After the recent premiere of Disney’s musical Beauty and the Beast JR., which sold out in record time and delighted 900 attendees at the Bosnian Cultural Center in Sarajevo, this magical production by BASICSchool is returning to the stage!
BASICSchool - School of Music and Performing Arts proudly presents its latest production, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR., which will be performed again on November 29 at the Bosnian Cultural Center. This spectacle includes music, acting, dance, and stage movement, based on the original Broadway version nominated for nine Tony Awards, as well as the Oscar-winning film.
Beauty and the Beast JR. is the fourth major children’s musical production by BASICSchool, following successful shows such as The Lion King and Frozen, which became the most-watched children’s musicals in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These productions were part of the regular repertoire at the Youth Theater Sarajevo from 2016 to 2019. BASICSchool now returns to the stage with a new team and contemporary production, bringing fresh magic to the world of theater.
The musical is produced by BASICSchool under the supervision of the Institute for Innovative Arts, while the co-production is realized by the Public Institution Bosnian Cultural Center of Sarajevo Canton.
“I’m thrilled that we are returning to the stage with such a challenging piece. We always strive to go a step further with each new production, and I believe that Beauty and the Beast is the perfect choice to push us out of our comfort zone. This is definitely the most complex project we’ve worked on so far, especially in terms of the acting, the large number of characters, and above all – the many demanding songs. I believe the songs are what set this musical apart from the others we’ve done. We have made every effort to give the audience a touch of Broadway in Sarajevo, and I sincerely hope they will enjoy it,” said Đorđe Jovančić, the executive producer of the musical and director of BASICSchool.
The choreography for the musical was created by Dajana Zilić, and the direction is by Đorđe Jovančić and Sanjin Arnautović.
“I believe we managed to create a fantastic children’s musical, even though most of the cast consists of children who are complete amateurs. It has been a pleasure to work on this project, especially since I ventured into something completely new – a children’s musical. I am happy and proud, and as I said, I believe we achieved our maximum,” stated Dajana Zilić, a ballerina at the Sarajevo National Theater and the musical’s choreographer.
Work on this production began in September of last year. Every detail – from choreography and costumes to musical arrangements – was carefully designed to meet the high standards for which BASICSchool is known.
“This project, which has been in preparation for over a year, has been a great learning experience for me, consisting of 31 lessons, as 31 children were involved in the making of this production. As someone who collaborated with all of them, it was extremely important to me that every child nurtured their authenticity in creating their role,” said Sanjin Arnautović, actor and director.
The musical features some of Disney’s most famous songs, written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, along with new songs created by Menken and Tim Rice. This story of transformation and tolerance, which has won the hearts of audiences worldwide, will be brought to life with the help of young, talented performers – students of BASICSchool. The musical direction is by Mina Petrović and Đorđe Jovančić.
“The Broadway adaptation of Beauty and the Beast required a lot of hard work because the vocal parts for each character are very demanding. We truly invested a great deal of time and effort into the production. As a vocal coach, I worked not only on group parts with the school’s choir but also individually with each student. Despite everything, I am very happy, grateful, and proud of our entire team, but above all, of our students, who worked diligently, listened to us, and handled every challenge like true professionals,” said vocal coach Mina Petrović.
Video animations and graphic design were created by Marko Jovančić, while makeup (MUA) for the performance was done by Maja Talović.
The roles have been entrusted to the most talented students:
Belle: Majra Maljević
Beast: Alina Gijo
Gaston: Dina Čelebić
Lumière: Annur Radeljaš
Mrs. Potts: Azra Kršo
Chip: Zola Ristić
Lefou: Noa Ličanin
Cogsworth: David Jurčević
Madame de la Grande Bouche: Lamija Alagić
Maurice: Sara Pavlović
Monsieur D’Arque: Henna Omerović
Babette: Tara Ristić
Villagers: Laura Nikol Vidaković, Tea Đurić, Igor Radivojević, Igor Krunić
Narrators: Iva Križanović, Iva Vuković, Ajna Bešić
Enchantress: Sara Kopčić
Ensemble: Ajša Redžić, Naida Dinarević, Najra Dinarević, Nikol Brezar, Petra Vrebac, Uma Planja, Emina Džambegović, Elena Stipić
Tickets priced at 20 and 30 KM are available through the kupikartu.ba portal and at their outlets. Don’t miss the chance to experience the magic of this unforgettable musical!
The next performance will take place on Friday, November 29, at 7:00 PM at the Bosnian Cultural Center. Learn more about the musical on the OFFICIAL MUSICAL WEBSITE.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. is presented with special permission, and all licensed materials are provided by Music Theatre International (421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019).
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