Jaime Piercy (Belle) and Peter Monaghan (The Beast) perform in Vancouver’s Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) directed by Shel Piercy.

Jaime Piercy (Belle) and Peter Monaghan (The Beast) perform in Vancouver’s Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) directed by Shel Piercy.
Photo Credit: Tim Matheson

Watching Beauty and the Beast under Vancouver stars

If you don’t mind the possibility of getting a bit of rain to spice up your theatrical experience or some rowdy eagle chicks chiming in on your favourite childhood musical, watching Beauty and the Beast literally under the stars at Vancouver’s splendid Stanley Park might be just the thing for you.

The Broadway musical presented on alternating nights (with West Side Story) by the aptly named Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) in Stanley Park’s picturesque Malkin Bowl surrounded by towering cedar trees runs until August 20.

“Theatre Under the Stars is a unique theatre among theatres in the world,” said Shel Piercy who directed the wildly popular musical based on the Academy Award-winning Disney cartoon. “It is a place that has a special home in the hearts of all people from Vancouver. It’s in the middle of Stanley Park and anyone who knows Vancouver at all, know that Stanley Park has been consistently voted as being one of the most popular tourist attractions in the entire world.”

The open air theatre has existed now for over 70 seasons since the early 1940s said Piercy, whose 30 year career spans writing, directing, and producing theatrical plays, musicals, television series and specials, documentaries and feature films.

“It’s a really magical experience,” Piercy said. “It’s one of the great outdoor theatre experiences in the world primarily because of its location.”

I spoke to him on the phone to find out more about the challenges and rewards of staging a musical under open skies.

(click to listen the full interview with Shel Piercy)

Listen
©  Tim Matheson

Bass-baritone Peter Monaghan debut’s as the Beast, performing alongside Jaime Piercy as Belle. Nicholas Bradbury plays LeFou, Dane Szohner is Gaston, Sheryl Anne Wheaton plays Mrs. Potts, and Steven Greenfield is playing Cogsworth. Victor Hunter shines as Lumiere.

The production is choreographed by Shelley Stewart Hunt, with musical direction by Wendy Bross Stuart.

Peter Monaghan (The Beast), Victor Hunter (Lumiere) Steven Greenfield (Cogsworth) and Sheryl Anne Wheaton (Mrs. Potts)
Peter Monaghan (The Beast), Victor Hunter (Lumiere) Steven Greenfield (Cogsworth) and Sheryl Anne Wheaton (Mrs. Potts) ©  Tim Matheson
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