Touring Together: Danny Gardner and Emily Larger on Parenting and Performing in Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Disney's Beauty and the Beast continues to enchant audiences across the country with its dazzling production, unforgettable score and beloved characters. As the national tour makes its way to San Diego from July 7 - 12, 2026, audiences can look forward not only to the timeless tale as old as time, but also to the talented performers who bring its iconic characters to life eight times a week.

Among them are married performers Danny Gardner and Emily Larger, whose life on tour extends far beyond the stage. The couple travels the country with their one-year-old son, Jack, and their dog, documenting their adventures along the way through their Instagram account @4.in.a.forester, while balancing performances and family life.

BroadwayWorld caught up with the duo to talk about dream roles, wearing multiple hats backstage and what it's really like raising a family on the road. 

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Danny Gardner stars as Lumière, the castle's charming maître d', in Disney's Beauty and the Beast national tour. His Broadway credits include Dames at Sea, A Christmas Carol and Flying Over Sunset, in addition to national tours of White Christmas and 42nd Street. Now, Gardner steps into one of Disney's most beloved roles, bringing warmth, humor and plenty of showmanship to the enchanted castle each night.

What have you enjoyed most about stepping into Lumière's shoes night after night?

I have loved this character since I saw the animated feature back in 1991. He’s so full of life and love and “light” that he is just irresistible. Getting to perform “Be Our Guest” eight times a week is so much fun, and the new choreography is absolutely a joy to perform. It’s really a dream come true!

How have you found ways to bring your own personality to the role while still honoring such an iconic character?

I tried to pay homage to the performers who played Lumière before me by learning as much as I could about their performances. However, once we started the show, I just tried to be in the moment and act honestly with the other actors in the cast.

You and Emily have built a unique life on the road with your toddler and your dog, sharing the experience through @4.in.a.forester. How has becoming a parent changed the way you approach touring and performing?

Emily and I both toured before we were married and would find fun bars and touristy places to go to with the entire cast. Now, after the show is over, we go home to bed! We have to be morning people to spend time with Jack! Instead of cool bars, we find local playgrounds, libraries, museums and hikes along the way so the whole family can enjoy the trip. Touring with a family has also been a lot more about logistics and spreadsheets. Keeping track of childcare, travel, housing, vet visits and doctor visits can be a lot. But putting in that work means we get to see the country with our family and do what we love to do!

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Emily Larger is an ensemble member, Assistant Dance Captain and understudy for both Mrs. Potts and Madame in Disney's Beauty and the Beast national tour. Her previous credits include the national tours of Elf and The 39 Steps, as well as regional productions of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Billy Elliot, Cabaret and A Chorus Line. Balancing multiple responsibilities onstage and behind the scenes, Emily brings a unique perspective to the production—one shaped by both her versatility as a performer and her newfound motherhood. 

You're wearing several hats on this tour—as a performer, Assistant Dance Captain, and understudy for both Mrs. Potts and Madame. How do you balance those responsibilities, and what have you learned about the show from seeing it from so many different perspectives?

It’s actually my preference to wear a lot of hats—especially on a long contract! I love the feeling of using as many of my skills as possible and usually learn one part by learning the whole picture, whether it’s my responsibility to know the whole picture or not, which is why I’m often an understudy or swing.

I went into rehearsal five and a half weeks postpartum, and though I was not the most rested or clear-headed I’ve ever been by any means, my brain rose to the occasion to learn my ensemble track as well as Mrs. Potts and Madame. I took on the responsibility of Assistant Dance Captain later in the year. Thankfully, I was joining a strong team with Michael Seltzer as our Dance Captain. I’m able to find balance and leave work at work largely due to how well Seltzer and I work together.

Your family's journey on tour offers an honest look at life behind the curtain. What's one misconception people have about raising a young child while touring that you'd love to set straight?

I think the biggest misconception is that it’s not possible at all! It definitely is!

I also understand how people think touring with a child would be a very unstable life. Strangely enough, a tour like this is one of the most stable jobs in our industry. And although we change places often, we end up having more time with Jack than we would otherwise. His stability comes from knowing he’s with us and that he’s safe and loved, whether we’re in a hotel in Chicago, a house in Memphis, on a hike in the Wisconsin Dells or on a Duck Boat in Boston. I think it’s reinforced for all of us that being together is more important than anything else.

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Now that we've learned more about each of them, here's how Danny and Emily make it all work as a team. While their contributions to Beauty and the Beast are essential onstage, their greatest collaboration happens offstage with their family. Here's what they had to say about being partners, dividing responsibilities and making life on the road work for them. 

How do you divide responsibilities when you're moving from city to city, caring for a toddler and a dog, and performing in a major national tour eight times a week? Have you developed any routines that help make it all work?

We are a divide-and-conquer kind of team! Danny does most of the future logistics, finding an Airbnb, booking hotels for long travel days and handling anything to do with the car. Emily does more of the day-to-day stuff: groceries and meal prep, walking the dog, and keeping track of the schedule. We also alternate who wakes up with Jack in the mornings.

Our basic travel-day routine is to pack as much as possible the night before. Then, in the morning, Emily finishes packing while Danny hangs with Jack, and Danny loads the car while Emily hangs with Jack. Once we’re all in the car, we play our "start the drive" music. We listen to the band Surfaces' Surf album. It always gets us in the right headspace.

You've turned the tour into a family adventure. Looking back on the journey so far, what's a moment that made you think, "This is exactly why we chose to do it this way"?

We recently made a stop at the Grand Canyon while traveling between Tucson and Tempe, AZ. We never would have flown there when Jack was so young or taken the dog there at all otherwise! We all had an incredible time walking, hiking and taking it all in. It reminded us of what amazing opportunities our unique lifestyle can bring.

Anything else you'd like to share with San Diego audiences?

It’s so special to be a part of a show we both loved as kids and get to share it with our child. We love seeing the multigenerational audiences out there—parents who took their kids to the original animated feature, who are back with grown kids and grandchildren. We feel so lucky as a family to share this story with your family!

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