​Kincardine Theatre Guild’s “Beauty and the Beast” is breath-taking

If you can manage to get a ticket to the Kincardine Theatre Guild’s production of “Beauty and the Beast,” get one, because this is a magnificent show.

It is colourful and vibrant, and the music, singing and dancing are breath-taking.

The show certainly received rousing applause from the packed house at opening night, Friday evening, at the Kincardine Arts Centre.

Everyone knows the story of Belle who leaves her safe haven in the village to save her father because he got lost in the woods. Only to discover the Beast in the castle has trapped him, and in order to free him, she must remain a captive, herself. All while the great oaf, Gaston, tries to persuade her to marry him.

Belle falls in love with the beast, a prince who was cursed because of his nasty ways. They declare their love, the spell is lifted and everyone lives happily ever after, including all the servants who were turning into furniture.

It truly is a tale as old as time, and while the lead actors, Belle (played by newcomer Julia Trelford), and the Beast/Prince (Benjamin Hearn), are up to the task, the real stand-outs are Lumiere (Jason Geberdt) and Cogsworth (Jim May).

They have the best lines and are hilarious as they try to pretend that Belle’s father, Maurice, and then Belle, herself, have not set foot in the castle, and that the Beast will not be enraged at having visitors. They try so hard to maintain their “proper” positions in the household, even though they are slowly turning into a candlestick and a clock, it makes you laugh.

And Dan McGibney is stellar as the self-absorbed Gaston, making him larger than life and incredibly relentless in his pursuit of Belle.

The highlight of the show is the performance of “Be Our Guest,” which includes almost the entire 43-member cast, with dancing objects of every kind: plates, bowls, spoons, knives, forks, salt and pepper, wineglasses, napkins. It's an amazing bit of choreography that is, itself, well worth the price of admission.

The production also features a live band which is superb.

Rounding out the major cast are Jameson May as LeFou, Bruce Fenton as Maurice, Leslie Wade as Mrs. Potts, Katie Johnson as Chip, Leahanne MacKay as Madam de la Grande Bouche, and Terina Wnuk as the Enchantress and Babette.

On stage in multiple roles and groups, are Aria Barnes, Emma Beitz, Allison Boardman, Kayleigh Clubbe, Eva Colling, Ivy Cruickshank, Sid Duggan, Rachel Eby, Jaris Edwards, Isabelle Geberdt, Amy Gowan, Stella Gowan, Karlene Griffin, Alexis Hunter, Madeline Hunter, Samantha Kim, Jaki Mayer-Duggan, Steve McGibney, Ciara McGinn, Kristina Meisenheimer, Shane Middelkamp, Sarah Moriarty, Claudia Nashmi, Jenn Peters, Elaina Ravell, Victoria Richardson, Dani Smith, Journey Stewart, Amanda Stockbridge, Lue Thompson, Ella Vokey and Oscar Weeransinghe.

The show opened on the weekend, and continues Nov. 30, Dec. 1, 2, 7 and 8, at 7:30 p.m., with matinees Dec. 3 and 9 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $30 each; available at kincardinetheatreguild.com/tickets/.

Opening night included a special tribute to Darren Creces who has painted many scenes on the sets for the theatre guild shows, and was working on this one when he died suddenly, Nov. 1.

Also, special appreciation to the Rose Crew which included members of the Kinetic Knights Robotics Team: Nathan Pollock, Pravit Joshi, David Ertel, Josh Adams, Isabella and Gabrielle Geberdt, Sangat Chouhan, and Koen Adams-Smith. They designed and built the mechanism that allows the rose to drop its petals throughout the play.