Mount Vernon High School is inviting you to be their guest as they present “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” Saturday, April 15, Sunday, April 16, Friday April 21 and Saturday, April 22. April 15, 21 and 22 showtimes are 7 p.m. at Mount Vernon Performing Arts Center, and April 16 is 2 p.m. Tickets are available in advance at mvhstheatre.booktix.com.
Director Tom Stephens notes that he chose the show because it has a large, flexible ensemble cast.
“This production has one of our largest casts we’ve had in years,” Stephens said. “This has been a great production.”
Stephens said that this is also one of the first shows he directed when he came to Mount Vernon 14 years ago, and returning to this show with the performing arts center gives the cast and crew an opportunity to highlight all they can do with technical work, costuming, blocking and acting.
“It really highlights what our company can do in so many different aspects of a show,” Stephens said. “It’s been such a pleasure for me to revisit this show with this cast.”
Thad Wilkins, music director, said he has really loved working with all of his colleagues on the show – Stephens, his wife Jill, Barb Shepley and Brad Goetz – as well as the students.
“The technical details and size of the ensemble and what we’re working to do are the biggest challenges, but this is going to be one of the best shows we’ve ever done,” Wilkins said. “It’s going to be an amazing show in all areas.”
Anna Vavricek is serving as student director for the show this year.
“I’ve loved the collaborative nature and welcoming atmosphere that is here in this cast,” Vavricek said.
Vavricek said she has learned a lot about the behind the scenes aspects of a show she didn’t know before, as well as having the opportunity to walk through the blocking of an entire scene with actors.
“It’s given me a true appreciation of all the work that goes into making a show work,” Vavricek said.
The show is also the last on the Mount Vernon stage for a handful of the lead actors.
Milo Olinger plays Gaston, a bully and bragadocius strong man.
“It’s really fun to play someone that is not who you are,” Olinger said.
Olinger loves that this has one of the largest casts the school has had since COVID-19 hit.
“It’s nice to see a large scale musical on stage again,” Olinger said.
Lydia Benesh plays Belle in the production.
“It’s been challenging to play a role that is so well known but also have your own take and getting across some of the complexity of the character,” Benesh said.
Benesh said it is bittersweet that this is her last show on the Performing Arts Center stage, but she notes this is a great show to go out with, performing with so many in the cast and crew.
Ty Panos, who plays Beast, concurs.
“What a spectacular show to draw to a close my high school career on this stage,” Panos said.
One of the challenges for Panos is the vocal range for the Beast. Panos knows he is a baritone, and the part is definitely for a baritone, but there are some notes in the tenor range that stretch him vocally.
“There’s also a lot more complexity you have to play, even though he is a well-recognized character, and he’s more complex than most of the Disney prince characters,” Panos said. “Any role I get to wear scary monster hands, though, is a lot of fun.”
The cast knows this is a well-known show and people are going to enjoy the presentation.
“It’s a familiar show, but there are songs people may not have heard before if they’ve never seen the stage production of Beauty and the Beast,” Olinger said. “It’s a musical that everyone knows, and it will be great to perform this in front of a large audience.”
“It’s a family friendly show,” Panos said. “There’s something for everyone in this show.”
“The ensemble is very, very good,” Benesh said. “The stage and technical work on this show is also fantastic as well. It’s going to be an excellent show.”

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Nathan Countryman

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