NHMS Musical Theatre Comes to Life in Beauty and the Beast Jr.

Each spring, students in the grade 8 drama class at North Hills Middle School take the stage to present a school musical. This year spectators were transported to a “poor provincial town” in France as they witnessed a fantastic version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. 

Nate Nordhouse was a convincing “crazy old Maurice” while twin sister Nella Nordhouse stunned the house with her operatic melodies as Madame de la Grande Bouche (aka the Wardrobe). Mrs. Potts (Charlotte Thornbury), Chip (Liyana Walji), Lumiere (Lilia Blowers), Cogsworth (Connor Kyriakopolous), and Babette (Addy Kim) brought life to the set as they welcomed their “guest” and convinced their master to make nice. Gaston (Drew O’Farrill Diaz) kept the audience laughing as he showed off his muscles, and gasping when he took a very realistic punch and fell to the floor, while his sidekick, Lefou (Isabella Hatchett) attempted to keep him in line. Belle, played beautifully by Ellory Villajuan, and the Beast, performed monstrously by Sirrale Jones, emitted wonderfully executed emotions of fear, anger, disgust, isolation, empathy, and finally, of course, love, throughout the show, resulting in a happy ever after ending. 

Of course they could not have done it without the ensemble, back stage crew, and drama teacher, Mr. Schumacher, who directed and acted as sound and lighting engineer. Congratulations to all for a marvelous performance!