BONJOUR BROADWAY FANS! The Bright Way has continued to enchant audiences over the year in celebrating the kickoff of the holiday season. That is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year, it’s gonna be more magical than ever as this landmark treasure celebrates its 100TH ANNIVERSARY in just 18 DAYS. We got more of those iconic legendary performances heading your way on our TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN. Who is ready for another enchanted Broadway showstopper?
At # 18 on our countdown, we experience a TALE AS OLD AS TIME like no other. It follows a young, smart, and intelligent girl dreaming for happier things in life and a selfish prince trapped inside the body of a monstrous creature with hopes of finding true love to set him free. We of course are talking about the great classic story of Beauty and the Beast. Based on the 1991 Oscar winning Disney animated film of the same name, the show features a score by Alan Menken, Sir Tim Rice, and the late Howard Ashman and a book by Linda Woolverton. It was also well known as the first Broadway Musical ever produced by Disney.
From the 1995 telecast, there’s a bit of encouragement by the hilarious Kenny Raskin as the whacky, spazzy, wisecracking sidekick “LeFou” and the cast as they serenade Tony nominee Marc Kudisch as “Gaston” singing the toe tapping drinking song about everyone’s narcissistic huntsman’s Villian himself….. yup, him, GASTON!!
Beauty and the Beast was first conceived as a Broadway musical in 1991 when the original animated film was released. was praised by critics which audiences compared the film as if they were seeing a classic Broadway Musical. The press called it THE MUST SEE BROADWAY SHOW IN A MOVIE THEATER! With the response being crazy, the Disney team encouraged their former CEO Michael Eisner to give it a try. However, the road to adaptation the 90 minute cartoon into a full 2 ½ stage musical wasn’t easy. Many questions were asked like how they would turn an actor back and forth from a Prince into a Beast, transforming real humans into household objects (talking candles, clocks, teapots, knives, forks, spoons, etc)? Luckily by magic, the Disney team came across director Robert Jess Roth who is a genius at doing spectacular concerts for rock stars and got more inspiration to expand the story. For the objects, they came up with an idea that when the Enchantress places the spell on the castle, they slowly turn into objects as the petals keep falling off the Enchanted rose. In addition to the beloved songs written for the film by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman (who passed away right before the film was released), acclaimed lyricist Tim Rice came on board to co-write some new songs with Menken to help expand the story and characters. It took 2 years to translate the 90 minute film into a 2 1/2 hour extravaganza.
The production first had its world premiere run in Houston, TX at the Theatre Under The Stars in December 1993.
The early reviews were mixed. The critics praised the spectacle sets, costumes, and effects, plus the vocal performances. However, people felt the production struggled with an overly-elaborate set that felt slightly cramped and frantic on the Houston stage.
In the Spring of 1994, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST arrived on Broadway at the Palace Theatre. It later moved to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.
Despite some mixed reviews from high-brow critics, theatergoers enthusiastically embraced the show. It was celebrated for its breathtaking costumes, magical stage illusions, sets, costumes, and talent.
It ran for 13 YEARS on Broadway playing a total of 46 PREVIEWS and 5,461 REGULAR PERFORMANCES. Under the direction of Robert Jess Roth and choreography by Matt Stone, the cast featured…
Tony nominee Susan Egan (later Sarah Uriarte Berry, Pop singer Debbie Gibson, Grammy winning R&B star Toni Braxton, Tony nominee Andrea McArdle, Tony nominee Kerry Butler, Sarah Litzsinger, TV star Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Megan McGinnis, Ashley Brown, Disney channel stars Christy Carlson Romano, and Anneliese van der Pol, and more) as “Belle”,
Tony nominee Terrence Mann (later Chuck Wagner, James Barbour, Jeff McCarthy, Steve Blanchard, and more) as “The Beast”,
Burke Moses (later Steve Blanchard, Chris Hoch, Grant Norman, and even Donny Osmond) as “Gaston”,
Tony winner Gary Beach (later Bryan Batt, Patrick Page, David DeVries, soap star Jacob Young, and Tony nominee John Tartaglia) as “Lumiere”,
Tony nominee Beth Fowler (later Beth McVey, Cass Morgan, Jeanne Lehman French, Alma Cuervo,
and much more.
The show went on to be nominated for 9 Tony Awards that year winning only 1 for BEST COSTUME DESIGN (for Ann Hould-Ward).
Following the success of the Broadway company, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST went on to become a worldwide spectacular family musical. For many children, it was their first Broadway show. There were productions everywhere from London’s West End (winning the Olivier Award for BEST NEW MUSICAL), multiple US National Tours, and productions translated into almost every major language.
To commemorate the musical’s 30th Anniversary, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is currently on a brand new National Tour, where it continues to wow audiences in the United States and Canada. Reuniting members of its original creative team, this production is all new including updates to the sets, costumes, and choreography including the song BE OUR GUEST as a tap number.
Today, it’s performed in schools, community, and regional theaters everywhere as well.
Isn’t this the most beautiful and romantic fairy tale ever told on stage?
#BroadwayAtMacys #Top30Countdown #MacysParade #Thanksgiving #CountdowntoThanksgiving #Top30BroadwayAtMacysCountdown
WATCH BEAUTY & THE BEAST’S MACY’S PERFORMANCE BELOW
https://youtu.be/CIU9Dt_3eq8?is=4kFj9v0tO06ZourQ
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