Review: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at ASU Gammage

Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the perfect love story for the whole family. This adaptation of the 1991 film is an exciting take on the story that brings the magic of the story to the stage. Its blend of comedy, elaborate design, and captivating music brings something for any viewer.

The musical follows the classic storyline, Beast (Fergie L. Philippe) is cursed to be a monster, as are his servants, who are turned into household objects. To break the curse, he must fall in mutual love with someone. Meanwhile, Belle (Kyra Belle Johnson) is considered peculiar by the townsfolk and yearns for something more in life and a companion who truly understands her. She is pursued by the egotistical hunter Gaston (Stephen Mark Lukas) for her beauty. When her father, Maurice (Kevin Ligon), gets lost in the woods and shelters from wolves at the Beast’s castle, he is taken as a prisoner by the Beast. Belle agrees to take her father’s place, where she meets Beast’s servants: Cogsworth (Michael Dikegoros at the performance I attended), Lumiere (Danny Gardner), and Mrs. Potts (Kathy Voytko). The servants guide the pair as Beast tries to break the curse, and the pair fall in love.

The musical uses songs from the original film, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, along with some new additions. The songs from the original film were the strongest part of the musical. Although the new additions are excellent, they do not rise to the same level as the classic songs from the film. A major reason for this is that additions occasionally make the pacing of the story feel a bit slow or off. These additions add length to the story, but not depth. Despite this, the performances were still great. The entire cast is full of talent and brought the characters to life perfectly. 

The casting was great. Kyra Belle Johnson was the perfect Belle. Her singing was excellent, and her portrayal of the character perfectly captured Belle’s kind yet strong nature. Her chemistry with Fergie L. Philippe was good. Watching the two fall in love was very sweet. Philippe’s performance as Beast was well-balanced. He was intimidating and monstrous at points, but his sweeter side and comedic timing were there as well. His comedic scenes often had the audience in stitches. Gaston and his lackey Lefou (Harry Francis) were perhaps the funniest part of the musical. Stephen Mark Lukas’ portrayal of Gaston had a great energy that the crowd adored. Francis’s physicality and vocal tone as Lefou were great. Together, Lukas and Francis make the perfect comedic duo that audiences cannot help loving.

The dance performances in the show were incredible. There is a perfect mix of slower romantic dance sequences and energetic group numbers. Many dance styles are used, including styles used in cabaret, which was a major highlight of the performance.

Design is a crucial part of the magic of the show. Because the show must bring the Beast and actors portraying household objects to life, the costumes are no easy feat. Costume Designer Ann Hould-Ward did an amazing job bringing the characters to life with her own unique spin. All the furniture costumes made it clear what object each performer was portraying without hindering the actors’ performances. The Beast’s costuming, in combination with David H. Lawrence’s work as hair and makeup design, was just enough to make the actor look monstrous without going overboard into something busy or overambitious. Hould-Ward’s understanding of costuming under stage lighting was perfect and made many of the costumes, like the iconic gold dress, feel magical.

There were many elements of scenic design. While there are physical parts to the sets, there is a lot of projection by projection designer Darrel Maloney. Many of the backdrops in the show are projections, and the design feels heavily reliant on their use. Despite the reliance on these projections, some of the moments with the projections, like the scenes in the woods, are very enjoyable and are elevated using projection. The set pieces that are present, by scenic designer Stanley A. Meyer, looked great. Meyer’s take on the castle set pieces was beautiful and felt like a fresh take that still appreciated the classic art styles and aesthetics behind the story.

Families and Disney fans will have a lot of fun with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. The story is undeniably something truly special, and seeing it brought to life on stage makes for a grand time.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST plays at ASU Gammage through July 3rd.

Venue: ASU Gammage -- https://www.asugammage.com/ -- 1200 S. Forest Avenue, Tempe, AZ 480-965-3434

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Need more Phoenix Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...