Prescott Park Arts Festival’s 2008 choice for a stage production is Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” You know the plot: Belle (Katelyn Ward) throws herself at the mercy of the Beast (Jamie Bradley) to save her father (Tim Allen). She then charms the Beast and teaches him to love and be loved, which breaks the sorceress’ spell that turned him into a monster and transformed his entire castle staff into appliances and cutlery.

One of director David Kaye’s greatest skills is his ability to cast a show, and this ability doesn’t fail him here. Katelyn Ward is an inspirational choice in both appearance and voice. She captures the innocence of Belle without giving up an ounce of her spunk—a mistake made by many actresses who tackle this role. Jamie Bradley, as the Beast, is intimidating but also makes the difficult transition to student of his romance-teaching servants, although his efforts are occasionally thwarted by the rage that comes with his Beastliness. His Prince wasn’t as convincing, but a role like the Beast is probably hard to shake off in a mere moment.

Dan Beaulieu, as the arrogant Gaston, who is hot for Belle, effortlessly nails the role. The constant reference to Gaston’s huge stature is comedically underlined by the fact that Beaulieu is a man of average size. It’s the ego and presence he exudes that makes him huge and causes the townsfolk to bow down and the girls of the village to swoon. Danica Carlson, as Babette, is seductive, hilarious and jealously shrewish—turning between emotions on a dime. The object of her affection, Lumiere (Michael Coppola), actually convinces you that even as a candle he’s still a person, and a dignified one at that. Tobin Moss, as his finicky counterpart, Cogsworth, has never been better.

No one seems more at ease onstage than 9-year-old Skylar Bagdon as Chip (according to his bio, his first performance nine years ago was in a sling worn across his mother’s chest). Though he spends 98 percent of the play sitting in a cup, he somehow sells us on the idea that he’s a real, rambunctious, impish boy. (Watch for his glowing face as he crows, “It’s delicious!” to Belle during “Be Our Guest”—it’s the ultimate “aww” moment of the show). Clearly, not only does Skylar have an impressive past, but an extremely promising future in theater. Chip’s “mother,” Mrs. Potts (Sascha Moriarty-Schieven), is charming and maternal in her role. When she sings the song’s title theme, her crystal voice and clear delivery of the lyrics somehow make us listen to them more closely, and help us truly realize how beautiful the sentiment is. 

In the small but pivotal role of Belle’s father, Maurice, Tim Allen gives us a lovable but easily disoriented inventor. He makes his love for his daughter seem so real that we completely believe his desperate willingness to humiliate himself to the entire town in a plea for help.

The ensemble—to my regret, far too many to name personally—each throw themselves into their roles with such enjoyment that we can’t help enjoying ourselves. If you see a dancing plate having a good time and you’re not smiling … well, you’re just not trying.

Choreographer Diana Palumbo matches her director’s skill by coming up with dances that her more skilled performers can handle and others that are simpler but no less entertaining for the larger groups.

Many directors feel that each time a show is produced they have to put their own personal stamp on it. Kaye is a brilliant director (I would personally attend if he staged a reading of the phone book), and he understands what so many other directors don’t: sometimes a show just needs to be the show it is, made the best that you can personally make it. Hundreds of people came to a recent performance to see a show they had seen before and loved, and Kaye gave them exactly what they wanted.

“Beauty and the Beast” runs at Prescott Park in Portsmouth on Wednesday and Sunday nights at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m., through Aug. 24.  Suggested donations are collected at the entrances, and tables and chairs are available for rental.