LEVITTOWN, PA – “The show must go on” is a common phrase heard in show business, but it meant so much more to one show, and one actor, in particular. On March 5, 2025, at Carl Sandburg Middle School, students performed the first of four showings of the school’s production of “Beauty and the Beast JR.”

In some sequences, one young actor who could be seen as part of the company did all of his choreography in a wheelchair. The following night, he could be seen all throughout the production, too — only that night, he was wearing a large, blue robe and a beastly wig nearly covering his entire face.

The actor who portrayed the Beast during the Thursday and Saturday shows was Nate Kidd. Kidd is an eighth grader at Sandburg who had previously been in only company roles in the middle school’s musicals. “Beauty and the Beast JR” was the first time he auditioned for a lead role.  

“It was mainly between me, Kyle, and Landon on who was going to play Beast,” Kidd explained. “But Landon was able to play Lumiere, and me and Kyle got the Beast.” 

The show had been moving smoothly since rehearsals began in early January, but everything changed during a dress rehearsal on March 1 — just four days until the first show for audiences. Following the “Gaston” song, Kidd slipped backstage. “I was so scared,” Maggie Hartman, who played Mrs. Potts, stated. “People were saying that [the crew] were calling 911, which they did.” 

Following the incident, Kidd was rushed to the hospital, where they learned that his knee was broken. Many cast and crew members were unsure of his condition and whether or not he’d get to portray the title role. 

“At first, I wasn’t thinking about anything,” Kidd recounted. “It wasn’t until later that I realized I might not get to play Beast.”

Despite this, everyone wanted to find some way to get him to play the part. There was an outpouring of love from the community, from cast members to parents. 

“Everybody wore buttons of Nate’s face, and we made [Nate] sign all of them,”  Adelyn Marseglia, who played Belle described. The show’s directors, Rebecca Douglass and Eddie Taminini, were willing to do anything to get Kidd back on stage.

Kidd was unable to walk, but could use crutches if necessary. For his off-night, he was able to be wheeled around in a wheelchair. However, things needed to get a bit more creative for the nights he played Beast.

Dave Schaller, the father of Clare Schaller (who portrayed Belle the nights Kidd was Beast), stepped up. He had helped with the construction and design of prop and set pieces for the show, but what he did for Kidd was certainly unique.

The “Beastmobile”, as many have labeled it, is essentially a cart Kidd could be pushed around on. The front had a blanket of Beast fur draped over it, and crutches could be inserted on the side. For most of the show, Kyle Graves, who played the Beast during Kidd’s off-nights, was the one who pushed Kidd around due to his knowledge of where the Beast went on stage.

Despite only performing the full show following the injury once before the first performance in front of audiences, both shows went off without a hitch, and the Beastmobile added an extra layer of comedy and appreciation for the production. 

“I didn’t even know that many people cared about me that much,” Kidd said. “I gave a whole speech to everyone backstage to show how much I appreciated them.”

And so, with a magnificent community of cast members, directors, and parents, Kidd was given the spotlight, and as they say in show business, the show certainly went on.