As the show begins, young audience members squeal in recognition as their favorite cartoon film characters come to life. Leah Berry as "Belle" gives us an attractive character with spunk and spice. Her beastly suitor looks sufficiently hideous (but not too hideous to scare the youngsters). As the Beast, Stephen Mitchell Brown displays a wide range of emotions from beneath that furry exterior. Brown has a fine singing voice, too. He soars in the first act finale, "If I Can't Love Her." The supporting cast delivers uniformly polished performances as well. As Lumiere, the leering French candelabra, Fireside regular Steven Lane holds his own against the out-of-town performers (mostly New York imports). Ron Kidd, for instance, is a seasoned New York actor who doesn't disappoint as Belle's father. He plays the role of this eccentric inventor to the hilt, without going over the top.
Robert Lydiard is even more restrained as Lumiere's straight man, Cogsworth. Cogsworth's low-key demeanor makes Lumiere's high-strung antics all the more, well, brilliant. Ginger Land impresses as the operatic Wardrobe, as does Megan Thomas as the motherly Mrs. Potts. As the swaggering Gaston, James Haase delights as this thick-skulled, self-centered brute. As always, Gaston attracts a gaggle of girls and a goofy male sidekick, LeFou (Matthew Simpkins).
All the tunes have sparkle and snap, but the boisterous production number, "Be Our Guest," steals the show. All the dancing plates and flatware are nicely put through their paces. Since The Fireside is a dinner theater, perhaps "Be Our Guest" is even more appropriate in this context.
