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ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

Lyn Cox’s swan song as the longtime director of the Marathon High School Drama Club will be a tale as old as time, with a cast determined to give her an unforgettable sendoff.

“It’s definitely a lot of pressure,” said sophomore Ella Dunn, who will shoulder the lead role of Belle in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” opening Friday, April 14. “But it’s also just an honor that she chose us for this last round.”

Cox originally shied away from multiple requests from her students to bring the love story to life on MHS’ stage, and with good reason: the production’s lists of demands for intricate set pieces, props, music and, most of all, costumes are long and detailed.

“I always have to look at my talent pool, and I had the talent pool,” she told the Weekly. “I just decided, since it was my last show and we had plenty of money in the bank, we would just do it.”

That “talent pool” includes an experienced group of current and alumni parents to tackle the set, costumes and choreography along with her cast and crew of more than 40 students. Months of late nights and weekends spent by all involved seem to be a given at this point, and Cox effusively praised the collaborative effort from so many community talents to get the show across the finish line.

The result does not disappoint.

The first reveal of the iconic enchanted castle is sure to elicit a literal gasp from audiences. Be sure to keep a close eye on the magic rose throughout the production and take in the complex costumes – some of which were made from scratch – that transform the high schoolers into the story’s beloved cast of villagers and household items.

“When I first saw Belle and Beast’s costumes, it was straight out of the movie,” said senior Billy Martin, who will follow up his 2022 “Newsies” performance as Gaston’s sidekick LeFou.

Together with Dunn, who naturally slips into her role as a picture-perfect Belle, Martin, twins Casey & Jack Horvat (Lumiere/Maurice), Adrien Holdinga (the testosterone-infused buffoon Gas- ton), Nicholas Higgins (Cogsworth), Rylee Seligson (Babette) and Zyan Wiggins and Emmitt Johnson (Mrs. Potts/Chip), sophomore Dakota Mertyris stakes his claim as one of Marathon’s top local performers, tackling the imposing presence of the Beast as well as room-filling vocals in numbers like “If I Can’t Love Her” with ease.

“I knew this was my last year, and I wanted to have this chance to showcase his talent,” said Cox. High praise, indeed, for an underclassman in just his second school musical.

In addition to Cox, “Beauty and the Beast” will be a farewell performance for seniors Martin, the Horvat twins, Higgins, Cecilia Vang (La Fille de la Ville), Sabrina Gordillo-Perez (La Fille de la Ville), Tatyana Hribar (villager), assistant light manager Aubree Earnhart and all-around tech whiz Maicon Santos — crowned “Beauty and the Beast’s badass” by his fellow cast members.

When the Keys Weekly previewed the show on April 10, the cast appeared nearly ready to go, with almost a full week to fine-tune the finished product.

“Honestly, these kids have worked since the first week in January, and they’ve been more ready than probably any of the shows have been,” Cox said.

It’s a fitting time to be ahead of schedule with extra time to apply last-minute polish, as the weekend is sure to fill the auditorium with throngs from the Marathon community and dozens of returning club alumni.

“It’s bittersweet,” said Cox. “Don’t make me start crying.”

“Beauty and the Beast” runs on Friday and Saturday, April 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. with a matinee on Sunday, April 16 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased through the attached QR code.

An enchanted castle and its inhabitants come to life on the Marathon High School stage as the drama club tells the love story of Beauty and the Beast. Photos by Cathy Walters.

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