Little Theatre provides magical escape with season finale, 'Beauty and the Beast'

The Landers Theatre was buzzing with energy Thursday night as cast members layered up in face paint, thick wigs and 1700s garb for Springfield Little Theatre's preview of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast."

Open to sponsors, members of the media and contest winners, the evening performance welcomed 541 guests, one of the largest preview nights Springfield Little Theatre Executive Director Beth Dormann has witnessed in her 25-plus years with the organization. To accommodate the volume of guests, folding chairs were brought out before the show, as The Landers only seats 525.

"Beauty and the Beast" closes Springfield Little Theatre's 88th season and runs June 9 through 25. Two of the 13 shows are already sold out, Springfield Little Theatre Marketing Director Shannon Sherrow said on Friday. Tickets can be purchased online at bit.ly/43p5mJ7.

The "Beauty and the Beast" cast includes 79 members, ranging in age from nine to 50-plus. For several cast members, the production holds deep sentimental value.

Hayden Gish, who plays Belle, feels as if she is finally fulfilling a wish her late brother had for her.

"This role was one that my late, older brother really wanted to see me play because 'Beauty and the Beast' was his favorite," Gish said. "There were lots of years of, 'Oh Hayden, can't wait to see you play Belle someday.' It's really fulfilled something just for me personally."

When she found out she got the role, Gish was broken down in her car on the side of the road. She said texts of congratulations were coming in as she was trying to navigate pulling off a busy roadway. After finally getting back home, Gish said she was able to process the news and let out a good cry.

Gish has performed with Springfield Little Theatre since 2016, getting her start with the organization's Summer Institutes at age 15.

When recalling how he learned about landing the role as The Beast, Robert Hazlette began to tear up.

In 2005, Hazlette performed in a lesser role in a production of "Beauty and the Beast" at Jenny Wiley Theatre in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.

"I swore at that point, at the age of 14, that I would play this role (The Beast) and it took 18 years," Hazlette said. "I've been in auditions for The Beast multiple times, I've been in callbacks and never got the role because of just not being old enough or being mature enough at that point. This was that role I said, for better or for worse, I'm going to give everything I have for it and this was it. I feel like I'm finally at the point where the stars aligned."

To commemorate the achievement, Hazlette got a tattoo of The Beast holding a red rose on his forearm two weeks ago.

"I wanted to wait until I got the role before I ever got the tattoo; I've wanted this since I was 18," Hazlette said. "When I got the role, I scheduled the appointment."

Hazlette's first production with Springfield Little Theatre was "West Side Story" in 2017. After a four-year hiatus, he returned to The Landers Theatre stage for "Kinky Boots" in 2021.

A new role in the production, added by co-director and choreographer Lorainne Dunn, is a physical Narrator, played by long-time Springfield Little Theatre actress Sandy Skoglund-Young. Traditionally, the narration at the beginning of "Beauty and the Beast" is an off-stage voiceover.

"The choreography of the overture and prologue and bringing this character onto the stage, immediately introduces that something very magical is about to happen," Skoglund-Young said.

Not only is Skoglund-Young in a brand new, unique role, but she gets to experience the production as a cast member for the second time. In 2005, Springfield Little Theatre put on "Beauty and the Beast" and Skoglund-Young played Mrs. Potts.

Dormann said this 2005 production came at a pivotal time in Springfield Little Theatre's history and changed the organization's quality and scale of productions.

Skoglund-Young's first production with Springfield Little Theatre was in the early 1980s. "Beauty and the Beast" is her first production since the pandemic. Skoglund-Young's day job is as a nurse. She said "Beauty and the Beast" has allowed her to reclaim a part of her life that she lost to the pandemic.

More: Outdoor shows, parades, monster trucks and hot air balloons among things to do in June

Nearly 250 costumes on display

Another reason the 2005 production of "Beauty and the Beast" was important to Springfield Little Theatre was because afterward, the organization began to rent out its costumes to other theaters, which created a new, steady stream of income. Dormann said the costumes from Springfield Little Theatre's first run of "Beauty and the Beast" have traveled all over the country and recently had to be retired due to their wear.

To help recreate a full costume package for this year, Springfield Little Theatre received a $30,000 loan from the United Way of the Ozarks' Entrepreneurial Fund, Dunn said. Established a few years ago, the fund allows nonprofits to apply for low-interest loans.

In total, the production features 248 full costumes and each cast member has between three to five outfits, Costume Department Head Kaley Jackson said. Most of the costumes were built through purchased or thrifted garments, but some pieces were made from scratch.

Costume designer and costume shop volunteer coordinator Bailey Doran said one of her favorite accessories is Maurice's hat.

"That's my favorite project that I've ever done," Doran said of the hat. "It's so tiny and he wears it for like 30 seconds, but I got to rat around the shop a little bit and find fun things to put on it."

Reflecting on the past year as season comes to close

Domann said Springfield Little Theatre's 88th season went well but the organization is still experiencing the effects of the pandemic's slow return to live entertainment. Additionally, community theaters are having a harder time getting the big-name shows that folks are familiar with.

"Ever since COVID, producers have really pulled a lot of the shows that a lot of theaters like ours would want to do because they're selling all of that stuff out because they need to make their money back," Domann said. "Everybody's had to be really creative and get the shows people want to see. We were lucky to get 'Beauty and the Beast' to be the final thing of this season."

Reflecting on the past season, Domann said "White Christmas" and "The Play that Goes Wrong" went especially well, with the later almost selling out.

What's in store for Springfield Little Theatre's 89th season?

Springfield Little Theatre recently announced its 2023-2024 season, which features:

• "Fiddler on the Roof" from Sept. 8-42, 2023

• "Finding Nemo Jr." from Oct. 12-22, 2023

• "Elf The Musical" from Nov. 17-Dec. 3, 2023

• "In The Heights" from Jan. 26-Feb. 11, 2024

• "The Play that Goes Wrong" from March 7-17, 2024

• "Mary Poppins Jr." from April 11-21, 2024

• "Guys and Dolls" from May 31-June 16, 2024

Tickets for productions of Springfield Little Theatre's 89th season go on sale July 5.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield Little Theatre sells out two 'Beauty and the Beast' shows