By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor
KEYSER — On the heels of an extremely successful production of “The Wizard of Oz,” Dr. John Hawkins and Potomac State College will be sticking with the fantastic when they present Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” in March 2010.
“‘Oz’ was very, very successful,” Hawkins said recently. “Over 12,000 people saw it, plus 4,600 kids.”
Many of those kids, according to Hawkins, were so excited about the production that they would come dressed as their favorite “Oz” character.
He hopes the enthusiasm for one of Disney's most popular stories — one which played to rave reviews on Broadway — will be just as infectious.
“This is going to be the stage version. I think it is much nicer than the animated version. There's more music, for one thing,” he said.
“It is also much more intense, emotionally. It has a tear-jerker factor.”
He is quick to add, however, that those who grew up with the movie will find the old familiar story.
“It follows the plot of the movie; it's got all the characters that you would expect — Belle, the Beast, Gaston, Mrs. Potts, Chip. They're all there,” he said.
Hawkins said one of the things that particularly drew him to the show was the moral of the story.
“I personally love stories that have a moral, or that teach a lesson,” he said. “In this case, it’s not what you look like on the outside that counts.”
Of course, the music will be one of the main features of the show, with such familiar numbers as “Belle,” “Be Our Guest,” and “Beauty and the Beast” sure to please the audience.
“The songs are just beautiful. You just can’t beat Disney’s music,” he said.
To help showcase the music, Hawkins is planning a full standard orchestra plus “a nice big chorus.”
He acknowledges that the music is “much more difficult than ‘Oz,’ but it shouldn’t be too difficult for anyone to master.
Hawkins says he will once again have the best local talent working on the production, with the cast to include 35 or more — counting 12 leads and sub-leads.
Auditions for all the roles will be held Sept. 15-17, with more details on what will be expected to come closer to the audition dates.
Hawkins said he also already has a number of talented “behind-the-scenes” persons who have signed on to work with “Beauty.”
“The costumes are going to be stupendous again,” he said. “I’m going to have the same costumers that worked on ‘Wizard’ — Lori Clem and Denise Whitlock — plus Kandi Llewellyn.”
Hawkins plans a busy production schedule.
“Beauty and the Beast” will open March 11 and will close March 21, plus we'll do at least three school shows ... maybe four,” he said.
Tom Valentine will once again direct the production.
