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HOOVER – Greystone Elementary School’s annual performance by fifth graders this year will be “Beauty and the Beast Jr.”

Forty-five students from the school’s Drama Club will present the musical, Natalie Evans said.

Performances are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 14, at 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Friday, Feb. 15 at 8:30 a.m.

The performances are free and open to the community.

The production is the first of its kind for the students, who auditioned in September 2018 with a song from the musical and a monologue, and then were assigned parts by Evans.

Crucial to the performance are the contributions from a seven-person stage crew, three students who run the lighting and sound and two assistant directors, who are in charge of opening the curtain, helping with costume changes, making sure props are in place and more.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Evans said. “They really want it to go well.”

Since the auditions, the performers have rehearsed one day a week until 4 p.m. until more recently as longer rehearsals began.

“Those long rehearsals really give us time to go over scenes multiple times so we can really practice it,” Evans said. “The more we practice, the better we get.”

The practice is necessary because the musical is intended for older students, such as those in middle school or junior high, Evans said.

“Beauty and the Beast Jr.” is a take on the well-known “Beauty and the Beast” but is more kid-friendly in terms of vocal ranges, dancing and costumes.

“This is quite a task for this age group,” Evans said.

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