Meredith, on her blog "On Stories and Words", is hosting a Beauty and the Beast Week. Be sure to check out her blog to play her fun game and read other BatB centered posts!
1.When did you first experience Beauty and the Beast?
I grew up watching it. I don't remember at what age I first watched it because the VHS was always there. :)2. In what forms(book, movie, retelling) have you experienced Beauty and the Beast?
Um, I've read a few different retellings. The most well known being "Belle" by Cameron Dokey. And I've also seen the animated movie. Oh! And I've seen it in play form. Not on Broadway or anything, but a local theatre did quite well with it!!
3. Who is your favorite character in Beauty and the Beast?
Hmmm, never really considered that...I'd have to go with Mrs. Potts.
4. What is your favorite song from the cartoon Beauty and the Beast?
Beauty and the Beast sung by Mrs. Potts/Angela Lansbury.
5. If you were turned into a piece of furniture what would you want it to be?
Awesome question! Umm, could I be something like drapes? I'd like the proximity to a window. I've lost lots of time looking out windows so I'd still be able to keep things rather normal for myself. Even though I would be lengthy and made of velvet. :D I just don't know if drapes count as furniture...
6. What would your dream cast for Beauty and the Beast be? (This can be as elaborate or simple as you desire.)
I'm really bad at making dream casts... like nothing is coming to mind.
7. If your school were performing BatB which character would you want to play?
An extra who danced in the background at some point in time! I don't want any of the attention but I think it would be fun to be involved while maybe circling the couple at the end of the play.
8. Like Belle, do you enjoy reading books multiple times?
YEEES. I'm a serious rereader!!
9. If you were to write a retelling, what would you change?
I'd change the interpretation of "beast". Rather than make him animal like, I'd use repelling personal appearance to account for the "beast" aspect of the tale. For example, an infection of the skin, like what remains after small pox, a weak handshake like you might receive from a Charles Dickens villain, and perhaps something like unusual facial coloring. I'd do realistic disfigurements that might make the skin craw and would make difficult barriers to overcome for both the Beauty and the Beast. If the Beast was vain, it would change his idea of himself and the Beauty would have to see beyond the flaws.
10. Are roses your favorite flower?
Indeed!!
Yours truly,
Cordy
10. Are roses your favorite flower?
Indeed!!
Yours truly,
Cordy
Oh yes! I love Mrs. Potts!
ReplyDeleteIsn't she the best? :D
Delete5. LOVE THIS ANSWER!! What a creative idea. And it makes so much sense, too. Surely if you're one who likes to spend a lot of time looking out of windows it only stands to reason that you would be turned into a pair of drapes. :D
ReplyDelete9. That's what I've always wanted to do, too. Skip the animal aspect and just make the beast an ugly or deformed man. (YOU SHOULD WRITE THIS STORY, CORDY! :D) And by the way, I love how you pinpointed the essence of the story in that last sentence. Yes, indeed! The beast would learn to be more humble and the Beauty would learn to look beyond the outward appearance. That's a perfect theme for a story. :)
I was stumped by this question for so long--and then I looked out a window and I had my answer. Ha! I'm still wondering whether drapes are furniture...
DeleteThe animal aspect is too much for me. *shakes head* I can do without it. I've actually never considered writing the tale...huh. Well, maybe if I'm bored and have some spare time on my hands I'll attempt a short story on it or something. ;)
I think I need to read "Belle" as several bloggers have mentioned it. I adore "Beauty" by Robin McKinley, so I don't have hopes of it surpassing that. I feel like I may even have read or skimmed it before, but maybe not.
ReplyDeleteI like your changing of the beast (like in Beastly although that was a terrible version, sorry for the comparison). The beast aspect has disturbed me whenever I think about it too much, and I think that is why its not my fav story.
Maybe you should. And then you'll have to let me know what you thought of it. Really? I was bored to tears with "Beauty" (sorry) but that might have been because I'm not a huge fan of McKinley's writing style.
DeleteHaha, I think "Beastly" was doomed. I never saw it because I think if you take any story and bring it down to "modern" high school character level I'm not going to like it. B&tB is kind of an adult story, in that it needs the maturity of adults to pull off. Teens just don't have what it takes--and it's hard to take anything serious when it's happening with high school kids. Does that make sense? Oh, and did you read my post on mentally removing the beast aspect from the story?
What an interesting idea to have the beast be disfigured into something weak, instead of strong and "scary." Honestly, that would be so much harder to overcome, and more terrifying in many ways to the beast himself. I feel as though I have been exposed to many variants of Beauty and the Beast, but that is a new concept to me, and I quite like the way you're thinking!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Skyeler!
DeleteThe title song is also my favorite from the animated movie :-) Sometimes I sing it to my kids as a lullaby.
ReplyDeleteThat's so sweet! I wish I could sing. *sigh*
DeleteOh, I loved your answers! 5 and 9 especially; I like creative thoughtful answers to things. :) I very much agree.
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks Rae. :D What would you answer to #5? I had a fun time trying to work that out.
DeleteOooh, I don't know... If a piano counts as furniture, then that. :) Making music.
DeleteA piano TOTALLY counts! What a great idea!! I wonder if I turned into a piano if I would instantly know how to play...hmm. :)
DeleteMrs. Potts? That's cool. She is pretty sweet. :)
ReplyDeleteOooh, drapes. There is a good idea.
Yay re-readers! :)
I like that idea for the Beast. Would he change in the end, or would the resolution simply be Belle's accepting his physical flaw(s) and loving him anyway?
From the comments I'm receiving I suppose drapes do count. Yay! :)
DeleteYou know I've flip flopped. I didn't know whether I'd try and keep minimal magic involved so I'd keep the flaws or whether I'd have a "transformation" scene. I've imagined both scenarios but never considered them seriously as I've never actually created a detailed plot.
A local theater group was actually holding auditions for Beauty and the Beats recently....long story short, I tried out and got cast! (I got an ensemble "extra" part, which is what I wanted, like your said in your answer. :)) Unfortunately I had to turn it down for various reasons, but it was still a really great experience.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I just had to share that when I read your answer to #7. :)
Also, I want to read your retelling of The Beauty and the Beast!!! Have you read Melanie Dickerson's "The Merchant's Daughter"? It's a BatB retelling along those lines. The hero is disfigured from an accident instead of actually being a beast.
Too bad. :( That would have been so fun for you!! I hope you get another chance to be involved with a play. You're much braver than I. We have a local theatre and while I've said to myself I'd "have a good time"...I've NEVER auditioned.
Delete*Cordy questions how to answer the question* I have attempted to read many of Dickerson's books and "Merchant's Daughter" was among them. I just couldn't get into them. Her style seemed heavily detailed and just--heavy-handed in general. This is where you tell me she's your favorite author and I make a speedy trip to the library to try and change my opinion of her writing. Hahaha.
Thanks. :D Oh trust me, I wasn't brave at all. I mean, I DID it, but it was literally the scariest thing I've ever done in my life. :P I really credit God for getting me through; I could NOT have done it on my own!
DeleteYou should try it sometime! Trust me, after it's all said and done, it IS worth it. But yeah, preparing and actually getting up in front of everyone and singing is the worst. :/
Oh no, no, no, NO. Melanie Dickerson is certainly NOT one of my favorite authors! In fact, I can barely stand her books. "The Merchant's Daughter" and "The Captive Maiden" are the only two I've read that are tolerable for me. ;)
Trust me, I agree. I find her writing style difficult too, but it's most her characters and "romances" that drive me up the wall. :P Every heroine is SO sweet, every hero SO handsome, and every romance entirely too attraction based. And there's way too much kissing.
I could go on about this. :P
What gave you the idea to give it a shot in the first place? Was it a bucket-list type thing?
DeleteYa see, I'd die of fright before I got to the actual audition. For my safety and well-being I think I'll probably have to keep clear of them. ;D Haha. Oh, and NOOOO singing. Again, I must consider my health. ;P
HAHAHA! I'm SOO GLAD!! I was really worried that I was going to have to find at least one of her books to appreciate. You basically just explained my own thoughts about her. Haha. I feel like she tries to hard and all that sweetness just wears on a person.
Yeah, basically. I've always thought it'd be fun to be in a play, but I knew I had to actually try out before I'd ever have hope of being in on!
DeleteHahaha! That's exactly how I felt but...well, my family kind of convinced me and I AM glad I did it now. :)
Yes, exactly! "All that sweetness just wears on a person." Haha. So true.