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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at GCU chapter.

When I was a senior in high school, I had the honor and privilege of playing Belle in my school’s production of Beauty and the Beast Jr. It is one of my fondest high school memories, and that show has a very special place in my heart. 

So I’m sure you can picture my excitement when I saw that Ethington Theatre at Grand Canyon University would perform Beauty and the Beast during my senior year of college. I was ecstatic, and I immediately got tickets when they dropped. 

What made it better was that not only did I get to watch it, but I got to take pictures of the final dress rehearsal for my photography class! That was a great learning experience for me for my photography.

Both times I saw it, the show was absolutely incredible! The show was perfectly cast and everyone performed wonderfully! A few standouts for me were Belle, Beast, Gaston and Lumiere, but everyone in the cast was amazing! They all portrayed their characters with accuracy and expertise. Some were absolutely hilarious as well. The set, costumes, and makeup were all stunning and I felt fully transported into the story. I also loved their version of the iconic yellow dress! Of course, the vocals and choreography were incredible. Every dance number blew me out of the water, especially “Gaston” and “Be Our Guest.” 

While I was watching, I could not stop smiling ear to ear. I also could not help feeling a little misty-eyed too. It felt like everything was coming full circle. Sitting in the audience my senior year of college, watching a musical I performed my senior year of high school felt a little emotional. I’ve come so far since I graduated high school, and watching the full version of a show that I did the Jr. version of felt so fulfilling.

The song that really stood out to me was “A Change In Me.” I absolutely adore this song, and it was the song I used when I auditioned for Belle. The whole song is about how Belle has felt a change in herself and reflects on how she has grown. Listening to that song as a senior in college, and watching the character I played in high school sing it, had me in tears. Not sad tears, but grateful, emotional ones that remind me of how far I’ve come.

Ethington Theatre did a phenomenal job producing this show. Every single person in the cast and production crew gave it their all and left the audience amazed. I am so thankful that I was able to take pictures for previews and watch this tale as old as time, a show that I hold so dear to me. If you attend GCU, I recommend that you go see a show at Ethington! They always put on impressive shows for all audiences to enjoy!

Megan has been creative and loved telling stories ever since she was little. When she discovered that writing was her passion, she decided to pursue a degree in Professional Writing for New Media at GCU. Besides writing, Megan enjoys reading, musical theatre, singing, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.