Hocking County Children’s Chorus produces Beauty & the Beast Jr
LOGAN — This Thursday through Sunday, the Hocking County Children’s Chorus, a United Way agency, will bring a Disney classic to Hocking County through its annual musical production.
The HCCC team of around 60 first through 12th grade students will produce "Beauty and the Beast Jr.," HCCC Executive Director Therese Karnes told The Logan Daily News Tuesday.
Compared to "Beauty and the Beast," "Beauty and the Beast Jr." is written specifically for younger performers and audiences, Karnes said. The show is also cut down from three hours (with an intermission) to about one.
"There are a lot of little children in our audience, and it’s kind of hard for them to sit still for three hours," she said. "But it’s still the full show. There’s a full story."
This year it will take place at Logan High School, unlike last year’s "Fiddler on the Roof" production that was performed (because of the pandemic) in the HCCC Music Room, on the third floor of the Logan Theater Community Arts Center, where HCCC rehearsals are held. The LHS theater has 1,000 seats, whereas last year’s HCCC production only had the capacity for around 200 people, Karnes said.
"We are excited to go back to the Logan High School Theatre; it is a beautiful venue!", Karnes said.
Nine of HCCC’s members were also involved in LHS’s recent "Mary Poppins" production, Karnes said — which was a logistical challenge, but also atestament to HCCC’s community impact. Half of the "Mary Poppins" cast was either former or current HCCC, Karnes said.
Additionally, this year’s production is unique because all players were double-cast as a precaution for the pandemic. Luckily, however, each performer will get to star in two shows.
The HCCC is open to all children of all abilities in grades first through 12. The chorus is made up of three different choirs: the Cherubs, grades first through third; the Juniors, grades fourth through sixth; and the Seniors, grades seventh through 12.
And the program isn’t just limited to Hocking County, she added — "I do have children from outside the county. I’ve never turned anyone away. We have choristers from Lancaster High School, Berne Union, and Athens. If families want to travel and put their children in HCCC, then we’re like, ‘Come on in!’"
The annual spring musical is just one aspect of the HCCC, she explained.
"We do a lot more things besides just the play," Karnes said. "Registration starts in July, then we begin our year in late August." The HCCC performs at the United Way’s annual Cake Auction in September, performs in various venues around town, holds Christmas concerts, and participates in the Logan Christmas parade. Auditions for the musical are held in November, then rehearsals begin in January.
More information on the HCCC and previous HCCC performances are available online at hockingcochildrenschorus.org/.
All tickets for "Beauty and the Beast Jr." are $6 and can be purchased in advance at Hawk’s Nest, 12900 State Route 664 South, B1; Logan Insurance, 53 S. Market St.; and Tacie’s Sweet Treats, 96 E. Main St., or at the door. Showtime for Thursday, April 7 through Saturday, April 9 are 7–8:15 p.m.; for Sunday, April 11, 3–4:15 p.m. at the LHS theater, 14470 State Route 328, Logan.