‘Beast' comes out in Franklin

FRANKLIN n When I met a few weeks ago with Heather Burns, producer of The Highland Stage Youth Troupe and cast members of “Beauty and The Beast,” the group was rehearsing at Holy Counselor Lutheran Church on Sand Hill Rd. in Vernon, since it lacks a home stage of its own. Pews had to be moved to create room for a makeshift stage. And although teen actors such as Emily Sireno (‘Belle’) and Jason Heimrich (‘Gaston’) were firmly in-character that evening, it was still difficult to picture how the production would materialize as the actors rehearsed in street clothes before an altar. All such questions were answered on Fri., Aug. 10 when the Vernon-based, not-for-profit theater group delivered a stirring rendition of the Disney adaptation before a receptive crowd of 200-plus at Franklin Elementary School. Sireno gave a virtuous performance as Belle, a bookish girl who unwittingly undergoes a journey of self-discovery as she searches for her inventor father (David Rolando as ‘Maurice’) who is imprisoned by ‘The Beast’ for trespassing onto the grounds of his woodland estate. The ‘Beast’, portrayed by Nick Wolf, is actually a young prince who had been changed into a monster years ago by a witch disguised as a beggar woman, after he spurned her request for help. With a strong vocal range and an elegant stage presence, Sireno was well-cast for the role of Belle, as was Heimrich, who was delightfully detestable as the arrogant, muscle-bound Gaston (aided by a bit of padding) who fails in his haughty attempts to win Belle’s heart. Indeed, shrewd casting was evident throughout the production. While ‘Beauty’ was solidified by the acting of Sireno, Heimrich and an intemperate Wolf, it was the performances of Matt Tiberi (‘Lumiere’), Rich Albertini (‘Cogsworth’) and Ashley Kraus as Mrs. Potts. which truly made the production sparkle. The well-timed, comical banter between Tiberi’s Lumiere and Albertini’s Cogsworth kept the audience in stitches throughout. In delivering the title number with timbre and conviction, Kraus demonstrated why she was selected to portray the magically-transformed teapot. The amorous volleys between Tiberi’s Lumiere and a sultry Kristin Tarczynski as Babette were sharp. Garrett Geary was splendid as Gaston’s quivering sidekick, LeFou. Amy Easton’s operatic exchanges as Madame De La Grande Bouche further strengthened the production, as did Rebecca Krieger’s charming turn as Chip the teacup. Despite having just over a month of rehearsals under its belt, the ensemble demonstrated that it was ready for the opening curtain. The strongest numbers were those put on by the entire company, most notably ‘Be Our Guest’. The ensemble pieces were tightly-choreographed by Renee Ziegler while the sets, though simple, provided a quaint atmosphere for this timeless classic. The 20-person orchestra, under the direction of Conductor Jon Hartlage, provided the company with unspectacular but solid support. Clarinetist Kevin Boehm and Flutist Allison Boehm were particularly strong. ‘Beauty’, which gave its final performance on Aug. 11, demonstrated that there is a place for community theatre in Sussex County…wherever that might be.