Review: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

Dutch Apple does Disney with their latest production, Beauty and the Beast. While not a perfect show, it still has a lot to offer young and old. Jennie Nasser stars as the book-smart and beautiful Belle. Nasser has a pleasing voice and a commanding presence. Her character radiates strength and confidence which makes her a great role-model for many of the littlest princesses in the audience.

Nicholas J. Pearson plays the Beast. I never found him particularly ferocious nor intimidating, so the character's gentlemanly evolution was not quite effective for me. Beast is the emotional core of the show. The audience must feel connected to him and his journey. However this wasn't always the case. For example, Pearson's rendition of If I Can't Love Her lacked some of the power and emotional depth required to fully connect with the audience on a sympathetic level.

The rest of the cast did a fine job of bringing their characters to life. Two particular stand-outs would be Frank Hughes as the boisterous Cogsworth, and Zachary Fernback as the dumb, but dutiful LeFou.

Beauty and the Beast has a reputation for its technical imagination and creativity. Therefore, the bar was set rather high. John P. White's costumes and set designs by Curtis Peters were both serviceable. I found nothing especially lacking in either case, but nothing particularly memorable either.

Kerry Lambert's choreography for the show was a lot of fun. Be Our Guest pulled out all the stops. The chorus dance in Gaston was light and playful, while the one in The Mob Song was sharp and intense. Each dance matched the mood of the accompanying song effectively.

While it might not yet be quite Broadway-ready, Dutch Apple's production is still a good time. I would especially recommend it for the little ones. This show makes a great introduction to the world of theater. However, don't be surprised when they start singing along---these songs are catchy.

As usual, tickets and more information can be found on the theater's website.