Village Theatre's BEAUTY & THE BEAST Leading Roles Announced

Village Theatre has announced the cast for the leading roles in its 2008-2009 Mainstage production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, on stage November 12, 2008-January 4, 2009 in Issaquah, WA, and January 9-February 1, 2009 in Everett, WA.

Returning to the Village Theatre Mainstage is award-winning actor, Jennifer Paz to play the role of Belle. Hailing from Los Angeles, Paz played the title character in the National Tour of Miss Saigon for which she received a Carbonnell Award (Florida) for Best Actress in a Musical and a Helen Hayes Award nomination (Washington D.C.). Most recently, she reprised the title role at Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and was nominated for an Ovation Award (Los Angeles) for Best Lead Actress in a Musical. Additional stage credits include Broadway's Les Misérables, the pre-Broadway engagement of Flower Drum Song, The Fantasticks with Singapore Repertory Theatre, And the World Goes 'Round with East West Players in Los Angeles, Buddy with The 5th Avenue Theatre, the musical Sacagawea, developed through Village Originals, world premiere with Willows Theatre, and Village Theatre's praised production of The King and I, the title role in EVITA, and the acclaimed new musical, Making Tracks.

The role of The Beast will be played by Eric Polani Jensen. He was last seen on Village Theatre's Mainstage in Little Women, as Billy Castiglione in Once Upon A Time in New Jersey, and as Juan Perón in EVITA. Additional regional credits include the role of Sheldrake in Promises, Promises, as Oscar Jaffee in On the 20th Century with Showtunes!, Sweeney Todd at The 5th Avenue Theatre, and as Emile de Becque in South Pacific at Village Theatre.

Seattle favorite and Seattle Times Footlight award winner Nick DeSantis will play the role of Lumiere. Seen at Village Theatre in Annie (Footlight Award), and as Buddy in Once Upon A Time in New Jersey, he has also won a Footlight Award for his work in the Seattle premiere of Jonathan Larson's tick, tick…BOOM at ArtsWest.

Additional cast members include Bobbi Kotula (Village Theatre: Once Upon A Time in New Jersey, Annie, The 5th Avenue Theatre: The Rocky Horror Picture Show) as Mrs. Potts, Troy L. Wageman (Village Theatre: EVITA, The 5th Avenue Theatre: Cabaret and West Side Story) as Gaston, and 12 year old Anders Ledell as Chip.                               

On the first day of public sales for Beauty and the Beast, the Village Theatre Box Office in Issaquah broke its record for most single tickets sales earned. Village Theatre has added performances to the schedule to accommodate the demand for tickets. This will be the first professional production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast in this region and audiences are eagerly anticipating the show.

Village Theatre's production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast is directed by Steve Tomkins; scenic and lighting design by Alex Berry; and costume design by Deane Middleton.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
Book by Linda Woolverton
Directed and Choreographed by Steve Tomkins
Musical Direction by Tim Symons
Co-Choreographed by Daniel Cruz

Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027
November 12, 2008–January 4, 2009 – ON SALE NOW
Wednesdays through Saturdays: 8:00 PM
Sundays and selected Saturdays: 2:00 PM
Selected Tuesdays: 7:30 PM
Selected Sundays: 7:00 PM
Tickets: $22-$58, Box Office (425) 392-2202 or (866) 688-8049

Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Avenue, Everett, WA 98201
January 9–February 1, 2009 – ON SALE: 12/3/08
Wednesdays through Saturdays: 8:00 PM
Saturdays and Sundays: 2:00 PM
Selected Sundays: 7:00 PM
Tickets: $16-$51, Box Office (425) 257-8600 or (888) 257-3722

Subscribe to the 2008-2009 Season:  Saint Heaven ·Disney's Beauty and the Beast ·The Importance of Being Earnest ·Stunt Girl ·Show Boat

For more information, visit www.villagetheatre.org. Check out the Village Theatre Blog: http://villagetheatre.wordpress.com.

Student & Military Rush: ½ price 30 minutes prior to curtain for any available seat. Group discounts available for groups of 10 or more.

Based in Issaquah, WA, with operations in Everett, Village Theatre is a leading producer of musical theatre in the Pacific Northwest. Producing entertaining quality productions for the entire family since 1979, Village Theatre has grown into one of the region's best-attended Equity theatres, with over 18,000 subscribers and 170,000 projected total attendance each season. Through its Village Originals program, Village Theatre is nationally recognized for its contribution to the development of new musicals, having launched over 80 new works to date. Village Theatre also takes pride in nurturing tomorrow's audiences through its youth education programs, Pied Piper and KIDSTAGE, serving over 54,000 young people, families, and schools annually.

Village Theatre season sponsors are The Boeing Company, Continental Airlines, Microsoft, and Lombardi's.

Village Theatre is also funded in part by 4Culture, ABODA, ArtsFund, ArtsUnited, Cascade Bank, City of Everett, City of Issaquah /Issaquah Arts Commission, Encore Arts Program, Frontier Bank, The Herald, Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter, National Endowment for the Arts, Overlake Hospital and Medical Center, PONCHO, Port Blakely Communities/Issaquah Highlands, Standing Ovation, WARM 106.9 FM, and Washington State Arts Commission. Village Theatre is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and Theatre Puget Sound.

 

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