B.W. COOK -- The Crowd

B.W. COOK

“I just love opening nights,” said Orange County Performing Arts

President Jerry Mandel as he greeted the crowd Tuesday evening at the

debut of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” Mandel had recently returned to

Orange County from a trip to the Big Apple to see new shows and to check

out the product for next season.

“I’m now a Tony voter,” said the center boss with pride, shaking hands

with the arriving crush.

“What a wonderful house we have here tonight,” continued the local

impresario, comparing notes with his associates Todd Bentjen and Tim

Dunn. “We have over 100 Disney executives in the audience tonight for the

opening of ‘Beauty and The Beast,”’ said Mandel, joining his wife Whitney

and center executive vice president and programming director Judith O’Dea

Morr.

There were also plenty of families bringing their young charges to

witness the Disney magic. They were not disappointed.

The spectacle has of course been on Broadway and on the road for many

years. This particular production, starring Grant Norman and Susan Owen,

has been on tour for some 10 months. The cast performed as if it were

fresh and new material, delivering a delightful romp of fantasy for the

young and young at heart. Sets, costumes, lighting and sound effects are

all up to the first-rate Disney standard.

Further, all elements of this lively show are extremely well showcased

within Segerstrom Hall’s production capabilities. The melodic score by

Alan Menken, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, is delivered with

joy by the entire cast.

At curtain, applause turned into a standing ovation for the troupe.

In addition to the award-winning theme song “Beauty and the Beast,”

performed by the character Mrs. Potts, portrayed by Janet Macewen, one of

the more beautiful numbers is entitled “No Matter What,” sung by lead

character Belle, played by Susan Owen to and for her father Maurice.

Maurice is played by Ron Lee Savin, who has a very appealing stage

voice, quite unique and not representative of the typical musical theater

standard sound. Norman as the Beast is equally noteworthy.

“I want to see Gaston after the show,” cooed one young lady in the

audience who had come with an aunt and her sister to opening night.

“Gaston is cool,” she added with a wink.

Cool many be one description. Actually, the role of Gaston, the

self-involved hunk who thinks he is the living answer to masculinity and

the only man for Belle, is played with gusto by Chris Hoch.

Hoch mesmerized the audience with his moves, antics and vocal ability.

Another woman teased her husband by insisting that Gaston was based on

her husband’s personality.

“I’m not Gaston,” the man protested.

“Well, you may not have his physique but you sure have his attitude,”

replied the woman, referring to the controlling nature of the character,

exaggerated to the extreme in the production.

As the curtain fell on opening night, cast, crew, Disney guests,

center staff and patrons were invited to Founders Hall behind the stage

to enjoy a late-night supper catered by Maggiano’s Italian Restaurant at

South Coast Plaza. It was superb.

“This is the nicest cast party I have ever had the privilege of

attending,” said Laurie Veitch of Westcliff/Dover Shores.

“This room is ideal, both intimate and comfortable and the food is

wonderful,” added Veitch, enjoying the affair in the company of her

mother, Rita Gunkel, also of Newport Beach. Both women are longtime

season ticket subscribers and center patrons.

Of course, Veitch had a bird’s-eye view of the real Gaston, Hoch,

seated at the cafe table next to her and unwinding from his super-charged

two-plus hours of nonstop performance.

Maggiano’s did a fantastic job of catering the midnight buffet. The

staff pushed the proverbial envelope to the limit, making sure the guests

were catered to like Broadway stars.

“Beauty and The Beast” runs at the center through July 23.