THEATRE: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

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BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Occasionally, I’m invited to a show when it’s already closing, which makes me relieved that I won’t have to review it because it’s too late for anyone else to see it. But in the case of 3-D Theatricals’ production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, I’m sad. That’s because this Broadway-quality show was so wonderful that I hate that you won’t get the chance to see it. And that I won’t get to see it again because I easily could have seen it multiple times!

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

Beauty and the Beast is actually my third favorite show of all time, right behind Peter Pan and The Drowsy Chaperone. So you know how I’d upset I’d be if a company didn’t do right by it. But this company did it to perfection.

If I hadn’t known that 3-D Theatricals is classified as a “regional theatre,” I would swear this was the Broadway touring company. I’m always stunned by what they’re able to accomplish, and we Southern Californians are lucky to have them here. [Note: They announced that, in addition to their future runs at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, where I saw this show, they are moving the other half of their run to Cerritos, which is good news to me because they were previously in Fullerton at Plummer Auditorium, a venue of which I am not a fan.]

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

My friend Flo came to the show with me, and we were both knocked out by the talent right in front of us. Every voice was beautiful. There was not a weak one in the bunch. I love when a “revival” stays the same as the original, and this one did that, except for maybe a little changed staging, and perhaps with new choreography. But Belle sounded exactly like what she should have, which made me very happy. Afton Quast has a gorgeous voice.

The cast was all so excellent that it’s hard to single-out just one or two performers, which is exactly the way it should be. The appreciative audience seemed to feel the same way I did, cheering loudly for them all, culminating in a rousing standing ovation at the end.

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

But I felt that we all especially appreciated the physical comedy of Robert Ramirez as LaFou, Gaston’s sidekick. He was getting thrown all over the place, and didn’t miss a beat.

And I really enjoyed seeing Dustin Ceithamer, again. He played Lurch in their recent production of The Addams Family, and was so tall that we thought he was on stilts, until the curtain call, when he break-danced for the crowd! The guy can sing and dance, and it’s great that they figured-out a creative way to use his particular talents in this one, as well. He really does add some zing to a show.

Everyone was funny, especially all the guys, and I loved all the amusing little touches, such as having the beast swagger up the stairs when he started gaining confidence.

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

And here’s something mind-boggling—the company made all the costumes themselves! If you know anything about Beauty and the Beast, you know that the story necessitates gorgeous, creative, artistic, colorful, and fantastic wardrobe, and they accomplished all that. It so did not look like any regional theatre I had ever seen before! (And I’ve been going to all kinds of theaters since I was a little kid in New York. I thought I had seen it all, until I came upon 3-D! They’re really in a class by themselves.)

I also appreciated that, for this show, the program contained a “Study Guide” telling us some of the history of the story. I loved reading it.

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

Photo by Isaac James Creative.

Flo was knocked-out by everything she saw that night, and said of this production, “It was so wonderful! Absolutely everything about it–voices, costumes, casting, sets, direction, music. I teared up many times!” And, of the story itself, she added, “It’s such a profound message. It doesn’t have to be a ‘beast,’ but a show like this makes it easy to see what, for example, [someone beautiful like] Sophia Loren saw in [someone way less physically attractive than she, like her husband] Carlo Ponti. I never could understand when I was younger. People have to spend time together to be able to bond.” And that is indeed the message that sometimes gets lost in all the grandeur of the musical. I hope that it seeps into the brains of young ones who see this show.

Ever since I became aware of 3-D in recent times, I find myself always looking forward to their offerings, and being upset that I missed the earlier ones, especially Sideshow. So you can bet that I’ll be checking their website, below, for the upcoming line-up, both here and in Cerritos. So that you don’t miss another one like Beauty and the Beast, I suggest that all you Southern California theatre lovers do the same.

www.3dtshows.com

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