Beauty, the Beast to take stage at Searcy theater

Belle, played by Stephanie Berry, 17, is spun in a twirl by the Beast, portrayed by Jackson Edwards, 18, outside the Center on the Square, 219 W. Arch St. in Searcy, where Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. will be presented Thursday through June 30. Tickets are $11 and can be purchased by calling (501) 378-0111 or online at centeronthesquare.org. Stella Jones, 14, not pictured, is double-cast in the role of Belle.
Belle, played by Stephanie Berry, 17, is spun in a twirl by the Beast, portrayed by Jackson Edwards, 18, outside the Center on the Square, 219 W. Arch St. in Searcy, where Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. will be presented Thursday through June 30. Tickets are $11 and can be purchased by calling (501) 378-0111 or online at centeronthesquare.org. Stella Jones, 14, not pictured, is double-cast in the role of Belle.

— Center on the Square will present “a tale as old as time” with its Land O’ Lakes Frost KidStage production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. on Thursday through June 30.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturday and June 30. Center on the Square is at 219 W. Arch St. in Searcy.

Tickets are $11; for ticket availability, call (501) 378-0111 or visit centeronthesquare.org. This show is presented through special arrangements with Music Theatre International, www.mtishows.com.

Wendy Neill, creative executive director for Center on the Stage, said this show is based on the original Broadway production, which ran for more than 13 years and was nominated for nine Tony awards, and on the Academy Award-winning animated motion picture. The production features music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton.

Beauty and the Beast JR. tells the story of Belle, a young woman from a small village, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end, and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and members of his household, who have also been transformed into other characters, will be doomed.

Kara Ladyman is the artistic director for the production, and her husband, Jacob Ladyman, is the technical director. Jacob’s brother, Jordan Ladyman, is the musical director.

“This talented threesome led the KidStage kids in sold-out performances of Disney’s Lion King JR. last year and Into the Woods in 2017,” Neill said.

Kara Ladyman, who received a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and speech with a teaching license from Harding University in 2018, said the cast includes 33 young people, “not counting the crew.”

“These kids are really, really talented,” she said. “We have double-cast three characters. So many kids come in to audition. … We want to use as many as we can, so we’ve paired a few of the older teens with the younger ones in these roles. The younger kids really look up to the older ones.”

This marks the fifth year for Kara Ladyman to be involved with the summer kids’ show.

“My first one was Annie,” said Ladyman, adding that she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in directing. “I was a co-director the next year and have directed ever since. This is the third year for our trio — me, my husband and my brother-in-law — to be involved with the kids’ show.”

The cast includes the following:

• Stephanie Berry, 17, and Stella Jones, 14, both of Searcy, are double-cast as Belle.

• Jackson Edwards, 18, of Searcy plays the Beast.

• Jordan Benight and Jason Parks, both 15 and of Searcy, are double-cast as Gaston, who is out to win Belle’s affections.

• Annabelle Ferren, 15, and Nathanael Wrye, 11, both of Searcy, are double-cast as LeFou, Gaston’s lackey.

• Michael Wrye, 13, of Searcy plays Maurice, Belle’s father and an eccentric inventor.

• Faylyn Waggoner, 17, of Searcy appears as Mrs. Potts, the cook who is transformed into a teapot by the enchantress’ spell.

• Natalee Franze, 9, of Searcy plays Chip, Mrs. Potts’ son who becomes a teacup.

• Gabe White, 14, of Searcy, portrays Cogsworth, the major-domo of the castle who becomes a clock.

• Mary Evelyn Roberson, 16, of Searcy plays Madame de la Grande Bouche, the opera singer who becomes a wardrobe.

• Kimberly Ham, 10, of Searcy is Lumiere, the French maître d who becomes a candelabra.

• Ara Floyd, 16, of Pangburn portrays Babette, the maid who becomes a feather duster.

• Morgan Akins, 12, of Augusta plays the old beggar woman who turns into the enchantress

• Annabelle Boaz-Petrie, 16, of Searcy is Monsieur d’Arque, the proprietor of the lunatic asylum.

• Michael Franz, 11, of Searcy plays the young prince.

Appearing as Silly Girls who are in love with Gaston are Rachel Fisher, 13; Brianna Foust, 12; Deborah Foust, 14; and Lauren McDuffie, 18, all of Searcy.

Members of the ensemble include Brooklyn Boatman, 11, of Bradford as the sausage curl girl; Rachel Floyd, 14, of Pangburn as the hat seller; and Lucy Edwards, 12, as the lady with the cane; Jonathan Foust, 10, as the shepherd boy; Bradley Franz, 13, as the baker; Kennedy Harvey, 8, as the aristocratic lady; Jerilyn Jessee, 11, as the butcher; IsaBella Pinson, 9, as the lady with a baby; Natalie Randolph, 17, as the bookseller; Victoria Shackelford, 8, as the candle man; and Anna Stone, 11, as the milkmaid, all of Searcy.

Four narrators guide the audience through the story. They include Taylor Martin, 12, of Searcy as narrator 1; Ayva Breckenridge, 13, of Bald Knob, narrator 2; and Evie Pritchett, 13, narrator 3, and Miley Henton, 12, both of Searcy, narrator 4.

Members of the crew include Brenden Lentz, intern; Ara Floyd, stage manager; Jason Parks, lead set designer; Lucy Edwards and Ara Floyd, set-design crew; Ayva Breckenridge, lead scenic designer; Natalie Randolph and Addison O’Connell, scenic-design crew; Annabelle Boaz-Petrie, lead light designer; Natalie Randolph, light-design crew; Jordan Benight, lead sound designer; and Jackson Edwards, sound-design crew.

Also in the crew are Gabe White, lead costume designer; Stella Jones, Lauryn Gray, Evie Pritchett, Ayva Breckenridge and Skylar Weatherley, costume-design crew; Stephanie Berry, lead makeup designer; Lauren McDuffie, Evie Pritchett and Mary Evelyn Roberson, makeup-design crew; Natalie Randolph, props master; and Rachel Floyd, props crew.

Neill said Center on the Square is a nonprofit community dinner theater in Searcy that produces MainStage productions, as well as offering the KidStage program.

“The summer KidStage show is the crowning achievement of the year for the kids,” she said. “We offer fall and spring classes and produce smaller plays during that time, but the summer production is always a larger production.”

Neill said the next MainStage production at Center on the Square will be Gypsy, set to open July 26.

“That will mark our 20th anniversary,” she said.

For more information on upcoming shows, tickets and auditions, visit centeronthesquare.org and subscribe to the email list. Information is also available on Facebook and Instagram @centeronthesquare.

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