After last summer’s successful production of “Cinderella,” Kilauea Drama & Entertainment Network (KDEN) will continue the fairy tale magic with the company’s annual summer musical, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
After last summer’s successful production of “Cinderella,” Kilauea Drama & Entertainment Network (KDEN) will continue the fairy tale magic with the company’s annual summer musical, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
The show, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name, features the music of Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and book by Linda Woolverton. The cast includes talent from all over East Hawaii.
Beauty and the Beast, “a tale as old as time,” tells the story of Belle, who finds herself imprisoned in the castle of a mysterious beast. Assisted by the castle’s enchanted staff, a delightful and tender romance develops between these two unlikely friends and Belle soon learns the most important lesson of all — that true beauty comes from within.
Playing the role of The Beast is KDEN’s musical director, Pedro Ka‘awaloa. Belle, the Beauty, will be played by Cristina Hussey in her last role before heading to AMDA in New York City. Dick Hershberger plays Belle’s father, Maurice. The self-centered Gaston and his sidekick, Lefou, will be played by Byron Karr and Kathy Mulliken, respectively.
The parts of the servants — Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Babette, Madame de la Grande Bouche and Chip — will be played by Stephen Bond, Roch Jones, D’Andrea Pelletier, Corey Yester, Kaui Trainer and Emerson Aynessazian. Erin Gallagher is D’Arque, the insane asylum proprietor, and Stephanie Becher, Asia Ring, Joy Sever and Emma Tunison are the Silly Girls.
The rest of the ensemble, who will play Enchanted Objects and Townspeople, are Kyra Bockrath, Fiona Broward, Kamaile Carvalho, Clara Cellini, Julia Cellini, Louisa Cellini, Jessie Coney, Dan “Kana” Covington, Matthew Dorn, Nathan Ducassse, Ella Noe‘ula Johnson, Katie Kluzak, Elizabeth Mulliken, Dawn Pelletier, Teagan Rutkowski, Briana Tucker-Archie and Elizabeth Young.
Suzi Bond directs the show, with Ka‘awaloa as vocal director and Carmen Richardson, choreographer. Armando Mendoza will conduct the live orchestra of 17 talented musicians.
Show dates are July 12-28 at the Kilauea Theater in the Kilauea Military Camp in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $15/general admission, $12/seniors, 60 and over and students, and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets will go on sale June 17 at Kilauea General Store in Volcano, Keaau Natural Foods in Keaau, and Paradise Plants and the Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo.
For more information, please call 982-7344, email kden73@aol.com or check out KDEN’s Facebook page. Reservations can be made by calling 982-7344.