SAN ANGELO, Texas — Belle dances across the stage as the ensemble sing and perform alongside her. The opening number of "Beauty and the Beast" is underway.
From Sept. 9- 25, Angelo Civic Theatre invites guests to witness the "tale as old as time" in the San Angelo community performance. Since rehearsals began July 25, members of the cast and crew have been tirelessly piecing together the musical to prepare for opening night.
"A lot of people grew up with both the movie and the musical, as well," cast member Ben Settle said.
Settle plays the role of Gaston in the musical. His character is "real full of himself, real confident, arrogant before he meets Belle and that kind of throws him for a loop," he added.
This is Settle's first time acting on stage in seven years, though he's been involved in various theatre management positions.
Despite the challenges of learning new lines and memorizing the script, Settle feels a connection to the stage and enjoys interacting with his fellow cast members.
Rehearsals run five days a week from 7-10 p.m. and the cast is made up of community members, including actor Micah Floyd, who plays the role of the Beast in the show.
His favorite part has been connecting with new cast members and watching their involvement in the production.
"It was great to see the local community come out and want to be a part of it," he said.
Floyd's character begins as a vicious antagonist, but he has substantial growth as a character over time.
"Through the show, he learns to love and appreciate inner beauty," Floyd said.
As the cast continues rehearsals and the set comes to life, the cast invites everyone to be their guest.
"I hope that they [the audience] are able to come see this love story...and it's about loving each other and loving yourself," Settle said.
Tickets are available at buy.ticketstothecity with additional information.
