Review: AMERICAN BEAUTY at The Weekend Theater

My favorite beauty pageant by far is in AMERICAN BEAUTY, which was presented at The Weekend Theater, 1001 W 7th St, Little Rock, April 19-May 5. With Music and Lyrics by Arkansan Michael Rice (born in Monticello and has since conquered the Broadway world), this musical celebrates the participants both on and off the pageant stage with all of its complexities that goes with it. It was humorous, the music brought out all the emotions, and the girls were absolutely amazing! 

AMERICAN BEAUTY begins with pageant hopefuls getting ready to join and talks about why they do it. It also covers the people that put it on, plus the mothers that get involved. Set in Arkansas, everyone is getting ready for the Miss Delta Queen Beauty Pageant. Some want the adventure, some want the trophy, some do it because their mama pushed them to do it. Jamie Boshears and Kelly Ponder are the adults of the musical and cover multiple characters, including mothers and pageant producers. They add more depth into the details of how pageants influence the lives of many young girls. The only guy in the group is Drew Jansen as Bob Beavers the announcer and the occasional sighting of Adam Mentgen who helps with scene changes with flair.  

Vying for the title, seven girls prepped and worried and smiled their way through the process of the pageant, lacing in extra scenes that enhanced the story telling. Though this show didn’t necessarily have one main story to tell, all of the individual scenes combined painted a beautiful pageantry picture. With the song "Fireflies and Shooting Stars,” two girls ponder what it’s like to leave their small town and see what else is available to them in the world. They decide the pageant is the best way to get out and do something with their lives. "Pageant Mothers and Daughters" is a very powerful song about what it’s like to be pushed hard by a “supportive” parent. In another scene, a girl admits that she is 30 years old and decides after this pageant, she is finally quitting.  

Once all the girls finally get together, the pageant takes form, they sashay around in evening wear and have a talent portion. They sing, dance, twirl the baton, one plays the marimba, and another has a hilarious “Gone with the Wind” monologue. In the end, you find out that they were all winners in different years.  

Making up the contestants are Sascha Bass as Beth Ann Pugh, Berkeley Courtney-Moore as Bonnie Bell Murphy, Bella Insalaco as Mary Jane Smith, Maya Johnson as Sarah Gentry, Lauren Lasseigne as Jane Marie Barker, Annabelle Owen as Bobbi Sue Etheridge, and LeAnne Roberson as Rebecca Ann Wynne. Along with their contestant character, they double as extra people that fill up the pageant world.  

These girls are wonderful! I’ve seen several of these performers already and know they are still in high school, so during the show, I kept thinking that their level of performance far exceeded their level of education. I was prepared to say, ‘that for high schoolers, they did a great job,’ but no.....it was more than that. These girls are on a much higher level, and it was exciting to witness that. And it wasn’t just one or two of them that was impressive....it was all of them. They each had some sort of monologue and talent which spotlighted their performance ability. They all owned it! If you missed it, well....you missed it.  

Because I was so impressed, I reached out to Michael Rice to hear his thoughts.  

“Director Bob Bidewell and this cast did an outstanding job,” Rice said. “And kudos to Musical Director Jeannie Cross. I was overwhelmed.” 

Broadway World agrees. The show was truly magical, and to make it even better, they had a live band. Though we couldn’t see them from the audience, they were incorporated in the pageant process. I loved it! We can’t wait to see what’s next at The Weekend Theater.

Behind the Scenes: 

Director: Bob Bidewell 

Music Direction: Jeannie Cross 

Producer: Adam R Whitfield-Mentgen 

Choreographer: Savannah Halter 

Costumes: Cast, Arkansas Repertory Theater, Lauren Lisowe, Anthony McBride 

Wigs: Melissa Dillion 

Set Concept/Design: Bob Bidewell 

Set Decorator: Adam R. Whitfield-Mentgen 

Set Construction: Alan Malcolm, Adam R. Whitfield-Mentgen, Matthew Mentgen-Whitfield

Stage Manager: Adam R. Whitfield-Mentgen 

Assistant Stage Manager/Dresser-Donna Crouch Elkey 

Lighting Design: Adam R Whitfield-Mentgen, Mike Majors 

Light Board Op: Mike Majors 

Sound Design: Bob Bidewell, Adam R Whitfield-Mentgen, Mike Majors 

Sound Board Op-Mike Majors 

Key 1/Conductor: Jeannie Cross 

Key 2: Becky Goins 

Bass: Dan Schoultz 

Drums: Jake Wyatt 

Music and Lyrics: Michael Rice 

Book: Jack Heifner, Romulus Linney, Kent R Brown, Hank Bates, Mary Rohde Scudday, and Cliff Fannin Baker 

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