Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST to Make French-Language Debut in Paris, October 2013

Producer and President of Disney Theatrical Productions, Thomas Schumacher and Stage Entertainment France, today announced that they will continue their ongoing producing partnership with the premiere of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which will make its debut in Paris, France on October 24th, 2013 at the Mogador Theatre, marking the first time the production will be performed in French.

With productions of The Lion King in Madrid and Hamburg, the national tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast in Spain, The Little Mermaid in Holland and Moscow and Tarzan also playing in Hamburg, the Paris production of Beauty and the Beast marks the seventh production currently running for partners Disney Theatrical Productions and Stage Entertainment. This also marks the second production the partners produced together in France, with The Lion King's successful 2007-2010 run, having played to over 1.3 million visitors.

Disney Theatrical Productions, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, was formed in 1994 and operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. Worldwide, its eight Broadway titles have been seen by over 124 million theatergoers, grossed over $8.9 billion and have cumulatively run a staggering 195 years. With 15 productions currently produced or licensed, a Disney musical is being performed professionally somewhere on the planet virtually every hour of the day.

The company's inaugural production, Beauty and the Beast, opened in 1994. It played a remarkable 13 year run on Broadway and has been produced in 28 countries worldwide. In November 1997, Disney opened The Lion King, which received six 1998 Tony Awards including Best Musical and is now the highest grossing show in Broadway history. The show continues in its 16th smash year, having welcomed over 68 million visitors worldwide. The Lion King can also currently be seen on tour across North America, the U.K., and Japan, and in London's West End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid and Sao Paulo.

Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida opened on Broadway next, winning four 2000 Tony Awards, and spawning productions around the world. Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, opened in London in 2004 and established itself as one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge in recent years. The Tony Award-winning Broadway production played more than six years at Disney's New Amsterdam Theatre and can now be seen on tour across North America and in Mexico City.

Tarzan, which opened on Broadway in 2006, is now an international hit with an award-winning production in its 6th year in Germany. In January 2008, The Little Mermaid opened on Broadway and was the #1-selling new musical of that year. Its success continues with three new productions around the world: Holland, Russia and Japan.

Two new critically acclaimed productions opened on Broadway in 2012, receiving seven Tony Awards between them: Newsies, in its second year at the Nederlander Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher, now playing at New World Stages.

Other successful stage musical ventures have included King David in concert, the national tour of On The Record, several touring versions of Disney's High School Musical, and Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin.

In addition, DTP licenses stage performance rights to more than a dozen Disney musicals around the world through Music Theatre International.

Its new musical, Aladdin, will open in Toronto in fall 2013.