Be Our Guest!

by Kasey Kopp, dramaturg

Beauty and the Beast opens November 19, 2015 at BYU.

In a few short weeks, one of the world’s greatest love stories is coming to BYU in a never-before-seen, unique way under the direction of George Nelson. The story is timeless (and some would argue a classic), powerful love story between a beautiful young girl and a hideous monster. For those that may be unfamiliar with the story, I would like to provide you with a brief introduction. A selfish, young prince falls under the curse of a powerful enchantress when he refuses to give her shelter from the cold in exchange for a single rose. He is transformed into a hideous monster and told that unless he can love another and earn their love in return, he will be doomed to remain a beast forever. Years later, a young, intelligent girl residing in a provincial French town is isolated from those around here. Desiring much more than the town and its inhabitants (including the boorish hunter attempting to woo her) have to offer, she yearns for a place to belong. When her father is taken captive by the beast, this spirited young woman agrees to stay In exchange for her father’s freedom. As time passes, we see the ways in which this initially cruel monster and this intellectual girl grow together and change for the better. But will she be able to look on the heart of this creature and break the spell before the last petal falls? For its BYU premiere, this classic musical will receive a non-traditional staging. Instead of a faithful recreation of the animated movie, a company of players will work together to create the story of Belle and Beast and immerse the audience in what is sure to be a groundbreaking and exciting new interpretation of this “tale as old as time.” As we move toward opening night, keep checking back often as we bring you more information about this classic musical, history and fun facts about the story of Beauty and the Beast, and a behind-the-scenes look at the work of our incredibly talented cast and crew! We can’t wait for you to be our guest starting November 19!

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="376"] Margaret Roper[/caption] Margaret More Roper: Scholar and Daughter by Adam White, dramaturg Thomas More was a family man; he was married twice and had four children with his first wife, Jane Colt. After being married for six years, Jane Colt More died, leaving More with four children: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cecily and John. However, More quickly remarried to the widow Dame Alice Middleton, marrying her within a month of his wife’s death. While many of his friends resisted the rapid nature of the arrangement, More went through with it. Thomas and Alice More would raise the four children Thomas More had with Jane, as well as Alice’s daughter from her previous marriage and a foster daughter. Certainly, More valued his family and the welfare of his children. More also valued the power of education. He insisted that his daughters be educated through rigorous schooling, and this was unusual in 16th-century England, as society at large believed women unfit for scholarly pursuits. Despite cultural and institutional norms, Margaret More, the eldest of the More children (and More’s favorite, some would argue), would grow to become one of the most educated people in all of England, a woman of great scholarly knowledge. Margaret More Roper was tutored at home and became well-known for her studies, particularly for her adeptness in Greek and Latin. Her skill in writing and speaking Latin would impress the clergy of England. This specialty is reflected in a scene in Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons where Margaret and King Henry VIII engage in a bit of Latin language sparring. She would also become the first woman who was not of royal birth to publish a translated book. In October 1524, Roper published an English translation of a book called ‘Precatio dominica’ written by Thomas More’s good friend Erasmus. This book was based on the Lord’s Prayer. Instead of translating the book directly from Latin to English, Roper would use her extensive knowledge of both languages to construct the themes and the meanings Erasmus had written in to the treatise with her own words. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="291"] Erasmus, Dutch humanist and good friend to Thomas More[/caption] It was Margaret who would visit the imprisoned Thomas More the most often. They were very close, writing letters to one another regularly the duration of their relationship. It was in a letter to Margaret that Thomas More confided, “I do nobody harm, I say none harm, I thinke none harm, but wish everybody good. And if this be not enough to keep a man alive, in good faith I long not to live.” We have good reason to believe that Margaret More Roper very well understood what would be her father’s fate. After Thomas More’s execution, Margaret More Roper and her husband William Roper would continue to carry on his legacy in their own ways. William Roper would write the first biography of Thomas More, a glowing and gracious document that would influence our understanding of More’s personality for hundreds of years to come. Margaret More Roper actually kept her father’s head after his beheading, pickling it to preserve it from decay. While many of us may find that historical tidbit a tad macabre, I would like to believe that Margaret More Roper had deep admiration for her father; perhaps it was out of this feeling she kept his head. Please stay tuned to the 4th Wall Dramaturgy Blog to catch clips of my interview with Mallory Gee, the actress who will portray Margaret More Roper in BYU’s A Man for All Seasons. Bibliography: Abernathy, Susan. "Margaret Roper, Daughter of Sir Thomas More." Early Modern England. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2014. Duerden, Richard. "A Man for All Seasons." Telephone interview. 31 Jan. 2014. "Margaret Roper." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 Oct. 2013. "Sir Thomas More Quotes and Quotations." Sir Thomas More Quotes and Quotations. Luminarium. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.

Be Our Guest!

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