Youth actors of Theatre Macon present ‘a tale as old as time’

Under the direction of Colby Marshall, Theatre Macon’s Youth Actors Company invites the Middle Georgia community to be their guest for this “tale as old as time.”

“Beauty and the Beast,” which opens Friday, features an ensemble cast of 28, ranging in age from 9-20. Marshall said the YAC is committed to keeping the musical as close to the original version as possible.

“We want kids to see their favorite characters, in their familiar setting, and keep the magic as real as possible,” Marshall said. “We have kids playing napkins, forks, dishes and more in the favorite number ‘Be Our Guest.’”

The theater has opted to perform the full version of the musical, instead of the shortened one.

“We are tackling the full version,” Marshall said. “There is a junior version and some people may wonder why we didn’t go with that one — I know I did a few times — but the full version has a lot more content and is a much better show. It’s more difficult, but it’s also just really beautiful. I know people will be as impressed as I am.”

The original film came out in 1994 and was so successful, Marshall said, that they had to create a whole new Oscar category for it.

“That success has continued through the live action musical on Broadway and we are thrilled to be performing it at Theatre Macon,” she said.

Fans of that original version will see their favorite characters “walking and talking, singing and dancing, and relive all the magic of Belle’s beautiful yellow ball gown.”

Perfect for the whole family, Marshall recalled seeing the original film with her mother and grandmother.

“It is one of my favorite memories of my grandmother. She had just the best time. Later, my mom and I saw the live show and my mom squeezed my hand and told me how much my grandmother would have loved it,” she said. “This is a great show for bridging generations. It has something for everyone, including big musical numbers, amazing costumes and a real sense of magic. Of course, it also has a true Disney princess, who reminds us that being nice can get you everywhere.”

This story was originally published January 11, 2017 at 8:12 AM with the headline "Youth actors of Theatre Macon present ‘a tale as old as time’."