Review: Arts in Motion's Production of DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at the IPAC

Here is a question to avoid asking if you don’t want a fight: Who is the greatest heroine in any of the Disney “Princess” musicals?  I know that’s a loaded question, because people probably care more for their fave Disney characters than they do for any politicians.  And I rightly expect such a question will lead to plenty of debates if not all-out fisticuffs.  Say something negative about a Disney princess and be prepared to brawl with anyone who happens to disagree.

That said, I will state here and now that my choice for the Greatest Disney Princess is none other than Belle from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.  She’s an intellectual who actually reads books. She’s also feverishly independent and doesn’t succumb to societal norms (she’s looked down by the giggly French townspeople as an outlier, a nonconformist). She shows much bravery when going into the dark forest to save her quirky father, Maurice.  She dismisses the egotistical town heartthrob, Gaston, and even declines his proposal for marriage.  She ultimately stands up to the brutishness of the Beast, trading her freedom in order to save her dad.  And she eventually falls in love with the Beast, despite his scruffy, monstrous appearance. She even displays great patience when teaching him about the wonders of reading.  I guess the worst thing you can say about her is that she takes too long to accept a dinner invitation.   

Belle is certainly better than Ariel in The Little Mermaid, who sacrifices  her watery independence and her angelic voice, all for the sake of a handsome prince (yes, it’s as bad as Grease in the plot department, where Sandy gives up her good-girl identity for a slutty facade in order to win Danny’s heart).   The only princesses who come close to Belle are Mulan (love of family who even saves a country), Cinderella (the perfect underdog story), and the graceful, optimistic and spirited Aurora (Briar Rose) from Sleeping Beauty. 

But of all those princesses, Belle still gets my vote.  And in Arts in Motion’s latest success, DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (with music by Alan Menken,  lyrics by Menken and Howard Ashman, and the book by Linda Woolverton), Belle is played by the wonderful Hailey Garcia, a 16-year-old junior at Cypress Creek High School.  She captures that independent spirit, that spunkiness, and she has an incredible singing voice to boot. With a persona that lights up the stage, she’s one heroine that we root for.  Belle is a dream role for any young performer, and Ms. Garcia certainly does the part justice. Belle remains my #1 Disney princess.

Paired with the talented Gavin Hinton’s growly Beast, Ms. Garcia is just one of the reasons why this BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is such a winner.  That said, it is startling early on when we see her Belle share the stage with children as young as eight playing the various villagers. She towers over many of the cast, looking like Belle accidentally got caught in the wrong book from the 1700s: Gulliver’s Travels where she’s a giantess stuck in the land of Lilliput.

Reagan Ricardo is spot-on as the narcissistic bully, Gaston, donning a muscle suit and always seeming to pose for his squealing silly girls (Kenzie Pavone, Ashley Weaver, and Lennon Schaeffer, all of whom are always in character and standouts in any ensemble scene).  Mr. Ricardo’s Gaston does well with his big solo (rightfully called “Me”), and I love the way he uses his sidekick, LeFou, as a footstool. Very funny work. That said, I still wanted more from his--SPOILER ALERT--big death scene; staged here, it’s like he merely slips out of a room rather than dramatically falling to his doom. 

Korban Quillian oozes charisma as the walking candelabra, Lumiere. Anni Norland is fantastic as the seductress feather duster, Babette. Ashlyn Masson has her moments as the clock, Cogsworth, and Karis Williams does well in the thankless role of Maurice.  Jaidon Delgado strongly captures the motherly spirit of the teapot, Mrs. Potts.  And Jordan Boyett makes for a marvelously adorable and scene-stealing Chip (Raphaela Ricardo also portrays the role on other nights). 

The ensemble includes Orrin Schaeffer, Aleeyah Guynn, Lenci DiCarlo, Zayden Soto, Keeley Elliott, Ruthie Quillian, Eden Drovandi, Sarah Hoerbelt, Violet Ruck, Maggie Moore, Juleah Miller, Addelyn Butterfield, Oaklynn Butterfield, Blakely Parimore, Leilani Soto, Kamden Deighton, Charli Delacruz, Vayda Drovandi, Ruthie Quillian, Skye Cameron, Kennedy Carr, Emily Gomez, Raphaela Ricardo, Emma Kohan, Aubrey Ford, Kinsley Howard, Miles Kaefer, Rhys Ricardo, Layla Ford, Jayla Saxton, Maggie Moore, and Karis Williams. There are so many enthusiastic performers on that stage, I just hope I didn’t forget to mention any of them.

My two favorite performances in this production are Larkin Mainwaring as Madame de la Grande Bouche and Ruby Ricardo as LeFou.

Ms. Mainwaring, a Senior at Pasco eSchool, is near-perfection as Madame de la Grande Bouche (she’s also Belle in other performances).  Standing statue-tall, dressed in an incredibly ornate costume (complete with bureau), she shows off her vocal chops by hitting impossible operatic notes and radiates an infectious smile. She’s such a standout that, whenever she’s onstage, all is well with the world.

My favorite in the cast is yon Ruby Ricardo as LeFou, Gaston’s wild sidekick. In her grasp, the song “Gaston” became the highlight of the show. She has sparkling eyes and a singing voice that shakes the rafters.  She’s a natural star.  She gets flung in the air, kicked around, and always bounces back for more.  I couldn’t wait to see what this energetic charmer had in store next on the stage. (I just miss the fight scene at the end where Madame de la Grande Bouche and LeFou usually square off, but it’s sadly not included in this version.)  And as a carpet in “Be Our Guest,” Ms. Ricardo once again shines, performing wondrous gymnastic stunts.  Incredible work, the best in the show, by someone who is just a fifth grader.

The costumes and set pieces are simply terrific.  “Be Our Guest” features the most ornate costumes, including Salt & Pepper shakers, can-can dancing napkins, champagne bottles with bubbly crowns, and even a little tyke as lumps of sugar. And Belle's gorgeous gowns and the Beast's attire  look like the stuff of Disney dreams. Such wonderfully creative costumes throughout.  However, in the aforementioned “Be Our Guest” number, I first thought a group of children came out as dancing toilet seats until I realized that they were actually dancing plates.

The sets have a certain storybook charm; I just wish they had full backdrops to complete the pretty stage pictures. 

But Arts in Motion does everything top-flight, right down to the program, which is more like a phone book than it is a program.  I am thankful for it mainly for the song list and the cast bios.  So many names, so many lives changed by the arts. And the artwork by the students included in the program is positively inspired!

Great as members of the cast are, not all is perfect. Sometimes the vocals don’t work, and you hear the performers straining (our area hit by two hurricanes in two weeks took away lots of rehearsal time, so this shouldn’t be a surprise). But this vocal-straining occurs in songs such as the Act 1 closer, “If I Can’t Love Her,” where it’s rare to hear a teenager who can correctly tackle it.  And I’ve never been a fan of the song “Maurice Travels” (it stops the story dead in its tracks), and the version here did nothing to change my mind. Also, with youthful actors trying out various accents, the characters speak too fast, mumbling key words, and we sometimes wish the show came with subtitles.

There are also some questionable choices.  Why, for instance, do the villagers seem to always stand in straight lines like they are in a chorus concert and not living beings in this French town? In the crowd scenes, you can see that some of the more experienced actors are always in character, reacting even when it’s not their line, while some of the novices just stand there as if waiting for the next lyric.   

Also, the pacing was not always tight, mainly due to excessive set changes behind the main curtain; the director was able to keep the show flowing by carrying the action to the apron, but there were still too many lulls.

But you can tell that this is a labor of love from its director, Karissa Barber, who may be the real star of the show. She has put on a tremendous production, with the aide of choreographer Michael Anthony D’Aquino and music director Keri Grosso. She has created an environment where students, ages five to eighteen, get to shine in a safe space. Her work here has obviously changed so many of these young lives, giving them a first-class ticket to the love of the arts.  And the audience, nearly full in a matinee show, rewarded them with a strong ovation. 

And for certain members of the cast, especially Ruby Ricardo, Larkin Mainwaring and Hailey Garcia, I will pay to see you in any show, anywhere.  The future’s so bright for each and every one of these youths, and the audience got to see them shine in the beginning moments of their careers.  That maybe the coolest aspect of seeing these AIM shows: In the future, if and when these cast members arrive as working actors, performing at Disney World, on cruise ships, in National Tours, or even on Broadway, then we can proudly tell our friends: “I remember seeing them in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST way back when, in November of 2024.  And look at them now! On Broadway!”  Which one of these BEAUTY AND THE BEAST cast members will we be saying those words about years from now? 

ARTS IN MOTION: COMMUNITY YOUTH THEATER ARTS EDUCATION, INC. Presents DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST closed at the IPAC yesterday (Saturday, November 23rd). But if your child wants to be introduced to the magic of theatre, then please contact ARTS IN MOTION about auditions for their next show!

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