Linda Woolverton News

Two musicals which first firmly planted their roots in Chicago around 15 years ago achieved great acclaim on Broadway and elsewhere, and yet have never been far from our stages or our consciousness in Chicago. Both are about race relations in earlier times, and both continue to resonate with great success here. And both have received superior productions recently at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Fort Worth as part of Broadway at the Bass.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center as part of the M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Fox Cities Series. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life onstage at March 29 - April 3, 2011. For information on the production, visit BeautyAndTheBeastOnTour.com.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash-hit Broadway musical, is coming to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center as part of the M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Fox Cities Series.

Variety has revealed an extremely large slate of productions in development by Disney Theatrical Productions for potential Broadway and regional bows.

'Tale as old as time' nails the complex simplicity of Beauty and the Beast the quintessential story of true love, the most difficult to obtain and sustain. Disney's adaptation of the fairy tale with its sweepingly imaginative spectacle wins over even the hardest of hearts. The animated film was such a tremendous hit in 1991 that it was adapted for the stage in 1994 with new songs by Tim Rice added to the Academy Award-winning movie score originally written by deceased Howard Ashman. It ran worldwide until 2007 and proves undoubtedly that fairy tales retain a popularity that never dies. The current revival tour of Beauty and the Beast, now at the Pantages until March 27, is every bit as glorious, delectable and elegant as the original.

The award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, presented by NETworks, will enjoy its first major Los Angeles engagement in 15 years when it comes to Hollywood's Pantages Theatre for a limited 3 week engagement, March 9 - 26, 2011.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash-hit Broadway musical, is coming to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center as part of the M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Fox Cities Series.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center as part of the M&I Bank Broadway Across America - Fox Cities Series. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life onstage at March 29 - April 3, 2011. For information on the production, visit BeautyAndTheBeastOnTour.com.

'We are thrilled to bring back the award-winning smash hit Broadway musical, Disney's Beauty and the Beast,' states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. 'Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from January 12-16, 2011.

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to the VAN WEZEL PERFORMING ARTS HALL on Mon., Tues. & Wed. February 7, 8, & 9 at 7:00 p.m.

'We are thrilled to bring back the award-winning smash hit Broadway musical, Disney's Beauty and the Beast,' states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. 'Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from January 12-16, 2011.

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Miami as part of the BROADWAY IN MIAMI 2010 2011 season, presented by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, Broadway Across America-Miami and presenting sponsor Bank of America. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on the stage of the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center from December 28, 2010 to January 2, 2011, with a special New Year's Eve performance on December 30 at 6:30 p.m.

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Miami as part of the BROADWAY IN MIAMI 2010 2011 season, presented by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, Broadway Across America-Miami and presenting sponsor Bank of America. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on the stage of the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center from December 28, 2010 to January 2, 2011, with a special New Year's Eve performance on December 30 at 6:30 p.m.

Ohio State Theatre returns to the Southern to present the Tony Award-winning, pop-rock musical Aida, with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and direction by Jimmy Bohr. Based on the book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, this contemporary take on a classic love story tells the tale of a forbidden love between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier forced to face death or part forever. Together, they set a shining example of true devotion that ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between their warring nations, heralding a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to the Orange County Performing Arts Center November 16 - 21. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage in Segerstrom Hall for a one-week-only engagement.

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Miami as part of the BROADWAY IN MIAMI 2010-2011 season, presented by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, Broadway Across America-Miami and presenting sponsor Bank of America. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on the stage of the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center from December 28, 2010 to January 2, 2011, with a special New Year's Eve performance on December 30 at 6:30 p.m.

Based on the 1991 hit movie musical masterpiece--the first animated feature film to ever score a Best Picture Oscar® nomination--Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST went on to become a hit stage musical as well, ushering a new, successful theatrical arm for the studio. That original 1994 Broadway production eventually garnered nine Tony Award nominations and played on for more than 5,000 performances before finally closing in 2007. Now revived in a newer, noticeably less extravagant touring production mounted by NETworks Presentations (on stage this week at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through November 21), the show's latest incarnation, despite its lively characters and still memorable music, feels less magical than its more Disney-esque origins.

Ohio State Theatre returns to the Southern to present the Tony Award-winning, pop-rock musical Aida, with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and direction by Jimmy Bohr. Based on the book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, this contemporary take on a classic love story tells the tale of a forbidden love between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier forced to face death or part forever. Together, they set a shining example of true devotion that ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between their warring nations, heralding a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to the Orange County Performing Arts Center November 16 - 21. Produced by NETworks Presentations, this elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage in Segerstrom Hall for a one-week-only engagement.