Review: An Enchanting BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Overture Center

Belle, in her bookish ways and reserved manner, was always a stand out princess of Disney's canon. Disinterested in being one of the aptly named "Silly Girls" who spend their idle time fawning over local hunk Gaston, she is a much different kind of Disney heroine.

In the case of the latest touring production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast (that is not actually produced by Disney, but by NETworks), with Brooke Quintana at the helm, those heroine qualities don't merely exist - they're expounded upon.

Framed with a picturesque, scenic trim straight out of a fairytale (designed by Stanley A. Meyer), audiences are taken to a France of a by-gone era (made clear by a pre-show announcement reminding spectators that cell phones don't exist in the period of the show).

Belle, who doesn't quite fit into her quaint town, desperately seeks adventure in the greater world that she's read about. When her Father Maurice (Thomas Mothershed) gets lost trying to get to a fair with his latest invention, he stumbles upon the Beast's castle and is taken prisoner. Belle goes in search of her Father and offers her life in exchange for his - which is how she finds herself living in a castle full of enchanted objects and the unsettling Stockholm Syndrome sets in.

Although, in this case, Belle often comes off less like a captive and more like a babysitter to an insufferable child.

Sam Hartley, who plays Beast, has plenty of remarkable moments throughout the show. He shines in his songs when both his emotional range and velvety vocal quality come through. But his temper tantrums, foot stomping, and bizarre childish behavior pegs Belle as more of a caretaker than a prisoner.

While Quintana, as Belle, is far from the shy girl audiences might expect. She has a quirky zeal and uprightness about her that makes her the heroine of her own fairytale. Unwilling to bow to the Beast from the get-go, she matter-of-factly declines his invitations to dinner. Quintana's well rounded vocal abilities suit her well in this production with familiar songs like "Something There" as well as songs that are original to the musical like the lovely "Home".

Christiaan Smith-Kotlarek, a Wisconsin native and UW-Madison alumnus, was clearly a fan favorite at curtain call with cheers filling Overture Hall. Smith-Kotlarek's portrayal of Gaston embraces the character's misogynistic, over the top attitude, but still brings different sides of the character to the table. Choreography by Matt West, for example, gives Gaston nuance for his song "Me". He, while alone with Belle, is able to drop a part of that manly man persona and traipses around the stage in his attempts to woo his lady love. Smith-Kotlarek also rivals Quintana and Hartley in pure vocal power - which all three possess to an impressive degree.

Other characters, however, perform with far less ease.

Ryan N. Phillips, although a confident Lumiere, is overwhelmed by the pit orchestra for the beginning of "Be Our Guest" and struggles to maintain a French accent throughout the production. Though that accent problem would be far less noticeable if Babette's (Melissa Jones) wasn't spot-on.

Like any show with a Disney association, Beauty and the Beast is a theatre spectacle. With set pieces that unfold to reveal different parts of the castle (a lot like a Polly Pocket circa 1992), to grand tapestries and decorative plates that are later revealed to be top hats - there is a lot to take in. Soaring melodies by Alan Menken and familiar lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice are constant reminders of the show's cinematic roots.

It may be a "tale as old as time", but the show's familiarity makes it feel more like an old friend.

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