‘Hopeful and magical’

Upcoming musical features students from middle and lower schools.

Left to right, Michelle Pieper (8), Jessica Kennedy (8) and Angela Carraher (8). More photos below.

Based on the original Broadway production that ran for over thirteen years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards as well as the Academy Award-winning motion picture, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. is a fantastic adaptation of the story of transformation and tolerance.

More than 70 Notre Dame middle- and lower-school students are providing their own adaptation of the adaptation and will feature some of the most popular songs ever written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman along with a number of new songs by Menken and the legendary Tim Rice. Directed by Meredith Deighton in her NDPMA debut, the Notre Dame Marist Academy student-actors will again be performing at Lake Orion High School’s auditorium with opening night set for February 2. This will be the third year at the venue for NDMA.

Show poster is here.

The classic story of Beauty and the Beast JR. tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

Left to right, Romy Dybowski (6) and Alaina Polsinelli (6).

Director Deighton said even though she's never worked with the any of the Notre Dame students before, she is very impressed with not only their talent, but their love of theatre and dedication to the show, their characters and the overall ensemble feel of NDPMA theatre.

"Each cast member fully commits to their characters and to the overall ensemble of the show," she said. "I couldn’t be prouder of the students and can’t wait for the Notre Dame community to see their hard work pay off in this hopeful and magical production!”

Deighton is supported by choreographer and current parent, Donna Pieper, and musical director, Renee Turner. The cast is led by Jessica Kennedy as Belle (8th grade), Luke Wegzryn as the Beast (7th grade), Brooke Cousins as Mrs. Potts (8th grade), John Milback as Gaston (8th grade), Jeronimo Ballasty as LaFou (8th grade), Michelle Piper as Lumiere (8th grade), Aaron Palardy as Cogsworth (7th grade), and Alaina Polsinelli as Chip (6th grade).

Tickets are now available at showtix4u.com. The show is at Lake Orion High School's auditorium on February 2 at 7 p.m. and two performances on February 3 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Beaty and the Beast JR. also features students from the lower school.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.

Follow Notre Dame on Twitter at @NDPMA.

About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org