A Vancouver artist with Down Syndrome will be back in front of theatre audiences this spring. Niall McNeil will direct and perform in Beauty and the Beast: My Life. He also created the show, which will be at the Cultch’s Historic Theatre from March 28 to April 6.
“Part fantasy, part reality, with huge dollops of whimsy, Beauty and the Beast: My Life transports audiences into a vibrant realm that references Disney and Cocteau but charts its own unique narrative path through Niall’s experiences and multi-faceted art practice,” the Cultch said in an announcement this week.
McNeil previously performed in and co-wrote two award-winning productions: Peter Panties (2011) and King Arthur’s Night (2017). For these shows, his collaborator was playwright and director Marcus Youssef. In addition, McNeil celebrated his “family tree” of blood and chosen relatives in a clever 2022 National Film Board documentary, Lay Down Your Heart, which was directed by Marie Clements.
Beauty and the Beast: My Life marks McNeil’s directorial debut.
He is joined by some highly talented Vancouver artists. Billy Marchenski is choreographer of Beauty and the Beast: My Life, as well as a creative collaborator and performer. The other creative collaborators and performers are Sophia Mai Wolfe, Kate Franklin, and Peter Anderson.
Meanwhile, East Van musician and theatre maker Veda Hille is the show’s composer; Itai Erdal is the lighting designer; and Debbie Patterson is the director mentor.
The Cultch will present Beauty and the Beast: My Life at the Historic Theatre from March 28 to April 6. For tickets, visit the Cultch website. Follow Pancouver on X @PancouverMedia and Bluesky @pancouver.bsky.social. Find Pancouver on Instagram @PancouverMedia.
