A Tale as Old as Time

Young Actors Theatre Tallahassee’s Performance of “Beauty and the Beast”

Photo by Vine Butler/Maclay Andalusian

From Nov. 1 to 10, Young Actors Theatre (YAT) put on their rendition of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” at their theatre in Tallahassee. With a cast ranging from lower to upper school members of  YAT’s company—including Maclay upper school’s very own junior Isla Welge as the motherly, loving and warm Mrs. Potts, along with senior Aidenn Hafez as the strict, serious and slightly uptight Cogsworth—the show’s run was quite successful, selling out every date. 

“Beauty and the Beast,” best known for its animated Disney movie, was adapted for the stage by Linda Woolverton, using the original movie’s music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. YAT’s performance of “Beauty and the Beast” on the stage was incredibly professional and well executed. From light and fun numbers like “Be Our Guest” to emotional pieces such as the show’s title song, “Beauty and the Beast,” YAT made their first show of the 2024-25 season a memorable experience. 

The leading and ensemble cast for this show are incredibly talented, which carried over to their performance and acting. Chiles High School senior Ashley Faris played Belle, stepping into the character flawlessly with her acting and enchanting singing voice. Leon High School senior Eli Carson portrayed Beast, effortlessly bringing to life the hostile yet secretly sweet prince, cursed to look like an aggressive animal. 

Welge as Mrs. Potts, a housekeeper turned tea pot, warmed the hearts of the audience with her maternal and comforting portrayal of the character. Hafez played the stern and serious butler turned clock, Cogsworth, providing  necessary  comedic relief in this show. Leon High School junior Nolan Johnson excelled as the arrogant, charming villain Gastonm and YAT senior Leilani “Elio” Deveas stunned as the flirty and glamorous maid Babette, cursed to be a feather duster. Overall, the acting performances given by all stars of this show created a wonderful and entertaining story, taking the audience into the world that many know and love. It is hard to step into a character’s shoes, especially when they are inanimate objects, and the cast of YAT’s “Beauty and the Beast” used their incredible skills to bring this tale to life. 

The song and dance capabilities of the YAT cast pushed the limits of expectations. Choreographed by Isabel Rina, each number showcased the talented cast member’s abilities. The choreography in “Be Our Guest” takes us into the enchanted world of “Beauty and the Beast,” led by Leon High School senior Owen Darden as Lumiere. Additionally, the choreography during the “Wolf Chase” scene, using ensemble dancers to appear as wolves that attacked both Belle and her father Maurice, was a brilliant way to bring this scene onto the stage. All of the dancers and singers in this cast, along with all the tech workers behind the scenes, brought this story to life.

YAT’s “Beauty and the Beast”was an amazing start to their 50th anniversary season, displaying endless talent, professionalism and care. With amazing acting, music and dancing, the cast brought this beloved Disney story onto the stage with just as much skill and expertise as Broadway performers. 

<Star Rating>

Performance: ★★★★★

Music/dancing: ★★★★★

Stage/set: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★★

*The roles for this show are double cast, meaning that there are two people that play each role, switched depending on the performance night. This review is based on the performance that Vine watched.