Beauty and the Beast

The story of the wicked witch turning a prince into a beast (and his staff into household objects) who can only be returned to his princely state by learning to love and be loved has been with us since the eighteenth century. Beauty and the Beast is the stage version of the Walt Disney animated film with five new songs by Menken and Tim Rice. Howard Ashman (Little Shop of Horrors), who had written the lyrics for the film score, died in 1991. If it is at all possible for humans to resemble cartoon characters, the actors resemble their cartoon versions with some degree of success. Terrence Mann as the Beast, Susan Egan as Belle, Tom Bosley as her father, Beth Fowler as the teapot, Burke Moses as Gaston (who wants to win Belle), and Gary Beach as the candelabra all struggle through the padding and claws and other assorted effects gamely. During the run, Jeff McCarthy succeeded Terrence Mann; Marc Kudisch replaced Burke Moses; Lee Roy Reems succeeded Gary Beach; Sara Uriarte replaced Susan Egan; and Cass Morgan replaced Beth Fowler.

"Beauty and the Beast changed the face of Broadway.": the show's own period marketing line.

Music

Alan Menken

Lyrics

Howard Ashman and Tim Rice (asterisk designates lyrics by Rice)

Book

Linda Wolverton