playbill vip

When I start to work on a show I think about a concept, something that will drive my decisions about the show. For Beauty and the Beast, I had to go through a lot of bad ideas to get to a good one. Part of the problem was that I had done the show before. As a matter of fact it was the last show I did at Hermitage with my dear friend Theresa Steele- so I had to shake the idea that I simply couldn't recreate that great show. Next,  I struggled because I didn't want to try to recreate the Disney movie either. I wanted to use it as source material, but in the end this isn't an animated feature, but instead a stage show. After tossing out lots of conceptual ideas I finally settled on the concept that drives the show before you this weekend--

EXCPECT THE UNEXPECTED

This concept helped me solidify concepts about acting, scenic design, costumes, and other pieces of the puzzle. Most importantly, I derieved the concept straight from the story line of this "Tale as Old As Time." Belle is an unexpected and unusual girl in her town, the prince has an unexpected visitor in the form of an enchantress that casts the spell that is almost his undoing, and in the end an unexpected romance and friendship helps them both grow and overcome their circumstances.  I hope you will find that unexpected characterizations and moments are what make our Beauty and the Beast a unique storytelling experience.

What makes EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED so "cool" at the end of the rehearsal process is that it seems to be a positive part of the theater experience. Weird things happen and you just have adapt as you prepare a program of this magnitude. Eventually, you begin to be prepared for the unexpected, have a back up plan, and look at setbacks and challenges as opportunities for creativity and growth. I hope that the students you see before you tonight have learned that lesson as well. I don't think that any of them will find themselves encountering a beast with a temper, but they certainly have learned that people aren't always who they seem to be, that dedication is more than just showing up, and that "different" doesn't mean "wrong."

You are going to enjoy the show, but I hope that as you walk away and reflect on the musical that you will remember to prepare yourself for the unexpected moments you stumble upon in the coming weeks. Take a moment and learn from Belle that sacrifice for others is a good thing, learn from the Beast that sometimes you have to count on others, and learn from these students that high school students have a unique ability to come together and create something wonderful. And that's how I see things....

From the Director's Chair,

J. Harvey Stone

Jaguar Drama Director and Teacher