The Monmouth Community Players present “Beauty and the Beast” at the Winthrop Performing Arts Center July 11-21. Thursday and Friday performances are at 7:30 p.m. There will be a 7:30 p.m. sensory-friendly performance Saturday, July 13. Matinees are at 2 p.m. both Sundays, with an ASL production at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 20. The center is located at 211 Rambler Road, Winthrop.

“Beauty and the Beast” has music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice and Howard Ashman. The original Broadway production ran for over 13 years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. At the helm of this production are Josie French as director, Vanessa Glazier as assistant director, Spring Gouette as music director and Alex Castonguay as accompanist. Rounding out the team are Gina Hesse as choreographer, Hannah McAdam as stage manager, Jackie MacDonald as producer and Danny Gay, lighting design.

Based on the 1991 Disney animated feature and dating back to a late 18th-century classic French fairy tale, “Beauty and the Beast” tells the story of Belle (Birdie Gay), a beautiful and intelligent young woman who feels out of place in her provincial French village. When her father, Maurice (David Marshall), is imprisoned in a mysterious castle, Belle’s attempt to rescue him leads to her capture by the Beast (Jonny Bolduc), a grisly and fearsome monster, who was long ago trapped in his gruesome form by an enchantress (Ben Simpson). The only way for the Beast to become human once again is if he learns to love and be loved in return. There is a time limit, too: Once a magical rose loses all of its petals, all hope will be lost and he will stay a beast forever. The Beast’s enchanted household — populated by such beloved characters as Mrs. Potts (Bryanne MacMillan), Lumiere (Owen Lewis), Cogsworth (Danny Gay), Babette (Hannah Hanson), Madame (Rachel Scala) and Chip (Connor Coan) — watch anxiously as Belle and the Beast grow to understand and befriend one another. Their feelings grow ever deeper as the clock ticks and petals continue to fall off the enchanted rose — will they confess their love for one another before it is too late?

The multitalented cast of humans, enchanted objects and more join from all over Central and Southern Maine, including: Birdie Gay, Danny Gay, Brayden Chasse and David Marshall of Monmouth; Jonny Bolduc, Bryanne MacMillan, Rachel Scala, Katy Albert, Archer Slater and Hannah Hanson of Lewiston; Josh Oakes of Biddeford; Kayla Newmeyer, Phoebe Edwards, Alex Lally, Ken Mansur, Kyle Mansur, Debby Mansur, Tim MacLeod and Lucy MacLeod of Auburn; Kierra Bouchard of Lisbon Falls; Owen Lewis and Connor Coan of Gardiner; Casper Madarasz of Brunswick; Nathaniel Dennison of Whitefield; Jane Mitchell of Greene; Kaitlyn George of Windsor; Maddie Labonte of Livermore; Valorie Lake of Gray; Ginger Smith of Winthrop; Benjamin Simpson of Buckfield; Gabe Lilley of New Gloucester; Victoria Tracey of Randolph; Audrey Tucker of Wayne; and Sophia Partridge of Rome.

Along with the Marquis Season Sponsor, Great Falls Federal Credit Union, are season sponsors Winthrop Area Federal Credit Union, Readfield Agency and The Axe Pit (South Portland), and show sponsors Annabessacook Veterinary Clinic and Kennebec Cabin Company, Greenhouse Games, and Birdie Gay, an Affiliate of Academy Travel.

“Beauty and the Beast” is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, Inc. For more information or to purchase tickets, email the theater at mcpboxoffice@gmail.com, call 370-9566 or purchase tickets online at monmouthcommunityplayers.org.

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