By Jacqueline Durett
Correspondent
SOUTH AMBOY—Disney will be coming to life at the middle high school this weekend when students stage “Beauty and the Beast.”
The South Amboy High School Players’ production March 4-6 involves more than 100 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade both on stage and behind it – just slightly less than 10 percent of the entire city’s school district of 1,200.
The featured roles in the show are held primarily by high school students, with Melissa Hoehman as Beauty and Jayson Olivares as the Beast leading the cast, although the role of Chip is played by fifth-grader Franchesca Sambucci.
Phyllis Stratton, who is directing the show with her husband Brian, said this particular show is one they have wanted to do for the past couple of years, but it took some time to work into the schedule. The school does one show a year; last year’s performance was “Seussical.”
Stratton said the show will be a classic interpretation of the Disney story of a young girl who is imprisoned by a monstrous beast only to find out he may be more than meets the eye.
Auditions were held in November, and rehearsals started soon after. Stratton said she tries to select shows that align with the talent she knows is on hand, but all the same, it’s always wonderful to discover a student who may have been hiding in the shadows a bit actually has a strong singing voice.
“We always find a way to find that talent,” she said.
The older students are on a more rigorous rehearsal schedule of daily rehearsals than the younger students. Rehearsals are an opportunity for students of all ages to come together to do something they enjoy, Stratton said.
However, during the course of show production, challenges can arise, but Stratton said she’s used to having to problem solve right up until the last minute. She said it’s not unheard of for students of any age to have to withdraw from the show because they need to focus on their academics. That makes her job more challenging, but she said often students know each other’s lines as well as they know their own, so she’s ready for any last-minute surprises.
She said despite the large age range of those performing, stage fright is less of an issue the younger the students are.
“The little ones have the least fear of the stage,” she said.
When it all comes together during a performance, she said, “That makes it all worthwhile.”
Showtimes are 7 p.m. March 4 and 5 and 2 p.m. March 6 at the South Amboy Middle High School, 200 Governor Harold G. Hoffman Plaza. Tickets cost $10 in advance or $12 at the door.