In May, Socorro High School's theater stage transformed into a world filled with talking teacups and an enchanted castle as students from Ernesto Serna Fine Arts Academy performed Disney's "Beauty and the Beast Jr.," engaging audiences with important lessons on kindness and acceptance.

“It was great!” said Frida Quintero, a fourth grader at Loma Verde Elementary School. “My favorite part is where he turned into a human again.”

The 60-minute musical was based on the 1991 film “Beauty and the Beast” and featured classic songs from the Academy Award®-winning film score, such as “Be Our Guest” and “Belle,” as well as original songs from the 1994 Tony®-nominated Broadway musical.

The cast featured students from kindergarten through eighth grade who spent months rehearsing music and choreography and memorizing their lines.

Among the performers was Natalie Porras, a seventh grader at the school, who played Belle, the intelligent, book-loving protagonist who falls in love with the Beast and breaks the enchanted spell.

Although she had previously appeared in the school’s productions of “Aladdin Jr.” and “Moana Jr.,” this was her first starring role.

“It was really different because I've never been like a lead role. And it was really exciting because Belle is one of my favorite Disney princess characters. And I feel like I relate to her so much because I like to read,” Porras said. “I've just liked her ever since I was little. And I've just felt like I was her. And I really enjoyed it. And I'm really happy that I had the opportunity to play her.”

Michelle Gandara, the school’s theater arts teacher, said the Disney classic was selected not only for its popularity but also for its positive message and unique characters.

“It has a beautiful message. It has beautiful fantasy characters, and it allows children to use their imagination,” Gandara said. “And if they're familiar with the animation or the film, the show is special because it includes different songs, and our children bring their personal characteristics to the characters, so it feels fresh and new.”

The Ernesto Serna Fine Arts Academy opened in the 2023–2024 school year and is one of only two elementary fine arts academies in the Socorro Independent School District and the El Paso area. Along with the Paso del Norte Fine Arts Academy, it offers students specialized instruction in dance, music, visual arts and theater while also providing a full elementary curriculum.

Productions like "Beauty and the Beast Jr." give students the opportunity to showcase the skills they have developed in the school's fine arts programs while allowing families and community members to see the creativity and talent being developed in the classroom and on stage.

This year's production included a live student orchestra performing the play's opening score. Eighth-grader Zoe Campos, a violinist in the orchestra, said the experience was fun.

“We've been stressing out a little bit about the songs, but I feel like we pulled it together,” Campos said.

Behind the scenes, parents, teachers and volunteers donated their talents and time to create a professional-quality show by painting murals, constructing sets, creating props and sewing costumes.

Eighth-grader Javier Beltran, who played the Beast, credited the theater program for helping him discover a talent he never knew he had. He previously played Aladdin in “Aladdin Jr.” and Maui in “Moana Jr.” He plans to continue performing at Socorro High School when he starts his freshman year this fall.

“I didn't even know I had this talent until sixth grade. And I'm like, there's this play. I'm like, sure, I'll try out. I got cast. I did it. I'm like, ‘Hey, I kind of liked it!’ So that really grew my passion for theater,” Beltran said.

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Ernesto Serna Fine Arts Academy ‘Beauty and the Beast Jr.’ event photos