“Beauty and the Beast” takes the stage

By: 
Jon Englert
Student reporter

Coal City Intermediate School students took to the stage performing Disney’s  “Beauty & the Beast Jr.”
The March 22 musical  featuring a cast of fourth and fifth grade students consisted of three shows at the Coal City Performing Arts Center.
Coal City Intermediate School teacher and student council sponsor Jenn Ness and her cast of about 60 students began rehearsing for the show when school resumed following winter break on Jan. 9.
Prior to the curtain rising, Ness said she was eager to put on “Beauty & the Beast Jr.,” because it is the longest and most difficult show she has ever directed.
“We have a very talented cast and we were up for the challenge, so we are all excited for it,” Ness said.
Although it was tough to adjust to practicing a longer musical, she says her favorite part about the rehearsal process was watching the progress the cast  made from early January to show time.
Fourth grader Zachary Taylor played Beast.
A fan of action scenes, he particularly enjoyed the part when he gets to, “hold Gaston by his neck” at the climax of the musical.
Taylor’s favorite Disney movie is coincidentally “Beauty & the Beast” and he became, “attached to the story and could not stop watching it as a kid. I just really love it,” he said.
Fifth grader Mae Connor appeared as the show’s Belle.
Unlike her on-stage counterpart, her favorite Disney flick is “Mulan” because of its great storyline and it used to be the only movie she would watch when she was younger.
Connor said she relates to Belle because she also loves reading and admits that she is just as sassy as her character.
Logan Hausman, otherwise known as Lumiere, is in fifth grade and enjoys portraying this role because “it is fun to speak with a French accent.”
Hausman can not help but favor the famous Disney film “Lilo and Stitch.”
“It is so amazing with the way it is made and the characters are really funny,” Hausman said.
The show was the 15th annual musical presented by Ness and the CCIS student council.