Open Auditions for
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
LADS’ Annual Pantomime for January 2025.
by Alex Jackson
Auditions will take place in the theatre on
1pm: Children’s auditions (ages 8-17) dance,
3pm: Adult Roles – Singing auditions (16+)
4pm: Adult Roles – Acting auditions.
Anyone wishing to audition for Belle, Beast/Louis, Betty, Benny, Gaviscon, H’ouskeepère, Gardinère, Cuisinère, Valet, Amour or Demon Vanité; please see the character breakdown below where each character will have an assigned song extract to be performed as part of your singing audition.
Karaoke backing tracks are linked in the table below, and will be available for you in your audition.
Performance dates will be Thursday to Saturday 16th - 18th
Matinées Saturdays 18th & 25th, and Sundays 19th & 26th January 2:30pm.
There will be no evening performances on Sundays 19th and 26th January.
If you cannot attend auditions but would like to be considered for a part, or if you’d like to know more about the production, please email Hettie or Katisha.
If you would like to get involved behind the scenes, we would love to have you!
Please email Katisha, letting us know how you would like to be involved.
Characters:
| Belle Brioche: | (F) Principal Girl. Loves literature. Kind hearted, |
| Prince Louis / Beast: | (M) A royal Prince who is turned into a beast. When the curse is put upon him, his nice demeanour is transformed into beastly rage. |
| Betty Brioche: | (M) Dame. Librarian and baker. Benny and Belle’s mother. A cheeky, warm-hearted person – like your favourite aunty. |
| Benny Brioche: | (M/F) Comic. Betty’s son. Bullied by Gaviscon. Generally happy-go-lucky but can be a bit dim. |
| Gaviscon: | (M/F) An ugly hench villain, obsessed with own appearance. Tries to seduce Belle who could not be less interested. |
| H’ouskeepère: | (M/F) The Prince’s Housekeeper. A loyal, fussy, and organised member of staff. |
| Gardinère: | (M/F) The Prince’s Gardener. An outdoor type. Excitable and enthusiastic about plants. |
| Cuisinère: | (M/F) The Prince’s Chef. A passionate French cook, with a kind, hospitable approach. |
| Valet: | (M/F) A young apprentice at the château. Confident, but inexperienced. |
| Amour: | (M/F) The magical spirit of love. Determined to find her hundredth true-love match. |
| Demon Vanité: | (M/F) The evil enchantress. A bitter, resentful fairy with blackness in her heart, which fuels her actions. |
Songs:
| Belle Brioche: | Listen - Beyoncé. | First verse and first chorus (up to 1:40 on the karaoke track). |
| Prince Louis / Beast: | Lose Control - Teddy Swims. | First verse and first chorus (up to 1:22 on the karaoke track). |
| Amour: | A Thousand Years - Christina Perri. | First half of the song (up to 1:23 on the karaoke track). |
| Betty Brioche: | I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today - Avenue Q. | Full song. |
| Benny Brioche, H’ouskeepère, Gardinère, Cuisinère and Valet: | 9 To 5 - Dolly Parton. | (up to 1:17 on the karaoke track). |
| Gaviscon: | Sexy and I know it - LMFAO. | First verse and first chorus (up to 1:05 on the karaoke track). We’re looking for confidence! |
| Demon Vanité: | Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift | First verse and first chorus (up to 1:25 on the karaoke track). |
Synopsis:
This pantomime is set in France - the land of cheese, bread and (luckily for Dame Betty Brioche), wine. Her daughter Belle escapes the arrogant Gaviscon to return a stolen book but finds the handsome Prince Louis beginning to transform into a hideous beast.
Luckily the staff at the Château - H’ouskeepère, Gardinère, Cuisinère and Valet - have Belle’s best interests at heart. Although her brother Benny could learn a thing or two about backbone and loyalty! Meanwhile Amour and Demon Vanité fight it out in a classic fight between selfishness and true love.
Will Belle and Prince Louis fall in love before the last rose petal falls? Will Gaviscon learn how to be a nice person? Will Betty Brioche win the Tour de France? Find out in this tale as old as pantomime.