Showtime! Beauty and the Beast musical week

Last month, Concord’s long anticipated production of Beauty and the Beast brought the Morris Building alive with music, theatre and dance. The show, for which auditions were held as long ago as the start of the autumn term, was a culmination of the hard work, passion and collaboration of staff and students.

The magical musical was performed four times over three days including a special matinee for local school children.

Audiences were thrilled with a spectacle worthy of any stage.

Mrs Hotchkiss, explained the creative process: “When we initially decided to explore this ancient tale in a modern and darker aspect, our creative team were quick to seize this idea and develop it further into something much more than we had ever imagined.

“The detail and intricacy of the costumes and make up allowed our audience to see the more sinister side of the curse put upon the castle. This provided our performers with an excellent understanding as to the environment and context of the piece. The time and effort spent on creating these visual masterpieces, is truly inspirational.”

Students were involved in all of the aspects of making the show week so spectacular, from those performing night after night on the stage, to the many hands that worked behind the scenes; making costumes, stage management and makeup for example. Theatre goers were also treated to music from student musicians as they arrived.

The Performers

The 71 students in the cast attended regular rehearsals; learning lines, songs and dances.

Mrs Hotchkiss and Mrs Perrins Latter described the hard work and dedication of the students : “Creating a performance such as Beauty and the Beast takes time, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to the end result. Concord College students demonstrated these values in abundance, attending weekly rehearsals on a Monday and Sundays too this term, giving their time willingly and freely.

“Their commitment and creativity enabled us to recreate and reinvent the magic of Disney. Their enthusiasm for portraying unnaturalistic and exaggerated characters was commendable and their willingness to experiment and explore in rehearsal enabled us to create a truly memorable performance. Vocally students tackled the quick and often complex musical numbers from the score, with energy and character driven interpretation.

“A performance of this scale would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the backstage team. Who worked passionately to ensure that set changes, delivery of props and quick costume changes were managed seamlessly.”

Costume Design

Amazingly, many of the incredible costumes from the performances, came from the ideas and skills of Concord students who worked tirelessly with support and direction from the College’s Art department to transform their visions into realities.

Ginny, part of the Costume Design team, said, “It was great to see the pieces we worked on for weeks being worn and performed in on stage. The handmade headpieces, trousers, and shirts mixed really well with the loaned overcoats and dresses”.

“When creating the costumes, we had to keep functionality as well as visual appeal in the front of our minds. Considering how well each piece held up after three days of consecutive shows, we were more than successful! I’m happy to have contributed to the effort put into this stellar production”, added Ginny (Form 5).

A special contribution from Concord’s youngest students came in the form of the wolf costumes, which they then wore for the performances.

The collaborative nature of putting on a performance also allows for students to form strong friendships across year groups. “It was an honour to perform alongside my fellow cast members, and I feel that I have made connections and experiences with these people that I will never forget”, said 6.2 student, Alfred, who played the Beast.

“Beauty and the Beast was undeniably one of my favourite experiences in my entire time here at Concord, and I am so grateful to everyone who helped make it a reality. It was an honour to perform alongside my fellow cast members, and I feel that I have made connections and experiences with these people that I will never forget. Like any performance, stepping onto the stage for the first time was a nerve-racking experience, but after that it was just an amazing feeling, and each performance only got better and better. I couldn’t recommend getting involved in these performances enough, because I will always look back on this experience with fondness and this will be one of the reasons I will miss Concord so much when I leave”. -Alfred, 6.2, The Beast.

Mrs Regan said, “It was a pleasure to see our pupils so gripped in a magical production with a talented cast of young people.”

Mrs Hotchkiss summed up this year’s musical: “Overall, the performance of Beauty and The Beast, highlighted the power of collaboration within the performing and creative arts. Creating life long memories for all students, and staff, involved.”