Auditions for 'Beauty and the Beast' at LHS in February

LACONIA — Calling all Laconia High School Alumni who love theater. It's your time to get back on the stage at Laconia High School. “There is nothing better than a community coming together to create something magical for the rest of the community to enjoy,” says Jason Roy, the theater director at LHS. This is Roy's first year at LHS but not his first time directing high school theater. In his own words, “Like everything else in this world, the pandemic hit the performing arts at LHS hard. Students were forced to cancel several productions, which not only hurt their morale-it hurt the budget for the program.” After a successful production of Little Shop of Horrors, this fall the team at LHS is ready to tackle something even bigger! So this spring the Laconia High Theater Arts Program plans to produce a district-wide production that also features alumni! “I am excited by our LHS Drama Department's efforts to bring the entire community together for the Spring Musical, Beauty and The Beast. This community play, which will include actors from multiple age groups, can be a part of bringing everyone together around the concept of community. We can agree and disagree on a lot of things, but we are all Sachems at heart and Sachem Nation always seeks to represent Laconia at its finest!” exclaimed Jim McCollum, the interim principal at LHS.

Auditions for Beauty and the Beast are as follows:

Elementary school age students: Thursday, Feb. 3 from 5-7 p.m. at Laconia High School. Students should prepare their favorite disney song to sing and be prepared to learn and perform a short dance.

Middle school age students Feb. 2 from 3:45 to 5:15  p.m., location to be announced. Students should prepare their favorite disney song to sing and be prepared to move and read.

High school age and alumni Thursday Feb. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Laconia High School. Performers should prepare a one-minute cut of a song from a musical. No acapella auditions accepted. Performers should also be ready to dance and read from a script.

Note any alumni will be required to pass a fingerprinting and background test before participating in rehearsals. This will be set up by the school upon being cast. There will also be a $10 casting fee to help offset the costs of set costumes and props. LHS will be producing Disney’s Beauty and the Beast this spring, and are looking to collaborate with alumni who want to get involved.