Exit 82 Theatre Company’s current production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at The Strand Theater in Lakewood, NJ is a true feast for the eyes! With dazzling visuals, a talented cast, and songs that’ll leave you humming, this cutting-edge Toms River, NJ community theater company is pulling out all the stops in this latest production which is sure to please theater lovers of all ages. Directed and choreographed by Sean Openshaw, this rousing version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is must-see community theater of the highest order.
The story takes place when, on a cold winter’s night, an old beggar woman comes upon a glorious castle belonging to a young Prince. She asks him to allow her to stay the night, but the Prince is uncaring and turns her away. To teach him a lesson, she turns the Prince into a hideous Beast and his servants into various household objects. The only way the Prince can break the magic spell is to learn to love another and to be loved in return.
Sometime later, Belle (Bridget Hughes) makes her way into town to get a book from the local bookseller. On the way, she expresses her wish to live in a world which — like her books — is filled with adventure. Despite recognizing her great beauty, the townspeople find Belle’s love of books peculiar.
In addition to the villagers, Belle also attracts the attention of Gaston (Billy Cardone), the town hero, who admires Belle for her beauty but not for her intelligence. With his sidekick, Le Fou (Sean Dickinson) in tow, Gaston eventually asks Belle to marry him, but she refuses.
Belle’s father, Maurice (Adam Repole), heads off to an invention fair wearing a scarf she’s just knitted for him. In the woods, Maurice becomes lost and finds himself seeking help at a mysterious castle. The servants of the castle include Cogsworth (Tyler Cicardo), the head of the household turned into a clock, and Lumière (Thomas Sharp), a maître d’ turned into a candelabra.
Inside the castle, Maurice also meets Babette (Loryn Bono), a maid who is now a feather duster; Mrs. Potts (Amy LaPosa), the head of the kitchen turned into a tea pot; and Chip (alternately played by Gabriel Amoroso and Nicholas Orlando), Mrs. Potts’ son, who is now a tea cup. They want to welcome Maurice as a guest, but the Beast arrives and orders Maurice to be locked away in the dungeon for trespassing.
Le Fou returns from the woods wearing the scarf Belle made for Maurice. Upon seeing it, Belle realizes her father is in danger and heads into the forest to look for him.
Belle makes her way to the castle where she finds her father locked in the Beast’s dungeon. Here, she makes a deal with the Beast: Maurice may go free but she must remain at the castle in his place.
The Beast gives Belle a guest room and orders her to join him for dinner. Saddened by her current situation, Mrs. Potts and Madame de la Grande Bouche (Jennifer Shrestha), an operatic wardrobe, help Belle feel better about her new home in the castle.
Sulking over Belle’s refusal to marry him, at the local tavern, Le Fou and the townspeople attempt to cheer up Gaston.
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Cogsworth informs the Beast (Vincent DiStefano) that Belle has refused to join him for dinner.
The Beast tells Belle that if she cannot eat with him, then she cannot eat at all. Belle becomes hungry and ventures into the kitchen where, despite the master’s order, the servants ask Belle to “Be Our Guest” for dinner.
After an incredible dinner and show, Belle wanders into the West Wing of the castle, a place the Beast told her she was forbidden to go. The Beast finds her there and orders her out, accidentally shoving her in the process. Fearing for her life, Belle flees the castle. Realizing his mistake, the Beast fears he will be a monster forever if he cannot learn to love her.
In the woods, Belle is attacked by wolves and is rescued when Beast comes to her aid, but he is injured during the fight. Instead of running home, Belle helps Beast back to the castle where she cleans his injuries. It is here where their friendship is born.
Wanting to give Belle a thank-you gift, the Beast gives her his entire library, which she adores. The servants begin to note something new in the Beast’s and Belle’s relationship and, as a result, they express their hope of becoming “Human Again.”
In the castle, after dinner, Beauty and the Beast dance together in the ballroom.
Beast asks Belle if she is happy living at the castle. She responds that although she is, she still misses her father. Beast offers Belle his Magic Mirror so she can use it to view her father. With it, Belle sees that Maurice is ill and lost in the woods. Beast allows Belle to leave the castle in order to save Maurice.
Belle finds her father and nurses him back to health, but his stories about meeting up with a Beast make the villagers think he is crazy. Led by Gaston, a mob arrives to take Maurice to an asylum.
Belle proves her father’s sanity by showing the townspeople that the Beast is real using the Magic Mirror. The villagers instantly fear the Beast, despite Belle’s insistance that he’s kind. Gaston, who recognizes the Beast as a rival for Belle’s affections, organizes a mob to kill the Beast.
As the villagers storm the castle, the servants, including the wardrobe, keep the lynch mob at bay.
Gaston manages to find Beast in his tower. He engages Beast in a fight and, as he moves in for the killing blow, Belle arrives. Beast is prepared to kill Gaston, but spares his life. Gaston, however, plunges his dagger into Beast’s back, which causes Gaston to lose his footing and fall from the tower.
On the tower balcony, Belle begs Beast not to leave her because she has found home in his company.
Belle sobs over Beast, telling him she loves him. As a result, a transformation takes place and Beast becomes alive and a Prince once more.
Belle and the Prince once again dance in the ballroom while the castle servants, now changed back to their human forms, happily look on.
Winners of two 2015 Broadway World NJ Awards and voted one of the Best Community Theater Companies of 2015, Exit 82 Theatre Company has created an entrancing version of Beauty and the Beast which brings the beloved Disney cartoon feature to life. With sparkling performances and oodles of theatrical stage magic, this production is certain to enchant family members from kids to grandparents and get audiences on their feet cheering the work of this talented home-grown Exit 82 cast, production staff, and crew.
If you’d like to experience the magic yourself — live, in all its stunning detail — be sure to see Exit 82’s Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at The Strand Theater in Lakewood, NJ. Please note, however, there are only four remaining performances: Thurs. Aug. 11 at 7pm, Fri. Aug. 12 at 8pm, and Sat. Aug. 13 at 2pm and 8pm. On Saturday Aug. 13, at 12:30pm, Exit 82 will also present an additional program for children entitled Storytime with Belle and Friends. For tickets to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Storytime with Belle and Friends “Be Our Guest” and go to exit82theatre.com today!
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