Review: DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at the Fredericksburg Theater Company

Fredericksburg Theater Company (FTC) is a small theater in historic Fredericksburg, Texas between San Antonio and Austin. It's a perfect location to attract patrons from both cities. Beginning its 20th season, FTC opened with DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Having set the bar high from past shows, audience expectations were great. And the audience was not disappointed. The quality of the show was professional and polished and the actors were superb.

Playing Belle was Madison Grumbles. She is currently attending Texas State and studying Theatre Performance. Her years of performing made her a perfect Belle. Grumbles' voice is strong and her portrayal of Belle made you fall in love quickly with the character. The Beast was played by Zac Tiedemann. He was a dynamo with the commanding performance he showed as The Beast. "How Long Must This Go On?", although a short song, was delivered by Tiedemann with such emotion that you felt great sorrow for The Beast. Another outstanding performance was given by Jeff Jeffers who played Gaston. He did well hamming it up and playing the villain that everyone loves to hate complete with making eye contact and "flirting" with audience members. Jeffers voice and stage presence made him a perfect choice for Gaston.

And let's not forget all the superb supporting roles including Pierre Minjauw as Lumiere, Eric Soto as Cogsworth and Amber Nanni as Mrs. Potts. Nanni was excited to reprise this role that she originated at FTC in the 2006 production. Jim Weisman was the director of this production of DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST as well as the scenic designer. The sets were on par with large theatrical productions on Broadway and enhanced the outstanding performers throughout. His excellent direction showed through as the cast came together to share this timeless story with a sold-out audience that stood on their feet to applaud a show well-done.

Don't miss the opportunity to see DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST while it plays at the Fredericksburg Theater Company. The show runs for two more weekends, June 24-26, 2016 and July 1-3, 2016. Tickets can be purchased by going to Fredericksburg Theater Company's website. With many other great productions coming to FTC including DISNEY'S ALADDIN JR., ROGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING and NOISES OFF, the Fredericksburg Theater Company provides great entertainment for all.

PHOTO CREDIT: James Fox