People Category: Beauty and the Beast Cast

Elly Bryan is a 7th grader at BMS and a member of the Dance.tech Performing Arts Company. She enjoys dancing, singing, and acting. She is excited to be a part of SME’s production of Beauty and the Beast!

Meredith Hertweck is a rising senior at Blacksburg High School and is very excited to be a Featured Dancer/ Ensemble member in Beauty and the Beast. She has enjoyed being on stage since 2006 when she began dancing. Recently she has been in Annie Get Your Gun as well as Crazytown with BHS, and is a member of Thespian Troupe 3600.

McKinley Rorrer is a 2014 graduate of Christiansburg High School; and is currently a Senior at Radford University, where he is majoring in Elementary Education. While attending CHS, McKinley appeared in several plays including: “Civil War: The Musical”, “Neil Simon’s Rumors”, “Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells”, “Elvis People”, and “You Can’t Take it With You”. “Beauty and the Beast” marks McKinley’s third show with Summer Musical Enterprise, having previously appeared in “A Christmas Story: The Musical” and “The Music Man”. McKinley would like to thank his Mom and Dad, Marie and Michael Rorrer, for always supporting him in everything he does. He would also like to thank his family, friends, and all the cast and crew of “Beauty and the Beast”.

Lydia Gorzycki is excited to be performing in her first production with Summer Musical Enterprises. She has performed with Adaire Theatre in productions of Aladdin and The Jungle Book. She is 13 years old and enjoys playing soccer, singing, playing with her pets, hanging out with friends, and drama. She wants to thank her family, Eddie, and her friends for all their support and encouragement.

Anna Gibbs (Belle) is thrilled to be making her debut with Summer Musical Enterprise. Her favorite roles include playing Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, making appearances in several operas (Carmen and Hansel & Gretel), and spending 4 years on-stage in The Gift (which she stage-managed for following graduating from college). She has a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Virginia Tech. Anna is currently on staff with New Life Christian Fellowship (NLCF), a church and campus ministry at VT, where she enjoys leading worship, planning events, discipling “her girls,” and developing leaders. In her spare time, Anna enjoys reading, singing her heart out, and adventuring with her friends in Blacksburg.

Cecilia Crawford has been singing since age two, almost before she could talk. She has been in a number of previous productions, including The Three Feathers Opera when she was nine and several musicals with the Blacksburg Children’s Chorale. This is her first show with Summer Musical Enterprises, and she is excited to have the chance to perform in Beauty and the Beast.

Meredith G. Dabney (Silly Girl) loves the stage and is excited to be working with SME! Favorite credits include “A Very Potter Musical” (Roanoke Children’s Theatre), “School of Rock” (RCT), “Bus Stop” (Star City Playhouse), “Patchwork” (Mill Mountain Theatre), “Alice in Wonderland” (Wytheville Community College), “Jungle Book” (Twin Counties Arts Council), and “Aladdin” (Adaire Theatre). Recently, she completed several films including a major motion picture, due to be released in 2018. Meredith studies voice with Nancy Harder, dance at Sapphire Dance Center, and acting/musical theatre with Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio. When not singing, dancing, or acting, she enjoys rock climbing, reading, backpacking, soccer, fitness, cello, stage make-up, mime, and seeing how long she can hold a plank (her current personal best is 4.08 minutes…).

Elena Maddy (Silly Girl, Featured Dancer) is delighted to be making her debut with Summer Musical Enterprise. Recent credits include “Peter Pan and Wendy,” “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” and “High School Spoofical” with Narrows High School. She has also performed in various plays with Missoula Children’s Theatre. Elena is an upcoming junior at Narrows High School, in which she holds leadership roles in several clubs and is a member of the National Honor Society. She sings with the Glen Lyn Church of Christ choir and is a dancer with the Center of Dance in Blacksburg, Virginia. Elena likes to describe herself as “a ballerina with a mild Skid Row addiction!”

Benjamin Rorrer is excited to be in his third production with SME! He found his love of acting in his first show playing, “Charlie” in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and has been addicted to preforming ever since! He is currently a 6th Grader at DMS. He loves being on stage no matter the role! And looks forward to preforming and making memories with the cast of Beauty and the Beast!