Cooper brings ‘Beauty and the Beast’ to life

　　While growing up watching Walt Disney’s “tale as old as time,” youngsters in the cast of “Beauty and the Beast” never dreamed they’d be performing one of the stories a few years later.
But here they are, ready to present beloved fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast,” a present day musical, at John Cooper School Nov. 17-20.

 

        The highly regarded Joseph DeMonico is directing.

“It’s a timeless story that fits any generation,” DeMonico said in a press release. “It shares the importance of looking beyond the external to see what’s inside, staying true to who you are.”
As you recall, it’s about a young girl, Belle, caught plucking roses from the garden of a hideous beast who seizes the girl and demands a horrifying promise to spare her his revenge.
The girl remains true to herself by keeping her promise. Gradually, she comes to love the beast for what he is, despite his repugnant countenance. True to the form of most fairy tales, it concludes with a happily-ever-after ending.
Cooper’s cast in this fall musical includes Jesse Bates as Beast; Caitlin Finnie as Belle; and Alessandro Portela as Gaston, a rude, vile character who wishes to take Belle as his wife, based solely upon her beauty. Other students in major roles are David Taylor as Belle’s father, Maurice; and Alec Udell as Gaston’s rascally associate, LeFou.
Others capably take on the tasks of bringing inanimate entities to life, the director said.
Derek Tam plays a French maitre d’ who becomes a candelabra; Annabelle Cousins goes from being Babette to becoming a feather duster; Caroline Davis transforms from Mrs. Potts into a teapot; with Lauren Spearman becoming “Chip,” a teacup; Jeremy Mani turns into a mantle clock, and Jenny Bates becomes a wardrobe.
These roles are particularly challenging because the actors play human beings who are servants before abruptly becoming energetic heretofore lifeless utility pieces.
Other students portray flatware, a dust pail, egg timer, plates, and napkins. They transform themselves into characters who speak, sing, and dance.
A cadre of JCS seniors provides comedy through being Silly Girls, while Jack Kite narrates the story.
A plethora of sparkling dancing and singing of cherished songs is anticipated to please the youngest fans and their parents as well.
A carefully chosen technical crew adds more polish to the production.
“Beauty and the Beast” will be performed Nov. 17-19 at 7 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees on Nov. 19-20.
Shows are in the Cooper Performing Arts Center. Tickets cost $15, with students and the elderly paying $10. They are available on line at www.coopertickets.org., according to Deb Spiess, Director of JCS Marketing and Communications. The school can be reached at 281-367-0900.
Another huge Cooper event is the Seventh Annual Signature Authors Series, in the planning stage by The Cooper School Fine Arts Council for close to a year.
The luncheon is at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel Nov. 11, with committee member Lisa Simms coordinating the visiting authors’ segment of the series.
Internationally acclaimed author Candice Bushnell joins luminaries from the past as the keynote speaker. She authored “Sex and the City” stories among other writings.
As in the past, the series highlights local authors in a diversified list from poetry to cookbooks, to chicanery in the world of high finance. There’s also an inspirational personal account from cancer survivor Jan de Chambrier, an Artist Teacher of Opera Studies at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, and renowned pianist.
Another intriguing book contains photographs and stories of the outdoor sculptures that dot landscapes in The Woodlands’ public places.
Authors will be present to sell and autograph their books.
Luncheon tickets cost $100 each, with proceeds going to several literacy endeavors as well as to special events at the school.
Recently added to the list of local authors who will be present is Lt. Ronald Wizinsky, retired from the Houston Police Department. His nonfiction volume is entitled “Our Sixth Sense — Using Common Police Knowledge to Analyze Crime Data.” He is affiliated with the FBI National Academy, and is a recognized authority on crime analysis.
For more information please contact the Cooper sources cited above.
“A Night with Buddy Jewell and His Trio” comes to downtown Conroe’s Crighton Theatre Saturday eve at 7:30.
It’s pretty impressive that Jewell’s very first album on Columbia Records was certified gold, and earned two back-to-back top five hits.
He’s been nominated for at least three major country music honors, including the Country Music Awards. Call the box office at 936-441-7469 to reserve. Larry Martin Entertainment Group of The Woodlands presents the show. It is sponsored by the law office of L. Clay-Jackson, P.L.L.C., with Joshua Zientek.