"The play is pretty true to the Disney cartoon movie, with additional songs added when Disney recreated it for the stage," says Mary Davis, drama class teacher.

Beauty is played by junior Camila Dayson; Beast is senior T.J. Holmes, and Gaston is sophomore D.J. Baker.

The cast of 58 includes freshmen through seniors, with another 10 students in the orchestra, and 10 more in the stage crew.

"It is a very student-run production," says Davis, whose juniors and seniors in her elective drama class do the set designs, raise money for the show by selling ads for the program, and other things. "It is a self-supporting program. The money we make is what we use to improve our facilities," says Davis. "We've bought a sound system, curtains for the stage." Art teacher Heather McKay helps with the designs.

The show's student directors are Patrick Luckenbill and Nick Butts. Kati Vespa is student choreographer.

Vocal directors are teachers Rick Strine and Rae Ann DeSutter; orchestra director is John Gurecki, who teaches at another school.

Decatur Catholic grade school students will see the show's dress rehearsal, as will Macon Resources special needs adults and people from the Senior Citizens Center. "It's our way of giving back to the community," says Davis. The student body will get to see a couple of slightly rewritten numbers at a full student assembly.