Finding her inner Beauty

Charlotte Ulrich has been preparing for the stage since she was 8 years old, when she started taking voice lessons with Delight Belt.

“I’ve always loved singing,” she said. “I’ve been singing since I was 6 years old.”

Her years of hard work paid off this year when she got the part of Belle in Morris Community High School’s production of “Beauty and the Beast.” She loves the role that portrays a strong, young woman falling in love with an unexpected creature.

“I really love music and love being on the stage,” she said. “I tried out for Belle and Babette, but I really wanted Belle, because she’s Belle.”

While she listens to mostly pop, hip hop and rap, it’s musical theater tunes and classical music she normally sings. And like many, Ulrich grew up watching Disney movies.

While “Lion King” was her favorite, “Beauty and the Beast” was one she also enjoyed watching.  She recently watched the movie again to compare the character on the screen to the one she would play on the stage.

“It helps to watch the movie and see what Disney wanted to portray,” she said.

Her favorite part of the musical is the songs, including her two main ballad solos. The hardest part of performing in the musical for Ulrich is getting the timing right and memorizing all the lines. As a main character, she has many.

“Acting in general is harder, trying to find the right emotion and staying consistent,” she said. “Knowing all the lines is a challenge.”

Ulrich has performed in musicals all three years she has been at MCHS. This is her first time with the leading role. Still, of the three musicals, “Beauty and the Beast” is her favorite.

“This is the hardest to memorize, but it’s my favorite role,” she said.

And the experience has helped her to grow in her musical training.

“I’ve learned to use my belty, chest voice,” she said. “It’s a different type of song than I’m used to singing.”

Participating in musicals has also taught her dedication, considering the time needed between keeping up with her studies and perfecting her stage performance.“I’ve learned to multi task and how to balance school and musical,” she said.