As the popular song suggests, "Beauty and the Beast" is a "tale as old as time," which the Mask & Dagger Dramatic Society brought to life last weekend at the Hennessy Theatre. The classic tale tells the story of a girl who agrees to live with a disgruntled beast in his enchanted castle in exchange for her father's life. While doing so she manages to fall in love with the beast, ultimately breaking the spell that has plagued the castle for years. For the theatrical version of the Disney classic, the Mask and Dagger Dramatic Society set out with a cast and crew composed entirely of students to put on a show filled with enchantment and spot-on comedic timing.
Upon arriving at the theater and hearing that opening night was already sold out as hopefuls were being turned away, it was obvious that this was going to be quite the show. With a house packed with a highly receptive audience, the musicians took their places, the lights dimmed, and the show was on its way. There wasn't one aspect of this show that did not give off a distinct air of professionalism. For some players, it was their first experience acting in a musical, or in the case of Seraphina Caligiure, her first time directing -- yet never once did it show. Everything from the scenery to the lighting, from the music to the costumes, created an atmosphere that was easy for one to forget that the players were spawning a staged performance.
The cast was very lucky to contain actors and actresses who excelled in dramatic and comedic acting. Dimitra Denei Corsetti was more than convincing as the kind-hearted and compassionate Belle. During musical numbers she managed to catch everyone's attention with a singing voice that was powerful, yet had a sweet tone. The Beast, brought to life by Jeffrey Martineau, proved to be a very versatile role as he charged about the stage shouting his lines ferociously to prove his command over the castle, and then managed to let his guard down and show compassion for Belle. Seeing "Beauty and the Beast" in a live format allows one to notice that the Beast can be a challenging character based on the transformation he goes through, but Martineau pulled it off exceedingly well.
Within this performance there were two characters that were obviously the audience favorites, as each kept the crowd laughing and even cheering at times. These characters were the dynamic duo of Lumiere and Cogsworth, played by Kristopher Coughlin and Stephen Winglass, respectively. The script called for a great deal of comedy, and these two truly committed to their roles and took the comedic atmosphere to a new level. Perhaps it was the way Coughlin delivered his lines in a heavy French accent that never once strayed, or the way Winglass always had the perfect over-dramatic facial expression. Together these two stole the show. They had an amazing chemistry that kept the audience wanting more.
And as the comedic factor made "Beauty and the Beast" memorable, so did the song aspect of the musical; if there is one thing most people will remember about the play, it's the music. Within the show there was a good deal of lesser-known songs such as "If I Can't Love Her" featured. This song, in particular, gave the audience a greater understanding of character rather than joyful entertainment. Sung as a solo piece for the Beast, the song was able to show a vast change in demeanor and at the same time showcase Martinea's voice as it boomed throughout the theater. The repertoire of songs also comprised of old favorites such as "Gaston," which turned out to be an enjoyable rowdy drinking song, and essentially everyone's favorite, "Be Our Guest," which consisted of just about every cast member on stage singing in a giddy fashion, accompanied by seemingly flawless piano, flute, trumpet, and clarinet parts. All of this came together in an almost chaotic ending triggered by a well-placed chorus line. As is expected of "Be our Guest," the song brought together superb comedic timing, with just as superb vocal abilities and choreography to dazzle the entire audience. It was the showstopper number that everyone had been waiting for.
With moments of shear comedy and heart-wrenching dramatics, "Beauty and the Beast" can easily be deemed a success by anyone who was lucky enough to see it.
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