For its fall musical this year, Fremd Drama will be performing Beauty and the Beast. The musical offers an interpretation of a classic movie that is open to audience members of all ages. Starting Oct. 17 and until Oct. 19, interested viewers can see the production at Fremd High School in the Kolze Auditorium and buy tickets for $9 at the Fremd Cashier.

Preparation for the musical started during June, as cast members and tech crew worked on set props and backdrops over the summer. Robin Quinn, Fremd teacher and director of the fall musicals, gives insight on the endeavors taken by the tech crew and cast to produce the musical. 

“I really enjoy the energy the cast brings to production; I’m looking forward to seeing how the audience feeds off their energy,” Quinn said. “Since it’s a Disney show that has magic, it requires a lot of special effects that created a challenge for a tech crew. ”

The musical is based on a Disney movie that was released in 1991 and recreated in 2019, and audience members can expect a different interpretation when viewing the musical. Gage Bachmann, Fremd senior and lead, is acting as the role of the Beast in the play. Bachmann provides his opinion on the interpretation of the Disney movie.

“I like that the musical is a story that everyone knows, yet the version on stage is different from the movie,” Bachmann said. “It brings a lot of new elements to the story of Beauty and the Beast that not everyone is familiar with.” 

This year’s cast features a significant amount of new members and underclassmen. Despite the youth, Bachmann believes that the group allowed their talent to speak louder than their age in the process of production. 

“One of the most memorable things about this show was having a large portion of the cast being new this year,” Bachmann said. “I felt like at the beginning, there were a lot of new faces, but everyone is proving to pull their weight and show how talented they are.”

Although the original Disney film catered primarily to the younger audience,  the musical offers layers of complexity in its larger themes and retains its ability to qualify as a family-friendly show. With a balance of goofiness and sophistication, Quinn believes the show offers something for viewers of all ages. 

“There’s a blend between drama and comedy; there are moments that are meant to build a laugh, but then there are moments that are more serious, like how people fall in love or how some people in society fail to see the good in someone else,” Quinn said. 

For those with a theater eye or a sharp eye in general, the production incorporates details in its acting to achieve effects that are often found in mature theater groups. Quinn hints at what audience members should look for if they’re looking to analyze how the production creates layers of plot development. 

“Watch for the subtleties in the ensemble. Our ensemble is fantastic this year at building relationships behind the scenes and adding small elements of foreshadowing,” Quinn said. The small groups off to the side add layers to the story that help create a more realistic situation. “

With a pit orchestra performing live music and actors that come from the student body, Senior Danny Lu is eager to see his peers perform in the production of this year’s musical. 

“The preview for the musical was riveting; I enjoyed watching my classmates perform, and I usually don’t get to see that side of them outside the classroom,” Lu said. “I plan on watching this year’s musical, and I know there will be a lot to enjoy.”