Justin Schnute brings the Beast to life in CTH’s production of “Beauty and the Beast”

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As the Beast in the Community Theatre of Howell’s production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” Justin Schnute is having the time of his theatrical life.

“My favorite thing about Beast is how dynamic he is,” Schnute said. “He initially comes off as completely incorrigible, but we later see him grow out of his angst. I also find him very relatable. I remember very vividly how scary it was to talk to pretty girls.”

CTH’s “Beauty and the Beast” takes the stage Nov. 11-13 and 18-20 at the Howell High School Freshman Campus, and Schnute is promising it’ll be a spectacular production.

“I just love the scale of everything,” he said. “This is the largest cast I’ve ever worked with, and we have spent a lot of money on new tech to use. It’s going to be quite a spectacle.”

The story of “Beauty and the Beast” is familiar to generations of Disney fans. In long-ago France, an arrogant young prince and his castle’s servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns him into the hideous Beast, a fate he must suffer forever – unless he can learn to love and be loved in return.

A spirited, headstrong village girl named Belle enters the Beast’s castle after he imprisons her father Maurice. With the help of his enchanted servants, Belle begins to draw the cold-hearted Beast out of his isolation.

Schnute, a 24-year-old Howell resident and assistant journeyman electrician, is back on the CTH stage after making his debut with the group a few years back in “Barefoot in the Park.” He’s played a wide variety of roles in both community theater and college.

“My favorite role was David in ‘The Rivals’ when I was in college,” Schnute said. “The show was a period piece set in 1700s Britain. David was the butler of a young man who got himself in a duel over a lady.  I got to dress in costumes from that Era and speak in a Cockney accent, which was a lot of fun.”

As one of the title characters in “Beauty and the Beast,” Schnute said he’s enjoyed the experience of being in this production.

“Compared to other shows I’ve been in, it’s very different,” he said. “This is the largest cast I’ve ever been part of, and I’ve never worked with children before. That makes the process very different from what I’m used to, but I’m very impressed with how well everything came together.”

Performances of “Beauty and the Beast” are Nov. 11-13 and 18-20 at the Howell High School Freshman Campus, with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, available online at cththeatre.org. Tickets are also available at Kahuna Coffee and Finding Roots in Howell; Big Acre in Brighton; Ed Bock Feed and Stuff in Pinckney; and Maria’s School of Dance in Fowlerville. You can also order tickets by calling the box office at 517-545-1290.

Photo by Richard Lim Photography. Visit them be clicking here.

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