A talented group of Martensville High School (MHS) students came together to bring to life one of Disney’s classic tales ‘Beauty and the Beast’. The MHS Choir put on an exceptional show for all that attended on November 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
The show consisted of a familiar tale and songs that were performed seamlessly by the cast. Halfway through the production, there was a short intermission where those in attendance could indulge in delicious desserts provided by the MHS Commercial Cooking students.
A breathtaking set design and one intricate costume after another had the audience captured from the beginning. MHS Teacher Mary Lou Beck, who directed the play and contributed to the creation of the set along with her husband Dan Beck and MHS Teacher and Production Manager Mike Kaweski, was impressed with the dedication that each student showed in preparation for this weekend. “These students worked so hard and they always gave their best. Each day they were so excited and enthusiastic about it so it has been a wonderful experience,” Beck said.
After speaking with students that performed in the musical, there was an ongoing excitement that filled the air and a very real sense of camaraderie that had been created after working so closely together. For some of the students, this was their first musical, such as Aaron Charpentier, who took on the role of Chip and the experience was such a great one, that it will definitely not be the last. Many of the students had similar thoughts about their time spent working on ‘Beauty and the Beast’. “This experience has been amazing and it was a great opportunity to make friends and express our love for theatre,” Kaelyn Coulthard, who played Belle and Mrs. Potts, stated. Kamryn Thompson, who played Madame de la Grande Bouche, noted that, “This experience has been very eye opening and I have gained a family from this and will continue to do more musicals in the future.”
A memorable trio of Silly Girls consisting of Arwen Claypool, Janaya MacKenzie and Chelsea Sander brought a humorous lightness to the performance. Sander who has been performing in school theatre since she was in Grade 5 talked about how much she had learned from this particular performance. MacKenzie discussed how much fun the entire cast had preparing together.
Familiar roles within the play consisted of the ever-popular candlestick Lumiere, (Anaya Elias) and the feather duster Babette (MaKenna Hamm). “This was my first high school play and it was so incredible to come together with people that share my passion for acting and singing,” Hamm said. Elias shared a similar thought and talked about how thankful she was to share the stage with people that have the same interests and that the shared experience turned them into one big family.
For Chantal Brooman (Enchantress/Wolf/Villager), being a part of this performance opened her eyes to how beneficial opportunities like this can be for students. “It is a really great way to meet new people and find somewhere that you can fit in. It is a way to express who you are and to try out new things in life.”
With many of the regular performers from previous years having graduated last year, this year consisted of quite a few new faces. “This experience has been a really interesting one because we have a lot of new people in this musical, but it has been awesome getting to know everyone,” Adrian Skelton (Maurice) said. For Anson Kappel, this musical opened up a new opportunity for him as his first chance to play an antagonist. “It was so much fun playing something outside of what I would normally do.”
The MHS Choir puts on a performance each year, so watch for news of next year’s production. You will not be disappointed.
