Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Gets a Spectacular New Life at Broadway San Jose
Running now through/ September 13.
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Disney has done it again and then some. The new touring production of Beauty and the Beast, now at Broadway San Jose, is far and away the best production of this show I have ever seen and also, one of the most spectacular theatrical productions I've seen in years. I know it doesn't hurt that there's some seriously big Disney bucks behind the show, but talent is talent, so credit, where credit is due. The sheer production value is worth the price of admission: gorgeous sets, dazzling projections, extraordinary costumes, ingenious stage magic, a stellar orchestra and choreography that sometimes made me wonder how they were pulling it off even as I was watching it happen. More than mere structural support their stagecraft is the magic that brings the warm, funny and emotionally satisfying story of true love to life. Playing now through September 13, Broadway San Jose's Beauty and the Beast is a not-to-be-missed theatrical feast for children agains 9 to 99.
Most of us know the story. Belle (Kyra Belle Johnson) is the book-loving daughter of eccentric inventor Maurice (Aaron Kaburick), who longs for something more than life in her provincial French village where everyone considers her an oddity. But who needs books when the town's hyper-masculine, super hunky, low-IQ, beer bro Gaston (Caleb McArthur), wants you to become his wife? Belle. She wants more for herself than what Gaston and the village have to offer.
When her father becomes lost and imprisoned in an enchanted castle, Belle offers to take his place. Her captor is the Beast (Fergie L. Philippe), a young prince transformed long ago by an enchantress for his selfishness and cruelty. Everyone in his castle is under the same spell, and unless the Beast can learn to love another and earn that person's love in return, the transformation will become permanent.
That's the magical fairy tale and what director and choreographer Matt West and this remarkable creative team have done with it is pure theatrical magic.
West reaches joyfully into the history of American musical theater, with glorius tap sequences, big Broadway dancing and, yes, a kickline you can see coming a mile away and can't wait to see arrive. But nothing quite prepares you for "Be Our Guest." The number builds into an astonishing Busby Berkeley-inspirted extravaganza, complete with an overhead camera that allows us to watch the dancers form kaleidoscopic patterns from above. The extended applause, cheering and exclamations added to the excitement of the evening.
Lumiere (Danny Gardner), meanwhile, lit up the night for the adults. Let's just say there are some decidely enthusiastic hip thrusts that sailed happily over the heads of the children while the grownups knew exactly what was going on.
The visual world created by scenic designer Stanley A. Meyer is extraordinary, with his scenery and digital backdrops combining with Darrel Maloney's projection and video design and the gorgeous work of legendary lighting designer Natasha Katz. At times I couldn't tell where the physical scenery ended and the projections began. Ann Hould-Ward's costumes are sumptuous without turning the characters into theme-park versions of themselves, while Jim Steinmeyer's illusions produce some genuine "How did they do that?" moments. John Shivers' sound design allows all of this enormous spectacle to remain clear and musical.
And then there is the music itself. Alan Menken's score, with lyrics by the late Howard Ashman and additional lyrics by Tim Rice, sounds as wonderful as ever. Michael Kosarin's music supervision and arrangements and Danny Troob's orchestrations give conductor David Andrews Rogers and the orchestra the chance to deliver the big, lush Broadway sound this production deserves. Linda Woolverton, who wrote the screeplay for the animated film, also wrote the book for the stage musical.
All that theatrical wizardry wouldn't matter, however, if we didn't care about Belle and the Beast. And that's where this production surprised me most.
I've heard the "Belle has Stockholm syndrom" argument for years, and before seeing this production I tended to agree with it. But that's not the story we watched unfold onstage.
This Belle has agency. When the Beast frightens her, she leaves, despite her promise to remain in her father's place. Later, after their relationship changes, the choice becomes his. Belle needs to return to her father, and the Beast tells her that she hasn't been his captive for a long time. In saying this, he knows that he's condeming himself and everyone in the castle to remain under the spell forever.
He encourages her to go anyway.
That changes everything. Belle demonstrates her agency by leaving when she needs to leave. The Beast shows that he has learned to love her by reliquishing his power to keep her there. When Belle ultimately chooses him, it really is her choice.
Krya Belle Johnson brings intelligence, warmth and independence to Belle, while Fergie L. Philippe gives us a Beast who can be frightening but is also vulnerable, awkward and very funny. Caleb McArthur makes a terrific Gaston, find the comedy in his outrageous self-regard without losing the menace underneath it. Jasmine Pearl Villaroel plays Madame for the San Jose engagment while young Kanoa Edgar nearly steals the show as Chip, earning one of the biggest audience responses of the night.
And how do they make Chip's head float above that tea cart? I'm not telling you, partly because I don't know. Judging by all the people around us craning their necks trying to figure it out, neither did anyone else.
Amid all that spectacle though, one of the simplest things warmed my heart. Belle is still the girl who loves books. She's considered odd because she reads and dreams about a world larger than the one her village has chosen for her. Hunky Gaston can't understand why she bothers. The Beast eventually gives her something that matters deeply to her: his magnificent library.
There were little girls in yellow Belle dresses everywhere at Braodway San Jose. I couldn't help hoping they went home wishing for a library just like Belle's.
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