Youth Theatre tackles biggest production ever.
MARQUETTE -- It's a classic tale of love defying odds. Belle, the beauty, falls in love with her captor, the Beast.
And on January 29 and 30, the Marquette Arts and Culture Youth Theatre will bring it to life at the Kaufman Auditorium. Showtimes are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 1 p.m. matinee on Saturday.
"It's definitely bigger than any show I've ever done," said Gwinn resident, Ryan Whaite. "There's so much technical work and the costumers are very intricate. It's just the best show I've worked on so far. The cast is wonderful and I just love it."
They've been rehearsing since October and right now the biggest obstacle is getting used to playing inanimate objects.
Take 10-year-old Karrissa Langsford, who plays the precocious tea cup, Chip.
"It feels kind of weird because I'm in a box and I don't have any hands or anything, except my face," said Langsford. "It feels different."
In all, the production has 70 cast members, ages 6 to 18, and they'll be accompanied by an orchestra made up of community members, led by Betsy Grugin.
It's the most technical show the youth theatre has ever tried to tackle.
Tickets can be purchased at the Arts and Culture Center in the basement of the Peter White Public Library. They cost $10 for adults and $7 for children; they'll be an additional $3 at the door.