Texas State Bobcats on stage with return of 'Beauty and the Beast' in Austin

'Beauty and the Beast' production has local talent

The classic fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast" is being performed at UT Austin's Bass Concert Hall. The musical features actors out of Texas State University's theater program.

AUSTIN, Texas - The classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" is being performed at UT Austin's Bass Concert Hall. 

The musical features actors out of Texas State University's theater program.

Texas State Bobcats star in musical 

What they're saying:

The musical "Beauty and the Beast" is a hot ticket in Austin. But before the curtain goes up at the Bass Concert Hall, backstage wardrobe supervisor Elise Packee is getting all the costumes ready.

"Our ensemble is so gracious and so kind, and they build each other up, and it's really fantastic to watch," said Packee.

The show, which is part of the Texas Performing Arts Broadway in Austin series, started Dec. 2. It’s a production where even a small attachment can play an important supporting role. An example of that was a leather brace that is mounted to the back of a thick jacket.

"When we first see the beast, his collar is down. When we see him again, it's up. And it's got almost like a scorpion collar," said Packee.

The production, which is the first national tour, is described as a reimaging of a "story as old as time." For Packee, it’s a dream come true.

"My brain always goes to like the functional and like how do I make this work? Also, I will admit there was a little school girl glee in me of being able to tour with Belle, who is my princess," said Packee.

A lot of attention is paid to the dresses for the part of Belle. They are worn by actor Kyra Belle Johnson. She has a familiar middle name for a familiar play.

"The third musical I ever did was ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ it was at my community theater. I was a sugar cube in the castle and the little village girl. So, I always knew that I wanted to do this show and be Belle. I always loved the music," said Johnson.

Her blue dress requires the most repair work, according to Packee.

"Had a nice little rip that happened while ‘Be our Guest’ and so I spent all the 20 minutes of intermission fixing every single tear," said Packee.

Shoes also take a beating. Packee's staff of nine keeps the show going, especially those helping the cast change costumes several times during the show.

"Think of dressers like the NASCAR of the theater world. Actors, not cars. An actor will come into a change, will change their clothes really fast, will water them, and then send them on their way," said Packee.

"Beauty and the Beast" musical production comes to Austin.

This pink dress requires a quick change backstage. It also provides a big change on stage.

"It's when she starts making her transformation into a different human to a more open person. And so she becomes brighter, she becomes more detailed, more patterned, the more I've seen the world, I've seen the emotion," said Packee.

Reading glasses, a spur of the moment wardrobe addition to the story earlier in London, became a hit with kids in the audience.

"And at intermission, all the kids were like, she has glasses just like me. And it was kind of like, okay, then they're staying. If it's any way to make people sitting in the audience feel more connected, it makes sense for her. Like, why wouldn't she? She's the reader," said Johnson.

Johnson is from LA and "Beauty and the Beast" is not her first time in the national spotlight. After high school, she landed the role of Sophie in the National Tour of "Mamma Mia." 

After the run, she took a break from the stage to go to college in San Marcos. She graduated from Texas State in 2021 and was back on the stage and on TV.

"The Texas State Musical Theater program empowered me so much and created a community that I still lean on. We have three total Bobcats in this production," said Johnson. 

Cameron Monroe Thomas, who plays Babette, is a Bobcat. So is Carson Hampton Palmer, who is a member of the Vacation Swing cast. 

Johnson gave some advice she would have had for the younger version of herself.

"Stop trying to be what you think they want you to be and just figure out who you are and then do the best version of that. I wasted so much time being like, oh, but what did they do? Maybe I should be more? Nobody is interested in what you think you should be. Like they want to see interesting, well-rounded human beings creating things. That's what makes you go when somebody is on stage or on screen. And once that like clicked for me, it got so much more fun," said Johnson.

The final curtain for the production at Bass drops on Dec. 14.