‘Beauty’ flawed as presented in New Castle, Pa.

BY MILAN PAURICH

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Human candlestick Lumiere’s dual flames kept flickering on and off in the New Castle Playhouse staging of “Beauty and the Beast” that opened Friday night. His wick problems turn out to be an apt metaphor for the production as a whole.

Of course, “Beauty and the Beast” is such an intrinsically flawed show — and so inordinately difficult to mount, particularly on a limited budget — that any community theater rendition of Disney’s overblown 1994 theme-park musical seems like a Sisyphian task.

Even with a formidable Belle (Karina Hudson) and Beast (Brent Rodgers), some likable supporting performances (particularly Mark McConnell’s Lefou and Gino Ginnetti’s Chip) and terrific set and costume design, this Rick Hudson-directed “B&B” never truly catches fire. Not helping matters were some opening-night technical gaffes that spoiled many of the key musical numbers.

At a svelte 85 minutes, the 1991 Disney film was as close to perfection as a movie can be. The stage version runs more than an hour longer, alas, and feels conspicuously bloated. None of the seven new songs written for the theatrical “B&B” can compare with the six original tunes from the film. Padding for the sake of padding is never a good thing.

Though the show’s overlong first act has always been a problem, time seemed to stand still during Act One in New Castle. Or maybe I was just impatient for the intermission in hopes that the sound problems would be corrected during the break (fortunately, most of them were).

Yet Hudson’s “B&B” has larger flaws that aren’t as easily remedied as those tech issues. The scene where Belle is chased by some dancing wolves comes across as unintentionally comical since the wolves look more like moles from 1951’s “Superman and the Mole Men” than lupine creatures.

Gaston (Roger Gaskins), Belle’s musclebound suitor, may have originated as a cartoon character, but why does every community- theater Gaston have to be so, well, cartoonish? By playing the role strictly for laughs, Gaskins completely shortchanges Gaston’s menacing brutishness and overt sexuality. His overly broad interpretation is consistently upstaged by Neshannock High School senior McConnell’s more restrained — and considerably more amusing — performance as Gaston sidekick Lefou.

The choral performance of the show’s bustling, 22-man (and woman) ensemble is less vocally adroit than a typical New Castle Playhouse production. Even the title song is given a less-than- sterling delivery by Barbara A. Nichols as Mrs. Potts (Nichols’ British accent isn’t terribly persuasive either).

Furthermore, Hudson lacks NCP mainstay Michael Cavalier’s genius at creating tableaux vivants, or “living pictures.” Most of the time the stage just looks cramped and crowded.

The leads, however, are splendid. Hudson is a suitably sweet and spunky Belle, and Rodgers is everything you could ask for in the Beast: stalwart, noble and proud. (It’s too bad that Rodgers’ Beast coiffure makes him look more like a Rastafarian musician than a storybook hero.)

Also very good are Brandy Johanntges (reprising her role as Madame Bouche from the 2007 Youngstown Playhouse “B&B), Alan McCreary’s Lumiere (although the former YP “Dracula’s” accent sounds a bit like Transylvanian- inflected French), Robert B. Hockenberry (Cogsworth), Tara Holl (Babette) and St. Nicholas sixth-grader Ginnetti, who makes a thoroughly engaging Chip.

Hudson and technical director Moulton Ferguson Jr. do a nice job with the play’s climactic transformation scene where the Beast turns back into a prince. (They make excellent use of strobe lights which are usually a theater director’s worst nightmare.) And kudos to producer/wardrobe master Vaughn Hudspath and set director George Orr for crafting an unstintingly handsome production. I only wish that the show itself was as seamless — and laudatory — an endeavor.

X“Beauty and the Beast” runs through Dec. 6 at the New Castle Playhouse. For show times and reservations, call (724) 654-3437.