St. John the Baptist School Presents Beauty and the Beast, Jr.
St. John the Baptist School Presents Beauty and the Beast, Jr.
Be Our Guest!
The talented students of St. John the Baptist School (SJB) in Winfield invite you to pull up a chair and "be our guest" for their highly anticipated Spring Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Jr. Although "a tale as old as time," this Disney classic has been revived as a must-see drama event for the whole family to enjoy! Beauty and the Beast is a story about how it took a cruel, unfeeling Prince to learn a hard lesson that beauty is found from within. The exceptional kids of SJB deliver this significant message to the audience with passion and humor in each and every scene. With the help of beloved supportive characters: Lumiere, Cogsworth, Madame De La Grande Bouche, Babette, Mrs. Potts and Chip, the Prince transforms from a hideous Beast into the kind, loving man Belle deserves.
Belle, the main lead in this play, is played by Emily Clare, an 8th grader. This is her sixth time performing in a SJB spring musical production. Clare was an extra in the SJB productions of Willy Wonka, Alice in Wonderland, and The Little Mermaid. She really caught the theater bug when she won the role of a Narrator in Aladdin and the role of "Taylor" in last year's production of High School Musical. Clare said, "This is seriously my dream role of playing Belle. I can't wait to surprise everyone with this year's show. I hope everyone comes and that they really enjoy it." When asked about her favorite thing about playing Belle, she candidly replied, "Oh, it's the yellow dress!" And who can blame her? But it is her amazing voice and superior acting that outshine the yellow dress and it's clear that Emily Clare has found her place in the theater. Clare is attending St. Francis High School in Wheaton in the fall and hopes to continue doing theater during her tenure there.
This is the first year that SJB opened up the cast for the whole school to join. What was normally just a junior high production, turned into added interest from parents of younger students, so a change was made. Michelle Bucaro, Director for nine years now, said, "I'm always so proud of the level of talent these kids bring, but this year…I think they have the potential to make it our best musical yet!" Bucaro recruited Amanda Strolia, a graduate of North Central College, to help with the direction and choreography. Strolia has four years of experience directing at colleges, community theater and park district productions. SJB was lucky enough to have her share her flare for acting, blocking, and dance training.
The entire cast, parent volunteers, and teachers, specifically Sarah Mangan, who is Assistant Director this year for the first time, have worked diligently to bring you the most humorous and entertaining show yet. You won't want to miss it!
Beauty and the Beast, Jr.
Friday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 14 at 1:00 p.m. & at 7:00 p.m.
St. Francis High School
Kuhn Cultural Arts Center
2130 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Wheaton, IL 60187
Adults-$8
Students-$5
Kids 3 & Under-FREE
St. John the Baptist School, in addition to supporting the liberal arts, ensures students receive the highest quality education and moral foundation they need to succeed! It is because of St. John's strong academic foundation that graduates are consistently in the top ten in their class, score in the top levels of college entrance exams, gain admission to prestigious high schools and universities, become Illinois State Scholars and National Merit Finalists and are frequently offered scholarships to attend their college of choice. Visit http://www.stjohnwinfield.org/school to learn more about the amazing opportunities that await your little star!