The William Floyd Elementary School Drama Club recently presented two performances of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” at William Floyd Middle School. The shows marked the club’s ninth production and drew a large audience.
“Beauty and the Beast Jr.” is adapted from both the Tony Award-winning Broadway show and the 1991 animated film. The musical tells the story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is actually a prince under a spell. The adaptation highlights themes such as transformation, character, integrity, and kindness.
Fourth- and fifth-grade students made up the cast, with rehearsals held twice weekly from October through December under directors Mrs. Kimberly Walsh and Ms. Nikki Strull. Two fifth graders, Jack Liberti and Damian Toomey, contributed as stage crew members.
“The cast and crew’s dedication, creativity, and passion truly brought this production to life,” said Mrs. Walsh and Ms. Strull. “Each one of the students poured their heart and soul into their roles, and it showed in every note sung and every line delivered. Their hard work and commitment made both performances not just a show, but a remarkable experience for the audience! The performances were truly an act of teamwork by students, teachers, families, and administration who worked together to make the show a success!”
The main cast included Serafina Lupo as Belle; Lorenzo Nicosia as Beast; Emily Palmer as Mrs. Potts; Dorothy Connelly-Hatch as Maurice; Braxton Hornung as Gaston; Kataleya Montpetit as Lefou; Lilyanna Cintorino as Lumiere; CJ Harris Jr. as Cogsworth; Miah Garcia as Babette; Cecelia Indovino as Madame de la Grande Bouche; Leila Broyles as Chip; Amelia Geraci, Emily Liberti, Aubrey Pond (silly girls); Habiba Barrie, Leah Clemente-Coreas, Charlotte Furnari, Dorothea Pagano (narrators); Madison Besemer (bookseller/guard); Natalie Fernandez (baker); Safiya Lewis (Monsieur D’Arque); Lorenzo Morales (villager) and Ashley Bradford (enchantress/mother). Additional ensemble members also participated in various roles.
William Paca Middle School will present another Disney musical titled “Moana Jr.” on January 30-31.
