The Verona Summer Music program left audiences in awe after this summer’s production of Beauty and the Beast Jr. Directed by Jennifer Faliveno, the cast, crew, and staff put on a fantastic performance.
Verona High School senior Alex Karpinski once again did not disappoint as he tackled the role of the Beast. His performance was highlighted by his ability to show emotion through song.
The role of Belle was taken on by VHS junior Kelsey Mitchell, showing her incredible voice and talent, as she has in other Verona productions.
Nicholas Lanese drew in the “silly girls”, (played by Gina Gagliano, Kate Ryan, Carina Mitchell and Isabelle Schechter), as Gaston, using his wit and charm.
Lumiere, Cogsworth, Maurice and Lefou (Colin Vega, Gabe Riccitelli, Joseph Anello and Alex Fiedler, respectively) displayed their talent through incredible French accents and good humor. All of their costumes brought their roles to life.
Babette, Madame de a la Grande Bouche and Mrs. Potts were portrayed by Jillian Lanese, Frances Metzger and Amanda Morden. Lanese showed off her graceful dancing, Metzger showcased her ability to sing, dance, and act, all while wearing a wardrobe costume. Morden enchanted audiences with her rendition of “Beauty and the Beast”.
Max Morden, John Priori, Becky Vega, Howard Freund, Jon Lango and Matthew Morden made up the orchestra, which drove the scenes of the show to new dimensions.
With their strong voices, incredible talent and a very good sense of humor, the ensemble and the narrator topped off this incredible cast with a flourishing finish.
The smoke effects, lighting and music, made the Beast’s transformation back to human form truly magical. With the intricate set and the colorful costumes, Beauty and the Beast Jr. displayed the talent that is hidden throughout Verona.
The entire cast, crew, director, and producers once again proved the ability and strength of the Verona Summer Music program.
Rachel Curcio is a member of the Verona High School class of 2013.
Photo courtesy Elise Boatwright.
My wife and I drove an approximately 1250 mile round trip from Ohio just to see the two performances where our grandson Colin Vega played Lumiere. We are extremely glad that we came and thoroughly enjoyed the musical as it was truly awesome! All of the kids did great jobs and with only three weeks of regular rehearsals. Looking forward to next summer’s production.