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Memorial Theater Club To Perform "Beauty & The Beast"
By Lauren Puglisi
 | | --Photo By Lauren Puglisi The entire cast of Jackson Memorial's "Beauty and the Beast" production danced and sang their way through a rehearsal of one of the musical's most popular songs, "Be Our Guest." |
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"Beauty and the Beast" will be coming to Jackson Township next Thursday, March 13.
Jackson Memorial High School's Theatre Club has been practicing for the past three months for their upcoming performance of the Broadway musical version of the classic story.
According to the theatre teacher and director Jaclyn Somodi, next week's performance will be the school's second production of the year.
"Every year, the theater students take part in two separate plays. At the beginning of this year, we wrote our very own dramatic performance," Somodi said. "The kids are really looking forward to dancing and singing in this musical."
Ed Robertson, the play's vocal director, said the cast members have grown up watching the love story of "Beauty and the Beast" and look forward to playing the roles of their favorite characters.
"Beauty and the Beast" is a well-known fairy tale brought to mainstream popularity by Disney's 1991 film, and adapted into a Broadway musical in 1994. The story is about a beautiful woman who is kept in a castle by a monster she eventually grows to love.
With a cast of 60, a set crew of over 30, a full orchestra, dance choreographers and many volunteers, Memorial's production of the beloved story looked as though it was starting to come together during Tuesday afternoon's rehearsal.
Somodi encouraged the cast to do a run through of "Be Our Guest," one of the musical's most popular song and dance routines.
While the cast twirled, dipped, and curtsied across stage, Somodi gave students a taste of what opening night would be like by giving them a standing ovation.
Senior theatre students Brandon Contreras and Jennifer Raccuia play the lead roles of the Beauty (Belle) and the Beast.
Contreras, who has already been accepted to musical theatre universities in New York and Philadelphia, said that acting has been his lifelong passion.
"This is the fourth musical that I have been a part of here at Memorial and I really love it. I know that when I graduate I will pursue singing, dancing and acting throughout my life," Contreras said.
As for Jackson's own real life Beauty, Raccuia, she says being on stage in front of a live audience singing has always been something she looks forward to.
"We have been rehearsing for seven days these last couple of weeks. We have even been going over the entire play twice a night. So I really do feel like we will be ready for opening night," Raccuia said.
According to Contreras and Raccuia, the play will follow Disney's storyline but will also have two major differences that will help to set it apart from similar productions.
Approximately 11 songs from the Broadway production will be incorporated as well as unique scene artistry from the school's art teacher, Bobbie Allaire, and her students.
"Ms. Allaire has done such an amazing job with the set. All of the scenery is so different from the Broadway set because it all comes from her own creative ideas," Contreras said.
Tickets for Memorial's "Beauty and the Beast" musical will be sold at the door for $10 from March 13 to 16.
Somodi said she would urge people to purchase tickets in advance at the JMHS Fine Arts Auditorium due to the large number of people expected to attend the event.
"We are hoping to sell out every night because there is a lot of hype for this show," said Jaimy Scholossberg, the play's assistant director.
The cast of the musical will also be sponsoring a meet, greet and eat luncheon on Saturday, March 15 at noon. Tickets can be reserved by contacting Jaclyn Somodi at 732-833-4600 or jsomodi@jacksonsd.org.
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