by Devin Wallace. @thedevinwallace.
COXSACKIE, NY - This year’s Coxsackie High School production of Beauty and the Beast brought back many memories for audience members, from their own performances in school, to sing-a-longs watching the movies with their children. Even more memories were brought back for people who saw last year’s school production of Shrek and immediately knew they reused the costume for the Beast.
“I sat through two hours of missed key changes and mild tap-dancing during Shrek last year, so I know what that green freak looks like,” said local parent Joe Bronsky as he waited stone-faced, in the high school’s lobby. “I clocked this year’s costume the second the Beast came on stage in muddy work boots and a dirty bed sheet splattered with green face paint.”
Some involved with the production denied what they say are, quote, “outlandish rumors, but don’t quote me on that.”
“Our show’s costumes have a lot of influences,” said costume designer and English teacher Dede Ganz, while reattaching the Beast’s classic giant green fingers.“ Influences like the animated Disney film, the recent live-action interpretations, and our Drama Club school budget allocation of seven dollars.”
Others claim the entire conversation is missing the point of a staged musical.
“The theater thrives on imagination,” said Drama Club director Gus Titch, while reminding everyone not all Beasts have fur; some have an oily lime-green hue. “Believing a cardboard tree is a mighty forest, imagining this humble auditorium is a magical castle, and pretending a classic Disney character actually looks like a green Danny DeVito.”
Regardless of the influences the Shrek performance may have had on this year's show, all involved are even more excited for next year's bold interpretation of Rent, where bohemian artists are evicted from their swamp.
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