After an almost-two-year hiatus, Kerikeri’s Stage Door theatre company is returning next month with a classic tale of spells, songs and the power of love to conquer outward appearances.

With a 70-strong cast and crew, Beauty and the Beast will be the first large-scale theatre production hosted by the Turner Centre since July last year.

While the story has its origins in a fairytale penned in 1756, Stage Door’s version is based on the 1991 Academy Award-winning animated Disney film.

Director Miriam Collins said the production would run over two weekends, from September 2-10, to give as many people as possible a chance to enjoy the show.

“We’re all absolutely chomping at the bit to be back on the stage, entertaining a large audience again. We’re putting everything we’ve got into making it a truly magical show for all the family and having a lot of fun at the same time,” she said.

The tale centres on Belle, played by Hannah Collins, who is fed up with small-town life and constantly trying to fend off the advances of her suitor, the pompous Gaston.

The Beast, performed by Luca Bocock, is a handsome prince transformed by a witch’s spell into a hideous creature and forced to hide away in his castle.

When chance brings the two together, Belle is thrown into a strange world where enchanted objects come to life, and where the terrifying beast who imprisons her is not at all what he seems.

Collins, 17, is passionate about musical theatre and has been performing on stage since she was 10. She plans to study at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts in Christchurch next year.

Bocock, also 17, discovered a love for drama while performing in the Stage Door’s production of The Wizard of Oz. Since then he has pursued drama at Kerikeri High School and a range of community productions.

True to the Disney version, the stage show features characters who transform from everyday objects, like Mrs Potts the teapot (played by Sue Gillard), Lumiere the Candelabra (played by Joe Howells), and Cogsworth the clock (played by Amandeep Nanua).

Beauty and the Beast fans will be pleased to know all the well-known songs are included, along with some extra numbers that were destined for the animation but missed the cut.

The actors’ intensive rehearsal schedule includes singing under the guidance of professional coach Tania Priebs, acting and characterisation coaching from Wendy Irvine, and choreography with Sherri Philpot, of Dance Vibes.

Kylie Penn, of the Magic Play House, is part of the creative team designing and building the set and the complex costumes for the magical objects.

Tickets are available from the Turner Centre box office and iTicket.