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Rotary club’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ tells family fairy tale

Production will stay true  to the original Disney script, co-producer says.

Chip, the tea cup played by Billy Balfour(cq) attempts to cheer Belle, played by Maria Balfour(cq) as Madame La Grande Bouche, the wardrobe played by Michelle Lewis, looks on. The scene is from the Hamilton Rotary Club's Tuesday, March 9 rehearsal of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The popular Disney musical will be performed in Miami University of Hamilton's Parrish Auditorium the weekend of March 17-21.

David A. Moodie,/contributing photographer Chip, the tea cup played by Billy Balfour(cq) attempts to cheer Belle, played by Maria Balfour(cq) as Madame La Grande Bouche, the wardrobe played by Michelle Lewis, looks on. The scene is from the Hamilton Rotary Club's Tuesday, March 9 rehearsal of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The popular Disney musical will be performed in Miami University of Hamilton's Parrish Auditorium the weekend of March 17-21.

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By Teri Horsley, Contributing writer Updated 11:26 AM Monday, March 15, 2010

The Hamilton Rotary club added a sixth performance Wednesday, March 17, to its upcoming production of “Beauty and the Beast” because of the show’s popularity.

Running March 17-21, the play’s message is centered around a prince who was turned into a beast and a beautiful woman who was only valued for her stunning appearance. The two end up falling in love in spite of their differences, showing the audience that what is on the inside of a person is what truly counts.

“ ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a family show that teaches a positive lesson about looking beyond someone’s appearance, and kids of all ages can enjoy it,” said Rotary secretary and co-producer Joellyn Goos.

She said that this year’s production will stay true to the original Disney script, and should take about two hours to perform.

It’s taken three years for Rotary to bring “Beauty” to the stage, because the production is far more expensive than others they’ve done in the past. The three-year plan began in 2008 when the group decided to buy a set that would only require minor alterations and could be used for that year’s performance of “Music Man,” last year’s “Sound of Music,” and now “Beauty and the Beast.”

Finding the costumes for this year’s production also proved challenging and required the producers to search shops around the country before finding one in Columbus that could outfit the lead characters.

Contact this writer at tlhrsly@cinci.rr.com.