Red curtains opened wide as stage lights shone on the tall castle for the theater department’s first curtain call of “Beauty and the Beast,” opening night Jan. 22. The townspeople invited the audience to provincial France with the opening chorus of “Belle.”

“We worked really hard on it,” sophomore Shainaaz Dalal said. “It’s fun and interactive.”

The cast and crew performed five shows along with hosting a tea party to meet the characters.

“I love working with my cast members because they are friendly and awesome,” junior Brennan Montgomery said. “I love working with other people.”

As rehearsals for “Beauty and the Beast” wrapped up, many actors and actresses rushed to polish their lines and the choreography that came with it. From spending evenings, Saturdays and school holidays on stage for rehearsal, “Beauty and the Beast” came to life after hundreds of hours of preparation.

“The thrill of being on stage,” junior Rain Ward said. “Putting blood, sweat, tears, and aching bones into making a character come alive, it is all very amazing.”

Cast members gain their own sense of accomplishment from their work and enjoy the new found friendship that comes with working in the play.

“I did [gain new friends],” Ward said. “We have to learn to work together good and learn to connect with each other.”

With sold-out shows, the production wrapped up Sunday.

“[Acting] makes me feel energized and alive with color and creativity,” Montgomery said. “Acting is where you can be anything you want to be.”