Submitted by Madeline Keithan, HK Drama Club Media Relations Chair.
Haddam-Killingworth High School presents Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” an enchanting musical for all ages, at 7:00 p.m. May 6 & 7, 2022 at the HK High School auditorium. Performances will not be live-streamed because of royalty restrictions with Disney, but in-person tickets ($15 each) are available by calling 860-345-8541, through the cast and crew or at the door.
Audiences will be swept away into the world where Belle feels trapped in her provincial town and where the prince is truly trapped in the body of a hideous beast. If the beast can learn to love and be loved before the final petal falls from the enchanted rose, the spell will be broken and the Prince will be himself again. If not, he and his entire household will be doomed to forever inhabit their isolated castle.
This magical musical is a story that comes to life with unforgettable characters, extraordinary sets and costumes, and a fan-favorite score including, “Be Our Guest,” “Gaston,” “Human Again,” and the Tony-winning title song, “Beauty and the Beast.”
Directed by Marcy Webster, the show stars Payton Kasperzyk as Belle and Tyson Glazier as The Beast. Jake McGoey stars as the Villainous Gaston with his trusty sidekick Lefou, played by Jackie Flaherty. The enchanted castle is home to lifelong friends Lumiere (Michael Vaughn) and Cogsworth (Madeline Keithan) along with Mrs. Potts (Ava Loughlin), Chip (Chase Lenart), Babette (Pooja Badami), and the opera loving wardrobe, Madame de la Grande Bouche (Sami Pach). Join Maurice, played by Charles Petrie, as he searches for his daughter Belle, motivated by love and the belief that her future is destined to be happy.
The show’s success hinges on the talented and lively ensemble including Tarin Degnan, Libby Riggs, Tori Carlson, Alexa Johnson, Julia Thelen, Shylee Emigh, Kateri Sonski, Samantha Height, Jayani Bennett, Val Freibauer, Ella Cawley, Sarah Pierce, and Ryan Botteon. Student crew includes Stage Manager Nikki Ackerman, Assistant Stage Manager Olivia Tucker, Assistant to the Director Abby Jones, Student Director Liaison and Lighting Operator Ryan Thompson, Props Master Grayson Norman, and his assistants Amanda Ketchedjian and Molly O’Neal. The crew is rounded out by creative and talented HK students Olivia Swanson, John Guarino, Kaylee Arnold, Emma Lopez, Emma Wilkos, and Saige Merwin.
