California Baptist University 2022

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T This story begins back in spring 2020, when CBU’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” was set to open. The production was about a week from opening when the school was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A year and a half later, the musical was finally able to open on Nov. 19. Among the productions put on by the theater program, “Beauty and the Beast” most likely held the most anticipation and was the first musical in two years put on at the Wallace Theatre. Scott Rydelski, senior theater performance and comedic arts double major, played Gaston in what was his last show here at CBU. Part of production since spring 2020, he was originally cast as Monsieur Dark and in the ensemble. He thought the project was dead altogether when they were shut down. He said the show was “definitely a lot different now.” Cast members have had more time to perfect their roles and performance, and he says “the energy is a lot livelier this time around. I think that’s just because after being shut down for a long time, the actors who are there are no longer taking it for granted.” “It’s a lot more fun,” Rydelski adds. “You can tell that the cast is loving what they’re doing and that they’re

having fun while they’re doing it.” When asked about finally being able to open the show, he said, it’s “very relieving.” Rydelski says he felt that the weight of the show was finally being lifted as they were able to perform a show that they had been working on for so long, finally able to use some of the set pieces that had been sitting in the back of their shop for almost two years. Shannon McMillan, senior production design major, described the energy before opening night as electric. Because everyone had been waiting so long to put on the musical, everyone was excited to finally open the show. Like Rydelski, McMillan took on a bigger role in the fall 2021 production of “Beauty and the Beast” as the stage manager, originally set to be assistant stage manager. “Since we’ve been wanting to do this show so long everyone’s hearts are in it,” McMillan says. Throughout the process, she says the team joked about the show being cursed as it seemed they would never be able to put on the production. But the day before opening night she shared, “It feels like we have a show. … I feel like we’re light-years (farther and) in a better place than we were last time. … I’m excited for tomorrow, it’s going to be electric in that building.”