Review: Lipscomb's Cinematic BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

There is perhaps no theme more deeply resonant in Disney's Beauty and the Beast than its treatment of the redemptive power of love to change any trouble soul - and thanks to Mike Fernandez's cinematic take on the musical theater classic and the superb leading performances of Bekah Purifoy and Scott Patrick Wilson, the new revival now onstage at Lipscomb University's Collins Alumni Auditorium has much to engage and intrigue audiences. There's plenty of magic and legerdemain, to be certain, but more importantly there's plenty of heart to be found among the talented student cast who enthusiastically and energetically bring the story to life onstage.

Technically, the show is impressive, and Fernandez and his capable team of designers and collaborators recreate a fanciful world in which the ages-old story of young Belle and the Beastly Prince who initially holds her against her will is eloquently told from a definite Disneyesque perspective that delivers the story with theatrical panache. Despite some rocky moments early on opening night (sound levels were far too high - and issues persisted throughout the two-and-a-half hours of the performance - and some relatively inconsequential technical snafus proved distracting), the cast and crew eventually found their rhythm, ensuring that audience members were swept up in the fanciful and romantic plot, eager to lose themselves in the wondrous tale.

Leigh Anne Ervin's expressive choreography provides the show with beautiful movement, elevating the production with her exquisite approach to staging the show's stellar, iconic musical moments, particularly the rousing "Be Our Guest," the inspiring "Human Again" and the raucous "Gaston."

Purifoy, who has made quite the name for herself on Nashville stages since she first enrolled at Lipscomb, adds another remarkable role to her already impressive resume. Her Belle is spunky and direct, straightforward and outspoken in a decidedly contemporary way that makes her character all the more compelling and accessible. Purifoy's dramatic arc - in which Belle makes her way from the intial unease with which she first confronts Wilson's Beast - is believable as she becomes more self-confident and expresses herself better in his presence.

Wilson is given the opportunity to show off his leading man skills, effectively portraying the Beast with underlying warmth even while bellowing and blustering his way across the stage as he orders his minions about with strident authority. As the Beast gradually succumbs to the charms of Belle, ultimately admitting his love for her, we bear witness to a genuinely heartfelt transformation that is underscored by Wilson's resolute commitment to the role. Sensitive and self-aware, Wilson's Beast becomes a powerfully romantic figure even before the stage magic that allows the actor to be seen free from horns and a Beyonce-inspired mane.

Together, Purifoy and Wilson display a winning onstage chemistry that makes their scenes together more intensely felt and the two actors play off one another with the consummate skill of two people who fully trust each other onstage and off.

Director Fernandez makes good use of his department's cadre of student actors to populate the quaint village where Belle and her inventor father Maurice live. Elijah Wallace is terrific as the bumbling, absent-minded Maurice (is there any other type of inventor in the Disney universe?), and the vocal technique he uses to "age" Maurice is impeccable and consistent throughout. Nick Fair makes an impressive Lipscomb Theatre debut as the arrogant Gaston, enlivening his every scene with focus and commitment to the character and proving that he, indeed, has the theatrical chops to make good on the dramatic promise he's shown since the first time we saw the young actor onstage. Hunter Martin is delightful as the pratfall-prone LeFou (Gaston's wacky sidekick) and he shows off a penchant for stage business that is noteworthy for one so young.

Nelson Tilley is well-cast as the major domo of the Beast's castle, effusively playing Cogsworth with a certain archness that makes the character all the more appealing and off-putting at the very same time. Allison Kalfas, playing Mrs. Potts, delivers an endearing performance that is noteworthy in its depth and her performance of "Beauty and the Beast" is really quite lovely.

Connor Weaver, in the role of Lumiere - the randy French footman, is a scene-stealing delight as he plays every scene to hammy heights, earning generous laughter and applause in the process. Haley Sue Pearson is a fetching Babette, flirtatious and charming, and Kaylea Frezza is particularly impressive as Madame de la Grande Bouche, the operatic diva transformed into a wardrobe thanks to the spell cast upon the heartless young prince and his castle home.

Lauren Yawn, Bethany Rowland and Emily Meinerding make the most of their brief moments onstage as the trio of "silly girls" fawning after the boastful Gaston.

Musical director David Weinstein conducts his 11-member orchestra with finesse, although sound issues oftentimes led to the music overpowering the singers, thus cloaking any shading and nuance in the vocal characterizations crafted by the performers under his tutelage.

Andy Bleiler's scenic design, always impressive and imaginative, creates a stunning backdrop for the onstage antics that transpire and Anne Willingham's lighting design effectively creates the many moods and moments of the script's action-packed settings. June Kingsbury's costumes are beautifully constructed and colorfully conceived, but some of them (particularly those for Cogsworth, Babette and a bevy of dancing dining room napkins are rather uninspired and disappointing).

Special attention should be paid to the production's animated special effects that create a pack of vicious wolves to provide some of the production's tensest moments. Kudos to supervising animator/professor Tom Bancroft and his team of student animators for their exacting work. Scott Coffey's notable projection designs are also integral to the overall storytelling impact of the production.

• Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Book by Linda Woolverton. Directed by Mike Fernandez. Musical direction by David Weinstein. Choreography by Leigh Anne Ervin. Presented by the Lipscomb University Department of Theatre, at Collins Alumni Auditorium, Nashville. Through November 6. For details, go to www.theatre.lipscomb.edu or call (615) 966-7075 for reservations. Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes (including 20 minutes of pre-show trailers and video and a 15-minute intermission).

photos by Kenn Stilger

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