Tears as curtains fall on Beauty and the Beast

THE Shakespearian line “Parting is such sweet sorrow” rang true for the cast of the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast.

Emotions ran high on the penultimate night of the beautifully packaged production put on by Naparima Girls’ High School (NGHS) between January 16 and 19 at the Naparima Bowl.

Tears bubbled over as the young actors from surrounding schools took their final bow on the gala night, January 18, before a sold-out audience which included Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial and Zalayhar Hassanali, widow of former president Noor Hassanali.

Before the curtains came down, the cast huddled together, hugging one another, in a show of the camaraderie, friendships formed during the past three months and more of rehearsals and performances, that were coming to an end. They broke apart only when musical director Reanna Edwards-Paul conducted the live orchestra in its final song for the night.

For some, especially the form-six students, this was the last time they would feature in a school production.

One of the two actors who played Beauty, Jxaihon Taylor, wept as the cast came out to meet patrons, and had to be comforted by director Victor Edwards.

A visual and performing arts upper-six student majoring in music, Taylor told Newsday the reason for her tears was not only that this was her very last performance as a student of NGHS, but also because musical theatre is what she wants to do for the rest of her life.

“Tomorrow (January 19) is the last show, but tonight (January 18) is my last night.

“Ever since I was a little girl, and I watched my first Broadway musical I said, ‘This is where I needed to be.’

“Growing up, Beauty and the Beast was my favourite movie. Beauty was my favourite princess, so getting to play her in this production is a dream come true.

“Now that it is over, the experience exceeded my expectation.

“Mr Edwards said the moral of the story is: love is transformative. The love of and in this cast has literally brought about a change in me. Having realised how this has changed me, that this is where and who I want to be for the rest of my life, I was overcome by everything, and I can’t stop crying.”

Edwards shared his thoughts about the audience, who were fortunate to see the collective celebration on the gala night when the whole cast broke into tears – and what they must have been left wondering.

“They were not tears of pain or happiness, but rather an overflow of their inner beauty, (and) their coming to terms with the fact that they had created a beautiful thing.

“They cried and wailed on the final night because they thought that the ‘beautiful thing’ had come to an end. “But as you should know, a thing of beauty is a joy forever. Memories cannot be erased.”

He hopes the experience was transformative and their lives have changed for the better.

Taylor said hers had.

Even the veteran Edwards said, “Mine always does with this process, and (it has) effected change in me as well.”

Gadsby-Dolly, who later met the cast backstage, was awed by the production.

“Naparima Girls’ High School, take a bow – take several. What an excellent production of Beauty and the Beast! Bravo!”

She told the Newsday, “This is Cultural Transformation through Education in action.

“The impact of this type of engagement on our children can only be positive – instilling values such as discipline, excellence, teamwork and time management. These are the experiences to which all students should be exposed, so that they can develop and inculcate positive values, attitudes and behaviours into their lives.

“These are the goals of the MOE’S Cultural Transformation Policy.”

She said VAPA (Vocational and Performing Arts) had long been a critical part of student development in TT, and that’s why, under the cultural transformation policy, schools are asked to mandatorily include experiences such as theatrical productions in their annual events. The Disney classic was brought to life by the father-and-daughter team of Edwards and Edwards-Paul, a teacher at the school.

In her first foray as conductor for a production, Edwards-Paul led the orchestra of students and professionals, incorporating pan, in the timeless classical songs, including Beauty and the Beast and Be our Guest.

NGHS acting principal Karen Bally said musical theatre has long been a cherished tradition at Naps Girls’, serving as a platform for students to explore their artistic talents and collaborate in creative expression.

Bally’s son Timothy, a musical researcher, conductor, arranger and film and theatre producer, also helped in the production.

Past shows, such as The Sound of Music (2017), 13 Daughters (2011) and Annie (2009), not only showcased the dedication and hard work of students, but also strengthened the school’s legacy in the performing arts.

After a seven-year hiatus, brought about mainly by the pandemic, she said the school decided to return to the stage with this timeless tale of love, transformation and acceptance that has captivated audiences worldwide.

She was hopeful that through it, students would gain invaluable experience in teamwork, discipline and artistic growth, while offering the audience an evening of entertainment that resonated with the universal themes of love and redemption.

That was achieved, judging from the feedback about the story of a prince cursed by a magic spell and doomed to die unless love breaks the curse.

The flow of the cast, delivering their speaking and singing lines with precision, not missing a beat as they danced – sometimes in elaborate costumes – with the exactness drilled into them by choreographer Beverly Hinds-George, resulted in a seamless blend of artistic disciplines.

Meanwhile, the stage crew dropped handpainted backdrop after backdrop, painstakingly created by art teacher Allison Mykoo and her students, depicting the enchanted castle, forest and cobblestoned areas, complementing the scenes.

Parents confirmed these musical productions have fanned the flames of passion for visual and performing arts in their children.

One said: “Words cannot begin to describe how much, as a parent, I am grateful that my child has had the life-changing opportunity to be a part of such a magnificent production.”

Another said, “To witness our children blossom and execute such a mammoth production with such brilliance and passion, under the excellent guidance and coaching of world-class professionals in their fields, left a feeling of awe and pride – but much more than that, hope and peace of mind that our future is in good hands.

“It reiterated just how much potential and talent our children (and us all for that matter) possess and under the right conditions of love, guidance, support and nurturing, exactly what can be achieved.”

One of the lead actors, Josiah Ferrier, who played Gaston, boldly declared how the production has positively transformed his life.

“Mr Edwards asked me the week before show week, ‘How has this experience affected Josiah?’

“I was too shy to open up and say how I felt. But this experience has changed me so much.”

So in a message to Edwards, he wrote, “Before this I was so insecure, I hated my body and the way I looked.

“Playing Gaston has made me so much more confident. I don’t care how I look or walk anymore. I can be myself.

“Thank so you much for making this experience life-changing and I can’t wait to see all of you again. I love all of you.”