Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' Comes to Waukee High School

It's a "tale as old as time" and it's coming to the , April 13 and 14.

Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" will open Friday, April 13 at 7 p.m. with two more shows on Saturday, April 14 at 2 and 7 p.m.

Wayne Kischer, director/producer for the Waukee Theatre Arts, said the musical has proved to be a big undertaking for the cast and crew of Waukee High School's theater department.

"The Disney production of 'Beauty and the Beast' had a long run on Broadway," said Kischer. "They took scenes from the animated movie and essentially brought them to the stage, so there's a lot that's required of this show."

Kischer isn't kidding. Besides the size of the cast - 62 actors and actresses - there's a student production crew, an adult production team, and even a full pit band.

But one of the biggest aspects of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is the costuming. If you've seen the animated movie, then you might recall that the furniture, accessories and even the dishes come alive. You can't make that magic happen on a shoestring budget.

Kischer said even with getting a break by buying the costumes secondhand, the total cost was still around $2,500.

"We were fortunate to have found the costumes at a performing arts school in Fargo and they gave us a substantial discount," said Kischer. "Of course, some of those costumes are so large that they're not even not shippable, so on March 20, we're taking a school truck and we’re going to Fargo to pick them up. It's worth it. Otherwise we could have spent $4,500 just for the costumes."

Kischer said his cast seems to be having a great time putting all the elements of the popular musical together. Rehearsals began in January. Dress rehearsals will begin the week of April 6.

"I think everyone has been having an extraordinary amount of fun with it," Kischer said of the show. "There are 62 in the cast and not everyone is in every number, but this show very much fills the stage. The costumes for characters like Lumiere are quite large. I think they'll enjoy rehearsing with them."

Tickets are on sale now for three performances of the Waukee Theatre Arts production of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast."

Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for adults at the door or $7 for students and $11 for adults when purchased in advance at http://www.seatyourself.biz/waukeetheatrearts.