What It's About: Now a beloved classic, "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" is an enchanting fairy tale brought to vibrant life with a colorful cast of characters, luxurious sets and costumes, and captivating songs by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, with new lyrics by Tim Rice. The national tour, now playing at the Fox Theatre, is as lavish as a stage production as can be. The spunky Belle, in typical Disney princess mold, has a sweet nature, thirst for adventure and strong nightingale voice. She resists, then falls for the tortured Beast, a once-arrogant prince who is cursed to remain a hideous creature until he learns what love is.
Setting: A European village, forest and castle
Performances: Knowing that the audience will be composed of many families, especially young ladies, the comical supporting characters play their parts very broadly, almost like they are doing vaudeville. Logan Denninghoff is the over-the-top buffoon Gaston while Belleville native Andrew Kruep is a nimble bumbling sidekick with crackerjack timing. Scene-stealer Lumiere is a jolly Michael Haller, with his buddy Cogsworth a comically fussy James May, and a jocular Christopher Spencer is the eccentric inventor dad Maurice. Julia Louise Hosack is a fine-voiced Mrs. Potts, with whoever played Chip opening night (Jordan Moore or Noah Jones) cute as a button. The leading duo -- petite Emily Behny as Belle and tall Dane Agostinis as the Beast -- are the lynchpins and impressive in both acting and singing. Heightening the inevitable romance, they display an easy chemistry together.
What Works: The bold splashy musical numbers "Belle," "Gaston," and "Be Our Guest" are visual and aural treats, with crisp vivacious choreography. The showstopping solos "Home" and "If I Can't Love Her" are appropriately heart-tugging. The special effects are carried off with great aplomb, and the cast doesn't appear to have a weak link. The production values emphasize the timeless fantasy that has entertained audiences, for 20 years -- first as an exceptional animated feature, then as a crowd-pleasing stage musical.
What Doesn't Work: A small cast mugs for the audience, so if you are expecting the massive razzle-dazzle of a Muny production, it's not -- a much smaller scale. Still, it is well-staged and zippily moves along. The characters are all stock fairy tale types given the typical Disney makeover, so they are not breaking any kind of new ground with their safe characterizations.
Does the Ending Work: Absolutely -- with gorgeous costumes and the comforting conclusion that love conquers all.
