary; five from Calhoun City Elementary; 14 from Calhoun City Middle School; 16 from Bruce High School; and 22 from Calhoun City High School.
“Probably the largest number is from CCHS because those kids know me and see me on a daily basis,” Oakley said.
Linda Ward, Larissa Hegwood and Todd Barnett helped Oakley with casting.
New Century Club of Calhoun City, Fine Arts and 20th Century Clubs of Bruce have gone in together to sponsor licensing fees and startup cost for the musical. There was a $1,000 cost to buy the rights to do the show and get the necessary materials for the students. Oakley said there will be a number of students who will need support for costume rentals.
“We rent from a professional company in Chicago,” she said. “The rental fees for each costume run $50-$75. We’ll also sell ads in the playbill and have other sponsor opportunities.”
Oakley explained she will practice with the students in small groups at different locations initially.
“Once we get going and start running the show, we’ll meet on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for 2-3 hours,” she explained.
Most important for Oakley is providing this kind of opportunity for students.
“It’s obvious that kids are looking for these outlets to express themselves creatively,” she said. “I was one of those kids. I was a cheerleader, but in the 1980s that wasn’t very athletic. I didn’t play any sports, but I really enjoyed the public school music program. I am a product of the public school music program. Everything I know about music I learned from a public school music teacher. I feel privileged to pass this on.”
Oakley also emphasized the quality of the production will be top-notch.
“We try to do as professional a production as possible. My goal is for this not to be your average school play,” she said. “I have a very high standard. Everybody is so addicted to technology and gadgets. I think it’s important that it’s on par with what people expect when they’re looking to be entertained.”
In addition to McGreger starring as Belle, Jordan Lucius, of CCHS, will play the role of the beast. He plays tuba in the Wildcat band.
Other cast members include:
Narrators – Baylor Tindall, Micheal Joy Moore, Leah Clark, Jaishun Gates.
Prince – Connor Tindall.
Beggar Woman – Brooklyn Kellum.
Enchantress – Samantha Hamilton.
Maurice – Zander Ables.
Gaston – Tate Porter.
Lefou – Jason Dowling.
Silly Girls – Meg Reeder, Sara Aden Long, Maggie Kilgore, Josey Clark, Makayla Doss, Aubrey Goodwin, Samantha Hamilton, Addie Grace Hardin, Camryn Harris, Isabella Hollis, Kaylin Hutchins, Anna Scott Lee, Lacy Lee, Perry Beth Liles, Anna Macon, Abigail Maddox, Rena Claire Perkins, Ruby Poynor, Emma Tindall, Carlee Winter.
Lumiere – Nathan Dowling.
Cogsworth – Keegan Alexander.
Mrs. Potts – Annie Kate Vanlandingham.
Mme De La Garande Bouche – Emmie Shaw.
Babette – Anna Kathryn Edgeworth.
Chip – Bella Daughdrill.
Villagers – Mary Margeret Moore, JJ Hamilton, William Dowling, Ruby Poynor, Taylor Kitakis, Megan Stribling, Trista Parker, Riley Kitakis, Brianna Stewart, Marissa Petitgout, Hadley Clark, Zach Dorrough, Keegan Barfield, Shelby Baker, Alyssa Irby, Charity Berry, Catherine Crawford, Sara Beth Dunn, Gabrielle Foster, Megan Harrelson, Jacob Hutchins, Jordyn Jennings, Brooklyn Kellum, Abby McGreger, Nadiya McNamee, Charlie Poynor, Cheyenne Sansing, Olivia Snellings, Jonna Tedder, Emily Torres.
Wolfpack – Charity Berry, Catherine Crawford, Jacob Hutchins, Charlie Poynor and Jonna Tedder.