Musicals, comedies opening this week

Musicals and comedies — one as a fund-raiser for a Wasatch Front family — are among this week's theater events.

"DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" makes its Utah County debut this week in Hale Center Theater Orem, 225 W. 400 North, where it opens Friday and plays through Nov. 26.

Directed by David Morgan and choreographed by Marin Leggat, the double-cast ensemble includes Benjamin D. Hale and Matthew Flynn Bellows as the Beast, Amy Diane Shreeve and BreAnne Elizabeth Folkman as Belle, Dave Burton and Clayton Vance as Gaston, Ricky Carter and Rick Priddis as Maurice (Belle's father), Eldon B. Randall and Oliver Gaag as Cogsworth, Becky Enciso and Diane Dabczynski as Mrs. Potts, Marshall Lamm and Kristopher Higley as Lefou and Oliver Gaag and David Smith as Lumiere.

Warren Holtz, who teaches makeup design at the University of Utah, has helped design the complicated prosthetics for the production. The theater's design team began work nearly two years ago, attending a costume-construction seminar in Denver to study the art of crafting costumes with foam.

Performances are nightly except Sundays at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday matinees at 3:30 p.m. (except for Oct. 1). One additional matinee is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 25, at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $14.50-$18.50 (226-8600).

"STAGE FRIGHT," a backstage comedy being produced by Titus Productions, will raise funds for a local family coping with serious medical problems.

According to producer Jake M. Anderson (who also wrote the script and is directing the show), "A young mother, and friend of mine, was seven months pregnant when a brain tumor almost took her and her unborn child in mid-August. Though much of the tumor was removed, there is still a threat to the mother and her son, with many surgeries and weeks in the hospital still to go.

"The father is working night and day to keep his family alive and care for their 3-year-old daughter," he said.

Anderson said all proceeds from the three performances — Friday and Saturday — will be turned over to the family.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. both nights with one matinee on Saturday at 4 p.m. — all at Oakcrest Elementary School, 8462 S. Hilltop Oak Drive (6620 West), West Jordan. Tickets are $7 each at the door.

AN ORGANIC IMPROV WORKSHOP, featuring Jason Anfinsen, will be held on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Jubilee Center, 309 E. 100 South. Cost of the workshop is $50 per person. To register, call 560-4507 or log onto www.utahimprov.com/register.