Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast is the story of a prince who is magically transformed into a hideous beast by an old witch. In order to break the spell, he must learn to love and be loved. Based on the classic film, this stage version of Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast includes several new songs by Alan Menken and Time Rice including "No Matter What", "Me", "Home", "How Long Must This Go On?", "If I Can't Love Her", "Maison des Loon", and "Transformation". The score also includes "Human Again," a song originally written by Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman for the film version of Beauty and the Beast, but never used. When Disney CEO Michael Eisner saw Paige O'Hara (Belle) and Jerry Orbach (Lumiere) perform musical highlights from Beauty and the Beast as part of an awards presentation in New York City, he knew that audiences would embrace a live stage version ofthe film. He turned to producer W. McTyre, director Robert Roth and scenic designer Stan Meyer who immediately set out to find a way to translate Beauty and the Beast to the Broadway stage. With the help of costumedesigner Ann Hould-Ward, they soon determined how best to make the enchanted objects from the film instantly recognizable withouth impairing the actors' movements, but they were still stumped when it came to recreating onstage such effects as the Beast's mystical transformation back into a prince. For this, they turned to John Gaughan and Jim Steinmeyer who had designed illusions for magicians David Copperfield and Siegfried & Roy. Beauty and the Beast opened at the Palace Theatre on April 18, 1994.It featured all of the characters from the film including Belle, Maurice, Gaston, Lumiere, and Mrs. Potts. Hould-Ward was awarded a 1994 Tony Award for "Best Costume Design" for her work on the musical.

Theater Troupe Extends Show’s Run
7/29/2005
By DAVE LAVENDER - The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON - Huntington Outdoor Theatre is going where it’s never gone before - intoa fourth weekend.

"We’ve never done one show for four weeks, so this is a new thing and testing the water," Freeman said. "But if any show can do it, Disney can bring it - if you do it right."

H.O.T., now in its 12th season, has taken measures to do it right with a full slate of seasoned actors, a set designed by Steven Freeman, an orchestra conducted by Mark Smith and the most expensive costuming in the company’s history.

Freeman said hats and wigs are off to Akron Design & Costume Co of Akron, OH, Magic Makers of Huntington and costume manager Jeanette Bills and her crew for the extensive costume work.

"The one thing we have heard over and over again is that the show is AMAZING," Freeman said. "It is the best one we have ever done, and this one is just set apart by the costumes."

Although it’s hard to tell if the Beast is getting a bit misty-eyed through the mask, Hardiman said everyone in the tight-knit cast has mixed emotions about the show coming to a close.

"It’s going to be sad," Hardiman said. "We were at a rehearsal for the tribute to Clint McElroy’s wife, and we were all talking about the show ending, and we’re not glad. This is magic. How else do you get to do a Disney show that has been on Broadway for 10 years? And we were one of the first theater companies in the region to do it.

"This is one of those opportunities that you’re waiting for and that you dream of doing."