Tale as old as time: BOCES presents "Beauty and the Beast Jr."

Local students have worked hard to bring the "tale as old as time" to life in just a few weeks. 

This year's Sweetwater BOCES Summer Theater for Youth production is "Beauty and the Beast Jr.," which opened Wednesday night and will have a second performance tonight. 

The production

The summer theater program, which gives students in fourth grade through twelfth grade the chance to star in a musical, started rehearsals on July 5, just three weeks before opening night.

"It's been a rush," Green River High School student Harrison Hopkin, who is playing the Beast, said regarding the short amount of rehearsal time. "I was kind of intrigued that we only had pretty much an entire month to get this done. But it worked out."

"We hit the ground running," Rock Springs High School senior Serena Berrett, who is playing Belle, said.

Berrett explained she was expected to have all her lines and songs memorized before rehearsal started so they could dive right in. While she sometimes felt like three weeks was too short of a time frame to produce a musical, she also had fun in the process and was surprised to see how well things came together.

The Beauty

Despite the challenging timeline, bringing a story to life on stage is nothing new for Berrett.

"I've done theater since I was about eight," she explained. "I love theater, dancing, singing, just all of it."

However, this is her first year doing the BOCES summer program. She decided to join because of friends from the last show she was in who wanted to be in the program as well. She thought she might as well go for it, and ended up cast as the lead.

"It's been so fun," Berrett said. "It's definitely different than some of the characters I've played previously. But I think it's so much fun, especially because I feel like Belle isn't your typical damsel in distress. She fights for herself too, which I really love."

Berrett relates to Belle and hopes to be even more like her character. She also especially loves getting to wear Belle's golden ballgown.

"Twirling in that dress?" Berrett stopped to squeal excitedly. "I feel like a real Disney princess!"

While the production had some challenges for Berrett, including working with such a diverse age range in the cast, she's also enjoyed the process and had fun meeting cool people and making friends in her cast mates.

The Beast

Hopkin has also had fun during this production, but unlike Berrett, this is his first show ever.

"I grew up with 'Beauty and the Beast,'" Hopkin explained. "I thought 'Wow, I really like this show. I want to be in it one day.' And then when I heard that the college was doing this I decided I might as well do it."

Even though he didn't feel prepared when he auditioned and was hoping for a role like Lumiere, Hopkin ended up being cast as the Beast.

The 6'2" 15-year-old has had fun with the role, especially since he has both similarities and differences to his character. For one thing, he would never yell at people in real life, but playing the Beast involves "lots of yelling" and "throwing around children for the wolf scene," which has been fun. He also relates to the Beast.

"We're pretty much both outcasts," he said, adding that both he and the Beast start with a core friend group but slowly grow and branch out and get new friends.

Doing a musical for the first time has involved challenges, like learning entrances and exits, but has also had fun learning experiences, like fighting during the wolf scene and dancing during the ballroom scene.

After this experience, Hopkin "absolutely" wants to do more with theater in the future.

"I don't really care if I get a main role or one of the side ones, I just like being on stage," he said.

The director

Another person who likes being on stage but now finds himself in the director's chair is Jaron Shereda.

Shereda, a Green River High School alumnus who is now studying theater at Western Wyoming Community College, grew up with the BOCES Summer Theater program.

"Ever since I was a little kid, they've had these shows going," Shereda explained. "I used to be a student in the shows, which was a lot of fun. And I did a lot of shows, all the way through high school... Now that I've gone to college I get the opportunity to direct."

Last summer Shereda was the music director for "Matlida Jr.," after which Western's theater director Eric de Lora approached him about the possibility of directing this year's show. Shereda started to look for a show he might like to do and narrowed it down to a few options, but after group discussions he settled on "Beauty and the Beast Jr."

Not only is the musical a classic Disney story, but it's a show Shereda is familiar with since he was in it in eighth grade.

"You have to be passionate about the show you're putting on," he said, adding that he wanted to take something he enjoys and turn it into a production for the actors and the audience to enjoy.

Directing is also something Shereda has found he enjoys.

"Last year as the music director I had a lot of fun, and this year it's been even more rewarding," he said.

While the process of directing has been stressful and come with challenges, including keeping 60 students with a diverse age range occupied and engaged, Shereda has enjoyed it. Directing the show has been exhausting but also fulfilling.

"I love coming here every day," Shereda said.

Shereda is also thankful that the program has both given him the opportunity to direct and given the kids the opportunity to be on stage.

"Seeing their passion for the show that I also share with them just helps us put this show together," he said.

"Beauty and the Beast Jr." will have its final performance tonight at 7 p.m. at the Western theater. Admission is free.