By: Adam Pascuzzi

On March 16-18, students from all of the schools in Warren County performed the musical, Disney’s The Beauty and the Beast.  According to the musical’s playbill, entitled the PlayCheck,” The original Broadway production ran for over thirteen years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical.” This musical was put on at Struthers’s Library Theatre in Warren.  Jennifer Dilks was the director and the production manager. Beauty and the Beast is about a young arrogant prince who is placed under a spell by an enchantress. This curse changes him into a dreadful looking beast until he learns how to love, and how to be loved.  However, if this spell is not broken before the time runs out, he will remain a beast for the rest of his life. After seven years pass, when time nearly runs out, a village girl enters the castle and, with help from the Beast’s charmed servants, falls in love with the Beast and breaks the spell.

Warren High’s Abby Koebley played the role of Belle and Ryan McGuinness starred as the Beast. Fellow EHS classmates Britany Arp, Shannon Kellogg, Naomi Haight, Aubrey Younger, and Hunter Peterson were also part of the cast as members of the ensemble. Brittany and Shannon both played spoons as part of the enchanted castle, Naomi was a plate, Aubrey Younger was a fork, and Hunter played a knife. The ensemble also played various other parts, such as the villagers and the wolves. The entire cast of The Beauty and the Beast was tremendous, as there were seemingly no mistakes; the entire musical and the performance was very professional.

All of the set pieces that were used in this play were made by the students at the Warren County Career Center. They had impressive detail and were very realistic. Marcia White conducted the orchestra, while Eisenhower’s Joy McMonigal directed the vocal music. The orchestra played outstanding during the entire play as well.  Down in the pit, where the orchestra was located, Eisenhower students Mikki Gifford, Madison Ring, Ana Carlton, and Grace Larson. The band played a very important role, as they played every note and sound effect needed during the whole performance.

Overall, the musical was amazing and was one not to miss; the kids did a great job performing, as well as the band. The next Senior All-County Musical will be held in two years.