Review: Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Presented by Broadway Across America at Kentucky Performing Arts

Beauty and the Beast undoubtedly has a very important place in Broadway history. For Disney Theatricals, it was the show that started it all, and proved that there was an appetite on Broadway for family fare. It opened in 1994 and was wildly successful; running until 2009 and having various tours and international productions ever since. Now, all these years later, the show is back out on the road in a brand new equity tour.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become a bit jaded - Disney on Broadway generally just isn’t my cup of tea. To be completely honest, I went into this show expecting to leave with a lukewarm attitude at best. However, I am delighted to report that this new production melted this jaded critics cold heart. Times are incredibly difficult right now, for everyone it seems, and I didn’t know that a little dose of Disney Magic would have such an uplifting effect on me.

The plot (for anyone living under a rock) is quite simple. A pure hearted and smart village girl named Belle (Kyra Belle Johnson) ventures into the woods to save her elderly father who has been taken prisoner by a cursed Beast (Fergie L. Philippe). She trades her life for his and slowly falls in love with the cursed prince.

The cast is vocally very strong, Johnson’s Belle is truly wonderful. She has the tenderness yet fiery nature of the character, and her voice (especially in the 11 o’clock number “Change In Me”) was stunning. Philippe’s Beast was also great. In a big surprise to me, he found many wonderful comedic moments, and the act one closer “If I can’t love her” was a highlight as well. Caleb McArthur who was on as Gaston was smarmy and very funny. He made a perfect villian. Other standouts for me included Kathy Voytko as Mrs. Potts and Holly Ann Butler as Madame. Voytko’s Mrs. Potts was tender and endearing, delivering the title number gracefully and gorgeously. Butler’s Madame was a comedic highlight. She was incredibly funny to watch and always a welcome addition to any scene she appeared in. I also must say I quite respect the easter egg of having Angela Lansbury imortalized in a delightful and heartwarming way.

The set was the one weak point for me. It works well enough, but the actual pieces are sparse and a lot of the work is done via projection which isn’t my favorite. The costumes were gorgeous, with many fun changes that felt fresh but still very much a homage to the Disney original.

I was truly delighted by this one. It truly filled my heart and brought me to tears. This is a great entry point into theatre for kids and adults alike, a tried and true crowd pleaser.

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Running Now - March 15th

Whitney Hall at Kentucky Performing Arts