Review: DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Broadway At The Hobby Center

The current BEAUTY AND THE BEAST tour is a celebration of the Broadway musical’s 30th anniversary, and a chance for director and choreographer Matt West and book writer Linda Woolverton to revisit a stage version they have been working on since it all began in Houston during 1993. It’s a homecoming, and Houston audiences are getting a sneak peek of what a possible Broadway revival might look like. You can always count on Disney to push the limits of technology, and this performance is dazzling on so many levels. Old school stagecraft meets digital imaging, and the large production numbers will blow you away. This tale may be as old as time, but it has found new life. The only word I could think of to describe it is 'magical.' 

Fans of the original 1994 show will notice new additions or expansions. “Be Our Guest” is the climax of Act One, and it now incorporates a joyous, entire-company tap routine that recalls the magic of old-school classic musicals. Ever see plates do a Ziegfeld follies number? Every scene feels bigger, more filled out, and epic in scale. Belle has more spunk, and she’s more embracing of her books, and the Beast seems more gentle and aware of her. Songs have been restructured and, in some cases, omitted altogether for a streamlined narrative. It has a fresher feel for today’s world in general in every aspect - acting, singing, dancing, and design. The changes work for this one. 

Kyra Belle Johnson plays Belle (must be weird using her real middle name in a show), and she captures the spirit of what Belle was always intended to be, a different sort of Disney Princess. She’s beautiful, she sings gorgeously, but she also embraces her intellect, and knows that makes her not so provincial. Beauty is as much the oddball and outcast as the Beast, and she even admits that to herself and others. It’s a nicely nuanced performance, and Kyra is perfect for bringing real-world elements into the fairy tale. Appropriately, Fergie L. Philippe works the same grounding magic for his Beast. Man, this guy has a wonderfully natural singing voice that comes out of the actor so easily. He knows when to go over the top and when to pull back in all of his acting scenes, and he’s really handsome as both the Beast and the final Prince. Together, these two make a wonderful Beauty and Beast. 

Stephen Mark Lukas chews the scenery as Gaston, and his voice is as big as his biceps throughout his numbers. He’s got the comic timing down and fills out his costume nicely. Julian Marcus De Guzman was a hoot as Lefou, Gaston’s faithful wingman. Danny Gardner brings a surprisingly sultry sense to Lumiere. He has a smoldering presence that matches the literal flames that magically appear from his hands. Cameron Monroe Thomas matches him as a flirtatious feather duster. Javier Ignacio creates a cute and precise Cogsworth. Kathy Voytko sings the heck out of the titular song while portraying Mrs. Potts. Levi Blaise Coleman steals any scene he is in as Chip, and somehow crams himself into tables and still manages to sing like a pro. The ensemble comprises an array of truly wonderful dancers. I really was impressed with each of the production numbers, because the technical aspects of the dances were impressive. We even get to see Houston native Darrell T. Joe return to Houston stages in the ensemble!   

Technically, you won't find a more well-run and dazzling production traveling the country. Stanley A. Meyer and Darrell Maloney combine the scenery with digital projections to take Thomas Schumacher’s 90s work into today. It’s all so seamless that you will have a hard time deciphering what is actually onstage and what is a projection. Jim Steinmeyer is credited with creating illusions, and they are indeed a marvel. Costumes have been reimagined by Ann Hould-Ward, paying homage to the classic aesthetic while updating some of the looks. The Beast's new leather coat is amazing! Disney always finds ways to innovate, and they do so always in service to the narrative. You and your kids are going to be amazed at what they pull off onstage. 

The only minor drawback to BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is that it does run long. The original animated film, released in 1991, was eighty-four minutes, and its live-action remake ran for two hours and nine minutes. This stage version remains the longest iteration of the story, clocking in at two hours and thirty minutes, along with the intermission. Some of the youngest audience members got a little fidgety at times, but the show is certainly great for children; just be aware of how long they will need to sit. An 8 pm curtain means getting out after 10:30 pm.  

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST has the distinction of being the first staged musical for Disney, and it remains one of the best to get this treatment. This new tour triumphantly amps up the tech, brings in great musical performers for the leads, and raises the bar on the dancing with the ensemble. It’s something to behold, and I can’t imagine anyone not having a wonderful time revisiting this story of two oddballs finding each other in a fairy tale setting.