Behind the Scenes of Beauty and the Beast

Inly School invites all those who love a good fairy tale to “Be Our Guest” at our fifth annual big musical production, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast on February 11, 12, and 13. This production is brought to you by Inly School and W.B. Mason and features The Inly Players—a troupe of actors connected to the Inly community comprised of faculty, staff members, parents, trustees, students in grade 3 and up, and friends of Inly, who enjoy the collaborative process of putting on a show. Ticket and show information can be found at www.inlyschool.org/beauty-and-the-beast. A veteran Inly Player and current Inly student reports on how rehearsals have been going for her:

Hello! My name is Ali N. and I am playing the part of the Beggar/Enchantress and a Villager in The Inly Players’ production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. But I am not the only one playing that part. Not only do Miss Ali Z. and I share a first name, but we also share a role, as is the case of Jimmy H. and Tucker A. who play the Prince,

Tucker M. and Evan L. who play the prologue Beast, Ashley A. and Joe H. who are the Narrators,

and Colette M. and Amelia A. who play the rose.

Each of us have two shows in which we play our role during the prologue and the other two nights we are on stage doing something else. It is very confusing. We prologue-ians have to keep up with a lot. I could sometimes swear that Ali Z. is trying to steal my team. I am team blue and she is team red (this is how the parts are organized) and I have to convince her every rehearsal that she is really red team and not blue.

A couple weeks ago we pretty much finished staging the prologue. I am really enjoying it. I love the difference between the hag and the enchantress. But so far, I haven’t gotten to really start acting as much as I would like to, mainly because I have to balance my script and whatever scarf I am borrowing from Colleen Quinn, our choreographer (thanks!), that day because it is one of my props and it helps my character (you’ll just have to come to the show to figure out how). But when I have the pieces of paper and the scarf when I twirl the scarf it ends up twisted around me or on the floor and I can’t remember what line I was saying!

This is my fourth year doing the “big play” at Inly, but my first time being in the adult ensemble (finally!). I have to say I expected to be with mature people who take things seriously, but I have discovered that the adults act sillier than the children! We are having a blast and I love it.

I “beg” you to come to the show—it promises to be enchanting!

Photos by Ali N.