Category: News Article

We are bubbling over with excitement to feature our Beauty and the Beast, Jr. director Ms. Liz Jolly!

This March we invite you to be our guest for APSI’s production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr. Beauty and the Beast is ASPI’s second “Jr.” production, the first being Elf Jr. when it graced the Abrams’ stage in December 2019.

You may be wondering, what is a Jr. production? A Jr. production is a chance for young and aspiring actors to have a meaningful learning experience and to foster a lifelong love of theater. For the upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast, the cast will range in age from 5-17 years old.

“We have an abundance of extremely talented and ‘hungry for theater’ kids. The middle school and elementary school kids might not have a theater program. The high school kids might have one, but the amount of kids is too large and the funding too low to have as meaningful/tailored of a learning experience… ASPI also has an abundance of very talented and trained leader/teachers available to the kids. Without listing everyone’s credentials, many people on the production team have studied, trained, or worked extensively in their area,” explains Liz.

The production of Beauty and the Beast offers the fantastic opportunity for characterization, which Liz thinks is a great chance for young actors to deepen their skills, whether acting, singing, or dancing.

“The cast has been great – so much enthusiasm shown so far… We have some actors who have never been on stage before and I’m so excited to see them grow, connect to their characters, and hopefully love it,” shares Liz.

ASPI is in a special position to provide a unique theater experience to its cast and crew:

“I love performing but more than that I love bringing and sharing a love of theatre to/with my hometown community. I think the most special thing about ASPI is the amount of full families we have involved in our group. There aren’t many spaces for full family involvement that put children and parents/grandparents/aunt and uncles/etc. on the same level like acting on a stage or working on a crew together can. I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that my parents won’t be around forever so I try to never take for granted each dance step I get to do with my mom and each nail I get to hammer in or moment on stage I share with my dad,” expresses Liz.

Audiences should be ready for a very magical and immersive experience when they take their seats in March!

“It’s called DISNEY’S Beauty and the Beast, so the tech director David Jolly (my dad) is aiming for Disney level sets, environment, and detail. Our challenge is to match that on the cast side, and based on rehearsals so far, we’re going to blow it out of the park! … I don’t want to give anything away but we’re pulling out pretty much every theater magic we can! Katie Jackson, the costumer, has done sketches of the costumes and they will be some of the best and most elaborate (adult or kids show) Abrams has done. We also have a professional makeup artist, Lance Williams, volunteering his time to help with the Beast,” Liz shares.

When not on the stage or directing, Liz is the Senior Marketing Specialist for Heritage Hill State Park. She enjoys reading, cooking (especially making soups), and venturing back into sewing. She recently joined her first Dungeons & Dragons “campaign” with friends from Guys and Dolls!

Liz holds a BA in Theatre Studies and Classical Studies from St. Norbert College and completed a 2 year conservatory program in acting from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Liz has been involved with ASPI since 2010. Off stage she has directed Meet Me in St. Louis and Elf Jr. Her on stage roles include Psuedelous in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain, and The Chaperone in The Drowsy Chaperone. Liz’s theater experience also includes work with Theatre Z, PlayByPlay Theatre, Evergreen, Green Bay Community Theatre, SNC Summer Music Theatre, and appearances in Drunken Shakespeare at Comedy City in De Pere.

Put our service to the test! Showtimes for Beauty and the Beast, Jr. are March 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 at 7pm and March 6, 12, 13 at 1pm. Tickets are already selling fast! So take a seat and we’ll provide the rest!

But just how old is the tale?

Beauty and the Beast is a tale that has dazzled audiences since Walt Disney Pictures released the animated musical classic in 1991.

But the tale of Beauty and the Beast has spanned generations and across countries! The tale that is now as old as time first originated in 1740 as a French fairy tale, La Belle et la Bête, by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. Villeneuve set out to write this “salon tale” to stress to noble born girls the importance of marrying within their class (more specifically arranged marriages). While Villeneuve’ La Belle et la Bête is the oldest known tale, variations of this classic tale can be found around the world.

In 1756, French novelist Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont shortened the tale for middle class children. Beaumont rewrote the original French tale so that it was a tale of moral instruction. This is the most known and retold rendition of Beauty and the Beast.

For those unfamiliar with Beaumont’s tale, let us go to provincial France, where there may not be singing cutlery, but it is nonetheless magical:

In Beaumont’s tale, Beauty is the youngest of six children to a wealthy merchant. When the family loses their fortune, Beauty and her three older brothers and two older sisters, along with their father, must move from the city to a small country home. While Beauty takes on their new life gracefully, her sisters do not, and they are jealous of Beauty’s looks and her kindness. On a trip to restore his family’s fortune, the merchant asked his daughters what gifts he could bring back for them. While the two sisters requested lavish gifts, Beauty only requested a single rose.

The merchant went on his trip to no avail, and on his return home he became disoriented. Lost in the snow and rain, the merchant came upon a magical palace. No one was home, but the table was set with an abundance of delicious food, a fire was roaring, and a bed awaited him.

After a restful night, the merchant intended to return home, but not before he cut a rose for Beauty from the palace garden. That is when the palace’s resident, the Beast, stormed in demanding the merchant send his daughter to live in the palace for the attempted theft.

When Beauty goes to live in the palace, the imminent death she feared never came, instead the Beast showered her with books and other luxuries. Every night the Beast would ask Beauty to marry him, and each night Beauty would decline.

One gift the Beast gave Beauty was a looking glass. Through the looking glass Beauty was able to see that her father was sick. Magic transported Beauty to her ailing father, but the Beast warned Beauty that if she didn’t return to him in one week, he would surely die without her.

Reunited with her family, Beauty’s father’s health was restored, but Beauty’s sisters were jealous of her fine things and good fortune with the Beast. They were so jealous they tried to trick her into staying away from the Beast longer than a week, in hopes that she would lose her good fortune.

But Beauty is able to see through her looking glass that the Beast is dying, so by magic she is transported back to the palace where she declares that she loves the Beast and wants to marry him. After declaring her love, the Beast is turned back into a handsome prince and the two are married. And you know how it goes, they live happily ever after!

For those of you who made it to the end of the enchanting tale, were there any surprises? Beauty not being called Belle? No singing candlesticks and clocks? Beauty’s father being a wealthy merchant not an inventor? Beauty having two evil sisters?

While Beaumont’s rendition was the inspiration for Walt Disney Pictures’ 1991 animated classic, Beauty and the Beast, composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman added the musical magic! The film starred Broadway actress Paige O’Hara as Belle, actor Robby Benson as the Beast, and actress and Broadway star Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts. It was a success! The film was a 1992 Academy Award winner for Best Original Score (Alan Menken) and Best Original Song for “Beauty and the Beast” AND a 1992 Golden Globe Award winner for Best Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy, Best Original Score- Motion Picture, and Best Original Song- Motion Picture for the song “Beauty and the Beast”. In 1993, the film was a Grammy Award winner for Best Album for Children and Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo with Vocal for Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson’s duet to the song “Beauty and the Beast”.

But that isn’t where the tale ended! In 1994 the musical Beauty and the Beast debuted on Broadway! All songs from the 1991 animated film were used in the musical, and composer Alan Menken along with lyricist Tim Rice composed six new songs for the musical. One song in particular, “Human Again” didn’t make it into the cut for the 1991 film but is now one of the musical numbers featured in the musical. Beauty and the Beast became Broadway’s tenth-longest running production! The musical was Tony Award nominated for Best Musical and was a Tony Award winner for Best Costume Design.

Fast forward about 20 years, Beauty and the Beast hits the big screen again with the 2017 live-action remake starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast. In this adaptation Belle is an empowered young woman and bibliophile desperate for adventure outside of her small town. This live-action remake does not include the songs written for the Broadway musical but instead features four new songs including “Evermore”, sung by the Beast as he holds onto hope of Belle returning to him. And once again, Celine Dion is featured as she lends her vocals to the new original song “How Does a Moment Last Forever”, a nostalgic ballad.

You can catch this timeless musical as Beauty and the Beast, Jr. debuts on the Abrams’ stage March 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 at 7pm and March 6, 12, 13 at 1pm. Tickets are on sale NOW! We cordially invite you to BE OUR GUEST!

Abrams Spotlight Productions, Inc. is thrilled to introduce Miss Abby Frank as director of the upcoming production Guys & Dolls!

You may recognize Abby as Dorothy Gale, Ariel, or Philia from ASPI’s productions of The Wizard of Oz (2015), Footloose (2019), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (2021).
Miss Frank has been involved in ASPI since 2015, her sophomore year of high school, and she brings with her 12 years of theater experience.

Abby currently works as a nanny and in the Fall of 2022 she will begin classes at NWTC to become an automotive service technician. When not acting, Abby can be found on the stage at the Green Room in De Pere, as she has gotten back into comedy. Outside of theater, Abby also takes pole classes at Aerial Dance in De Pere.

For the past 6 years, ASPI has been a second home to Abby. One special memory Abby holds is from her junior year in high school when she was part of ASPI’s production of Annie. Unfortunately, one of the showtimes was on the same day as her junior prom. Though she tried to make it work to attend both, she ended up having to miss the prom. When the rest of the cast, crew, and production team found out, they all threw a ‘prom’ at the theater for her. Everyone put on big dresses from the costume room, played music, and Abby was named “prom queen”, tiara and all.

Abby, with her experience both on and off the stage, along with the talented cast and crew, are ready to transport audiences to the streets of New York to meet a gambler, a crap game manager, a showgirl, and a missionary. Will opposites attract? Place your bets!

“I’m honored to have such a wonderful cast, crew, and production team behind me as I make my directorial debut. And I can’t wait for everyone to see it [the production]!” – Director Abby Frank
So, guys and dolls, join us at the Nancy Byng Community Theater located on 5852 Maple Street in Abrams on Dec 2-4, 9-11 at 7pm, Dec 5 and 12 at 1pm. Purchase your tickets for this romantic musical comedy NOW!

For more information or any questions, please contact the Box Office at (920) 826-5852.

We have the great honor of introducing Wayne Strei, director of ASPI’s upcoming production A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This will be Mr. Strei’s debut in ASPI, but he is no stranger to theater and the arts! 

Mr. Strei was born and raised in Gillett, WI and is a 1972 Gillett High School graduate. While his theater experience began in middle school, his higher education brought him to San Francisco, CA! In 1977, Mr. Strei received his B.A. in theatre arts from San Francisco State University. 

Mr. Strei’s time in San Francisco was filled with performances and directing of numerous shows, as well as being a regular on People are Talking and Good Morning, Bay Area, both of which were local television in San Francisco in the 1980’s. But that’s not all! Mr. Strei was also a longtime food and entertainment writer and critic in the Bay Area. 

In 2001, after 25 years in San Francisco, Mr. Strei returned to Wisconsin to care for his parents. Since his return, he remains living on his family’s farm in the house where he was raised.

Mr. Strei’s theater career hasn’t slowed down! He has since directed a number of community productions at Gillett Secondary School. And seven year ago, Mr. Strei portrayed the role of Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, as directed by Ben Burish, former director of band for Oconto Falls High School. Who better to direct ASPI’s current production than Pseudolus himself! Other shows he has under his performance and director belt include Our Town, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Godspell and a number of musical revues. 

Currently, Mr. Strei is semi-retired and serves as church musician at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gillett. He also judges forensics and accompanies musicians in local high school performances. 

When A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum hits the ASPI stage in September, it’s guaranteed to leave our audiences in stitches!

“I think everyone who likes to laugh will love this show! It’s irreverent, bawdy, politically incorrect and one of the true musical farces in Broadway history. It moves along quickly and there’s a guffaw every minute,” explains Mr. Strei.

With this being Mr. Strei’s first performance with ASPI, and rehearsals and production well underway, the cast and crew have already left an impression! 

Mr. Strei shares, “I have met so many talented and wonderful performers and technicians with ASPI, some with lots of productions here and in other theaters under their belts and others brand new to the group or even to being on stage! Our youngest performer is in middle school and I think the oldest is a month younger than myself. So about 43. Okay, 50.” 

Still undecided if you should purchase tickets to this upcoming production? Let Director Wayne Strei share with you why this is one production you do not want to miss!

“I know you will enjoy this crazy romp through Rome in 200 B.C. The music is charming and humorous and I think you will be humming some on your way home. Downton Abbey it ain’t, but it doesn’t need to be to introduce you to the wacky citizens who live and love in Rome during this very interesting (and funny) time period. The scenery and costumes are colorful and imaginative.  But mostly come for the singing and dancing and a wonderful script performed by some of the talented and funny people I have worked with in years!”

Showtimes are September 16-18 and 23-25 at 7pm, September 19 and 25 at 1pm. Tickets are on sale NOW and can be purchased at abramsspotlightproductions.com. Please call the Box Office with any questions or for more information, (920)826-5852. 

Please note A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is an After Dark Production, this means the musical is rated PG-13.