SE sets classic fairy tale as the beast attracts beauty
by Brian Shults, se news editor

    The Masque of Beauty and the Beast dramatizes the traditional fairy tale in the post-Renaissance style of poetic rhyme couplets on SE Campus, Oct. 9-12.

    John Dement, director and SE drama instructor, describes the play as a classic fairy tale.

    "Beauty is the young heroine with two nasty sisters, and her father becomes trapped by the Beast.

    "The Beast was once a handsome prince who was placed under a curse because of his vanity. And Beauty redeems him," he said.

    Masque is a form of drama that was primarily performed to entertain the nobility in England.

    "It was noted for incorporating the audience members at various times during the performance.

    The audience would come on stage and sing and dance," he said.

    The audience will not be directly involved in the play, but the performance will retain much of the masque drama form. The story of Beauty and the Beast is told in poetic verse, and follows the original fairy tale in its moral lesson, Dement said.

    The Masque of Beauty and the Beast was written by playwright Michael Brill in 1979.

    The play is rated PG and is fine for children and families, but it is not Disney, Dement said.

    The play focuses on the Beast's redemption, excising vanity and exhibiting the strengths of beauty, Carrie Bush, Beauty, said.

    "Beauty wants to please and save her father, which is why she takes his place in Beast's home. She also wants to please the Beast by showing him love," he said.

    Bush pointed out differences in interpretation between the SE production and other productions of the classic tale.

    "In the past people have characterized Beauty as only doing as others want her to do, allowing her sisters to run her down. But she is strong and what she does for others she does out of love, not weakness," she said.

    Brad De Borde, who plays Beast, agreed.

    The Beast learns humanity from Beauty and shows his internal strength. The Beast has been isolated for 250 years, and she finds his good side, De Borde said.

    The characters and story are introduced by the Narrator, Tamara Powers.

    The narrator plays a central role by effectively summoning the characters onto the stage, as well as conversing with the audience regarding the plot, Powers said.

    "The narrator is an old woman who is filled with magic and has told this story a thousand times before, but each time she makes it new again," she said.

    Additional characters include Beauty's cruelest sister Haughtense, played by Genevieve Croft, and her other selfish sister Dyspeppsia, played by Maxine Yap.

    The antagonistic bank solicitor is played by Jaime DeLeon.

    The Beast's later princely incarnation is played by Joe Arellano, and Beauty's father, the merchant, is played by Anthony Lewis.

    Dancers in Beauty and the Beast serve several purposes such as helping the Beast when he summons them and changing particular set pieces during the performance.

    Deborah Prickett, dancer, said, "The dancers are intended to be visible, but wear ambiguous masks while facilitating scene changes."

    Other dancers include Kara Wilhelm, Mandy Maxfield, Yolanda Smith and Erica Newhart.

    The Masque of Beauty and the Beast is free to TCC students, faculty and staff; $5 for general admission; and $3 for students from other schools and senior citizens.

    Show times are 8 p.m. in the Roberson Theatre, Wednesday-Saturday, Oct. 9-12, with a 2 p.m. matinee Saturday.

    "The ticket prices are suggested donations. All proceeds go to the SE Drama Scholarship Fund, which gives scholarships to talented TCC drama students," Dement said.

    Beauty and the Beast is Dement's first production on SE Campus.

    He joined the SE drama department this fall, taking over for John Shafer, who now teaches in Florida.

    Dement, previously a technical director at UTA, said he took the SE job to concentrate on theatrical directing and teaching, the two things he enjoys the most in the dramatic arts.