Alverno High School Presents a Beautiful Production of “Beauty and the Beast”

There was a packed house every night for Alverno High School’s recent production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” at the Lanterman Auditorium. The musical, the largest in Alverno High School’s history, featured over 40 cast members and 20 crew members!

Rehearsals for the show began in January under the direction of Alverno High School’s Drama Director, Ms. Cynthia Cales P’12, who created a phenomenal cast composed of Alverno students as well as male cast members from St. Francis High School in La Cañada and Arcadia High School. Throughout the months leading up to the production, the cast and crew worked tirelessly to perfect every detail of the show—details that truly showed off during the run of the production.

The main cast of “Beauty and the Beast” included senior Amy Aghajanian as Belle, sophomore Ethan Breaux (St. Francis High School) as the Beast, sophomore Neal Muir (St. Francis High School) as Gaston, senior Emma Andres as the Enchantress, senior Casey McCreary (St. Francis High School) as the Prince, junior Rain Villanueva as LeFou, senior Karl Lorenzo (Arcadia High School) as Maurice, junior Jillian Kislow as Lumière, junior Payton Emerson as Cogsworth, senior Ciara Madigan as Mrs. Potts, sophomore Riley Luna (St. Francis High School) as Chip, junior Marisa Dragos as Babette, junior Cathy Johnson as Madame de la Grande Bouche, freshman Julia Vallen as Monsieur D’Arque, and junior Arianna Muñoz, sophomore Sarah Lopez, and sophomore Leila Moreno as the Silly Girls.

Click here to view more photos of the play.

Members of the ensemble cast included freshmen Malik Gay Banuelos (St. Francis High School), Maritza DiRito, Caroline Dragos, Leanne Kuhn, and Claire Lewis; sophomores Ariana Micale, Vanessa Prata, Anica Quizon, and Kate Samaniego; juniors Alexis Baro, Etienne Barzallo, Cassidy Castillo, Lisa Costantino, David Frost (St. Francis High School), Allison Joseph, Naomi Jost, Moondera Rabb, Chandnee Raina, Haylee Robinson, Anna Sandoval, Vale Siess, and Cristina Webster; and seniors Cathy Bao, Gillian Cox, Cynthia Lee, and Alexxa Vasquez.

“The entire cast and crew worked so hard on this production,” said Ms. Cynthia Cales P’12, Alverno High School’s Drama Director. “Our students truly worked as professionals on this show and when we closed on Saturday night, I know they were all pleased with the final product and the work they put into it.”

“’Beauty and the Beast’ was an amazing show with an exceptionally hardworking cast and crew,” said Ms. Julia V. Fanara P’01, P’03, and ’05, Head of School. “Under the direction of our exceptional Drama Director Ms. Cynthia Cales P’12 everyone came together to create a production that is truly the largest and most impressive in Alverno’s history. We are grateful to Ms. Cales and for everyone who helped to provide this amazing experience for the entire cast. We look forward to next year and the new opportunities it provides to showcase our outstanding arts program at Alverno.”

About Alverno High School

Alverno High School is an independent, progressive, Catholic college preparatory school for young women dedicated to preparing them to function in a society as informed, knowledgeable persons, who have the requisite skills to make and implement mature decisions about complex problems. Enlivened by the spirit of its Immaculate Heart Community sponsors, and mindful of the Franciscan roots of its founders, Alverno’s program—academic, spiritual, aesthetic, social, and physical—is shaped by the staff, trustees, and students in light of the world for which the students are being educated. Alverno’s mission is to empower each young woman to be exactly the person she wants to be and since 1960, Alverno has empowered more than 4,500 women to meet that goal. For more information about Alverno High School, please call (626) 355-3463 or visit www.alverno-hs.org.