A monster of a show at St. William

Finding the beauty within is the message of the upcoming production at St. William the Abbot School, “Beauty and the Beast.”

The cast of 70 student actors will perform the show on Thursday, March 10 and Friday, March 11. Director Patricia Milteer said that after doing 1920s-era shows for the past few years, it was time for a play with a different feel so she chose the Disney classic.

“I want the children to have a positive experience,” she said, “and have fun and learn how to work together.”

Brooke Davi stars as Belle and Daniel Cantanno as the Beast. Other lead actors include Hayden Schuff as Cogsworth, Aidan Cantanno as Lefou, Matthew Zylerberg as Gaston, Meredith Muirhead as Mrs. Potts and Pierce Wheeler as Lumiere.

Daniel played Jimmy Smith in last year’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and said that prepared him for having the lead male role this year. ‘This one is a really big part,” he said. “There’s a lot more to it than just a guy in a suit.”

He said that “Beauty and the Beast” is the hardest play he has acted in to date with extensive choreography, but sees the show coming together nicely for opening night.

Daniel said the dance number that accompanies the song “Gaston” will be one of the highlights of the show.
For Pierce, who plays Lumiere, the talking candlestick, this is his third time doing “Beauty and the Beast” and every time he has had a different role. He does a lot of community theater outside of school. Pierce described his character as charming and outgoing.

He said he likes that “Beauty and the Beast” was chosen as the school production because of the lesson it contains. “What’s inside the person matters the most,” he said.

Daniel said that he is excited for opening night, and noted that his brother, who goes to college in Syracuse, is coming down for the show.

The eighth-grader said that the cast is very talented, from the lead actors right on down through the ensemble, and he expects their enthusiasm to be contagious. “I love the excitement,” he said. “You never want to go to a show and have an audience that just sits there.”

Rehearsals began in October and Milteer said that all of the students have been working hard. “I’m very pleased with the way the cast members are getting into their characters,” she said.

‘Beauty and the Beast’

When: Thursday, March 10 and Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m.
Where: St. William the Abbot School, 2001 Jackson Ave., Seaford
Tickets: $7 in advance by calling (516) 785-6784 or at the door