Beauty and the Beast Jr. isn’t just a musical to be performed this week in the Calhoun City High School Auditorium, but an opportunity for local students to show their diverse, creative talents.
“I’ve always felt like we have a need in our school district for opportunities for students to express themselves artistically and creatively,” said Suzanne Oakley, who is directing the production featuring nearly 60 students from every school in the county. “I do feel like they have learned a whole lot and not just about the difference in stage left and stage right, upstage and downstage, but about the intrinsic value of theater and what it can bring to your life.”
Oakley knows all about the “intrinsic value of theater” as a veteran performer and director with Tupelo Community Theater (TCT). She is scheduled to direct “The Addams Family” at TCT this spring. The full-time counselor at Calhoun City High School has worked the past two months with students preparing for this week’s musical.
“I feel like the students are well prepared,” Oakley said. “We’ve had so much help – tons of volunteers, parents, community members, social clubs, community service clubs and organizations that have stepped up and volunteered time, money and support in all different areas. That has helped us get to this point.”
The first performance is Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. with another to follow Friday at the same time. A 2 p.m. matinee will be Saturday.
“I hope (everyone that comes to the show) will be blown away by how prepared the students are and the overall level of quality of the production,” Oakley said. “Our goal has been for it to be as professional a production as possible and the students have done a fantastic job of trying to reach that bar as amateurs. These students have put in a lot of time.”
The growth of the students throughout the process has been one of the highlights for Oakley, as well as the initial interest expressed in the project.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the massive turnout we had for the interest meeting in the very beginning,” she said. “We had over 100 students from around the county attend. We didn’t have that many to audition, but I was surprised by the turnout. It was humbling to see in the flesh all those bodies in the room eager for the experience.”
The classic story follows a young woman named Belle, played by Amber McGreger, from a French provincial town, and the Beast, who is actually a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. The Beast, played by Jordan Lucius, must learn to love and be loved so that the curse will end and transform him to his former self. Otherwise, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.
Oakley described one of the highlights of the entire process for her has been seeing so many in the cast become engrossed in their roles.
“My favorite thing about watching them perform is seeing them find moments to really get into character. I love to catch creative background action,” she said. “It’s very tempting, especially for teenagers, to just stand on stage where you’ve told them to and just wait until they’re supposed to say or do something very specific such as walking from point A to point B. I love to see the realization they are supposed to be the character the whole time anyone can see them. It’s fun to watch them come up with ways to look natural and be in the moment on stage. That takes a lot of creativity and they have to step outside their comfort zone to do that.
“That’s when you know they’ve really started to get it, when they figure out how to be a bar maid in the background while Gaston is pacing and moaning because Belle doesn’t love him.”
Tickets can be purchased at the Watkins, Ward and Stafford office on the southwest side of the Calhoun City Square. The show lasts approximately 90 minutes and features an intermission.
There will be light concessions available and souvenir light-up roses will be sold ($5) to help make the beast’s transformation an interactive experience.
“I know the students are excited about performing,” Oakley said. “We’re all looking forward to it.”