Behind the scenes of a surprise solo in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
From rehearsal to curtain call, a look at one unforgettable night at the Broadway in Boston production
SINGING DEBUT TOO. HEY, YOU WANT ME TO HAVE A ROLE IN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST? YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT. LIKE SOMETHING STRAIGHT OUT OF A FAIRY TALE. BROADWAY AND BOSTON’S DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST INVITED ME TO PERFORM ON STAGE WITH THEM AS A VILLAGE GIRL. THIS AMY MUSIC NOTE SAYS, IF I KNOW HOW TO READ THIS, WHICH CAN ONLY MEAN ONE THING, TIME TO DUST OFF THE DREAMS AND WARM UP THE VOCAL CORDS. IT’S DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF US. IT’S NOW LEADING UP TO SHOW DAY. THE OFFICE TURNED INTO MY OWN REHEARSAL STUDIO. EVERY NOTE, EVERY LINE. ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE SPOTLIGHT. AND THEN IT WAS TIME TO TAKE CENTER STAGE AT THE OPERA HOUSE. IT’S SHOW DAY, AND I’M HERE FOR MY CALL. TIME. FOR DECADES, BROADWAY AND BOSTON HAS BEEN BRINGING THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES TO THE CITY. AND IF YOU REMEMBER, I’VE BEEN INVITED BEFORE, BUT NEVER FOR A SOLO. I’M ABOUT TO GO MEET THE MUSIC DIRECTOR DA. HE’S BEEN GIVING ME FEEDBACK ALL WEEK. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MUSICAL DIRECTOR DAVID ANDREWS, ROGERS, AKA DA. EVERY WORD STARTS TO FALL INTO PLACE NOW. THERE’S NO WONDER THAT HER NAME AND EVERY NOTE FEELS A LITTLE CLOSER TO BROADWAY. YOU’RE AMAZING. BUT PERFORMING ISN’T JUST ABOUT SINGING, IT’S ABOUT CHOREOGRAPHY, TOO, SAYS ASSISTANT DANCE CAPTAIN EMILY LARGER. AND YOU’LL COME TO ABOUT NUMBER 12. WELL, THIS IS MY NUMBER. THE NERVES KICKED IN. THEY THREW ALL THIS CARDIO CHOREO ON ME, AND DANCING TOOK QUITE A BIT OF PRACTICE. VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF US. BUT WITH THE CAST BY MY SIDE, I THINK I EVENTUALLY GOT THE HANG OF IT. AND THE B. THE CAST IS A COMPANY OF TALENT FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. JASMINE VILLARROEL GREW UP RIGHT HERE IN SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS. IT’S BEEN REALLY EXCITING AND LIVING AT HOME, COMMUTING TO THE THEATER FOR THESE NEXT THREE WEEKS. AND I’VE ALREADY HAD A FORMER DANCE FRIENDS COME, FORMER DANCE TEACHERS. JASMINE PLAYS A VILLAGE LASS AND IS PART OF THE ENSEMBLE. BUT BEING A PART OF THIS CAST IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR HER. SHE PLAYED THE ROLE OF BELLE IN HER HIGH SCHOOL PRODUCTION OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. I WAS A SOPHOMORE, WHICH WAS CRAZY EXCITING. I LOVE DISNEY SHOWS AND I’VE DONE TWO NOW BECAUSE I WAS ALSO URSULA IN THE LITTLE MERMAID, HER FRENCH AND DRAMA TEACHER SITTING FRONT ROW AT TONIGHT’S PERFORMANCE. MR. SZCZEPANSKI, HE’S BEEN SUPPORTING ME SINCE I, YOU KNOW, LEFT MIDDLE SCHOOL WHEN HE CAST ME AS THE SOUR KANGAROO IN THE MUSICAL WHEN I WAS IN SIXTH GRADE. IT JUST. IT MEANT SO MUCH TO KNOW THAT HE BELIEVED IN ME IN THAT WAY AND TRUSTED ME WITH A ROLE LIKE THAT, A REMINDER THAT EVERY BIG DREAM STARTS SOMEWHERE SMALL. I DON’T EVEN HAVE WORDS. IT MEANS EVERYTHING AS A TEACHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ONE STUDENT’S LIFE. THAT MEANS A LOT. JASMINE’S PARENTS ARE HER BIGGEST FANS. SHE WOULD GO OUTSIDE IN HER TUTU AND PLAY OUTSIDE, AND SHE JUST LOVES PERFORMING. IT’S DEFINITELY SURREAL TO SIT THERE AND TO SEE HER BEAMING, LIVING OUT HER DREAM. THE ENTIRE SHOW WHERE I JUST HAVE A SMILE ON MY FACE. AND HER ADVICE FOR ME, IT’S GOING TO BE SCARY. IT’S IT’S GONNA BE. BUT I THINK I THINK IT IS BECAUSE YOU CARE. WE ALL HAVE YOUR BACK AND WE’LL BE SUPPORTING YOU FROM RIGHT BEHIND. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME JOIN YOUR CAST. I KNOW, LET’S DO IT. THIS IS BELLE. WITH BELLE AND THE BEAST LEADING THE WAY, PLAYED BY KIRA JOHNSON AND FERGIE PHILLIPE. THIS CLASSIC TALE REMINDS US THAT BEAUTY IS MORE THAN WHAT YOU SEE. I THINK SOMETHING THAT’S ALWEN S SO MANY PEOPLE IS SHE KNOWS HER WORTH. IT’S ABOUT COURAGE, TRANSFORMATION, AND TAKING A CHANCE. WE DO OUR BEST TO ACTUALLY HONOR THEM THE WAY THAT THEY ARE, AND ALSO FIND NEW WAYS OF THEM RELATING TO EACH OTHER. WHAT WE HAVE FELT FROM THE AUDIENCE IS THEIR WILLINGNESS TO GO ON THAT JOURNEY WITH US, AND I THINK THEY KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE AND RESPECT THESE CHARACTERS. VERY DIFFERENT FROM WITH REHEARSAL FOR MY SCENE, WRAPPING UP ON STAGE. TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE LESS THAN AN HOUR TO SHOWTIME. BACKSTAGE IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS. CHARACTERS CREATED THROUGH MAKEUP AND COSTUME, EACH DETAIL ONE STEP CLOSER TO STEPPING INTO THE STORY. IT’S SHOWTIME. THE LIGHTS HIT, THE MUSIC IS PLAYING, AND FOR A MOMENT I’M NOT TELLING THE STORY. I’M LIVING IT NOW. THERE’S NO WONDER THAT HER NAME MEANS BEAUTY. HER LOOKS ARE FAR FROM TERRIBLE. MAYBE I MISSED A WORD OR TWO, BUT SOMEHOW THAT DIDN’T MATTER. VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF US. BECAUSE OUT THERE IT WAS PURE JOY. AND JUST WHEN I THOUGHT IT WAS OVER. PLEASE WELCOME WKRP CHRONICLE ANCHOR SHAYNA SEYMOUR AN INVITATION BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT. THE CURTAIN CALL, A FINAL BOW IN A STORY I’LL NEVER FORGET. OH MY GOODNESS,
Behind the scenes of a surprise solo in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
From rehearsal to curtain call, a look at one unforgettable night at the Broadway in Boston production
Updated: 8:46 PM EDT Apr 29, 2026
It started with a phone call and ended on stage.When Chronicle co-anchor Shayna Seymour was invited to join the cast of Broadway in Boston’s “Beauty and the Beast” for one night at Boston’s Citizens Opera House, she says it felt like a dream. Soon, rehearsals began — first in the office, then alongside the professional cast. With guidance from the musical team, every line and step brought her closer to opening night.For cast member Jasmine Villaroel, a Sharon, Mass., native, the show is a full-circle moment. Once a high school Belle, she’s now performing in the national tour — with her former teacher in the audience.”It’s been really exciting,” Villaroel says. “And I’m living at home, commuting to the theater for these next three weeks.”Backstage, costumes and choreography transformed preparation into performance. Then, the lights hit.For one night, Shayna got to be part of the action and get her curtain call.
BOSTON —
It started with a phone call and ended on stage.
When Chronicle co-anchor Shayna Seymour was invited to join the cast of Broadway in Boston’s “Beauty and the Beast” for one night at Boston’s Citizens Opera House, she says it felt like a dream. Soon, rehearsals began — first in the office, then alongside the professional cast. With guidance from the musical team, every line and step brought her closer to opening night.
For cast member Jasmine Villaroel, a Sharon, Mass., native, the show is a full-circle moment. Once a high school Belle, she’s now performing in the national tour — with her former teacher in the audience.
“It’s been really exciting,” Villaroel says. “And I’m living at home, commuting to the theater for these next three weeks.”
Backstage, costumes and choreography transformed preparation into performance. Then, the lights hit.
For one night, Shayna got to be part of the action and get her curtain call.