The Leicester Curve debut of the re-imagined and re-designed production of the Olivier Award-winning stage musical version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast has been shelved due to the ongoing Coronavirus restrictions.
Originally planned to open in Leicester in late May before heading for Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in July, the UK and Ireland tour is now planned to launch at the Bristol Hippodrome slightly later than originally scheduled with performances from 24 August 2021.
A statement published on the Disney Theatrical Productions website said: “Whilst we cannot wait to bring our new production of Beauty and the Beast to theatres around the UK and Ireland, working with the information we have available, it is with great sadness that we have to delay the opening of the tour and can no longer bring the show to Curve theatre in Leicester as scheduled.
“We understand the disappointment this will cause, but with the ongoing social distancing measures that remain in place we cannot proceed as originally planned with opening the tour at Curve in May.”
While the Leicester Curve run has been cancelled, the statement went on to say that the producers had been able to confirm the show would make its belated debut in Dublin at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre for a festive season beginning in November 2022.
Subject to the lifting of restrictions this summer, the musical will now play its opening season at Bristol Hippodrome from 24 August until 18 September, before heading for the Liverpool Empire (23 September-16 October) followed by the Edinburgh Playhouse (21 October-27 November) and the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff (9 December 2021-15 January 2022).
Reuniting the original award-winning creative team led by director Rob Roth, the production will make use of advanced theatrical techniques which were not available when the musical debuted on Broadway 26 years ago.
Announcing the new production last year, Roth said: “I am so excited to premiere this new production of Beauty in the UK. The entire original creative team has reassembled, and we’ve reimagined the visual aspects of the show completely, making full use of all the newest technologies in stage craft, lighting and costume construction.
“Many of these elements hadn’t been invented when we first developed the show. So we are creating something brand new from this beloved ‘tale as old as time’. I speak for the whole team when I say how fortunate we all feel to be given the opportunity to reimagine the show for the 21st century.”
Featuring the music of Alan Menken and the lyrics of Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, the stage musical based on the much loved and Academy Award-winning 1991 animated film debuted on Broadway in 1994. Beauty and The Beast debuted in the West End at the Dominion Theatre in April 1997 where it played over 1100 performances.
Commenting on the new version of the show which ran for 13 years on Broadway, eight-time Oscar winning composer Menken said: “Beauty and the Beast is a testament to the genius of my late friend and collaborator Howard Ashman, but the show’s richness comes from the combination of Howard’s style and that of the brilliant Tim Rice, with whom I expanded the score to give voice to the Beast.
“It’s clear that audiences the world over want to return to the world of Beauty, which continues to amaze and humble those of us who created it. As the show returns to the UK, I cannot wait to see how Rob Roth and this glorious creative team bring the whole universe of Beauty and the Beast to life once again.”
Lyricist Rice added: “Beauty and the Beast is a story and a show which resonates through generations, and it was a great pleasure to work with Alan to expand the score he and the brilliant Howard Ashman first created.
“I am thrilled that there will be a brand new production and that the newest theatrical wizardry will bring another layer of magic to the tale. It is great that the UK will host the premiere of the new production, as this country has always enjoyed a special affinity with the show.”
Headed by director Roth, the returning Tony-nominated creative team includes book writer Linda Woolverton, choreographer Matt West, scenic designer Stan Meyer, and lighting designer Natasha Katz, along with Tony Award-winning costume designer Ann Hould-Ward.
Belle will reunite with the Beast in a production which will feature new dance arrangements by David Chase. Long-time Menken collaborators Michael Kosarin and Danny Troob have joined the team as musical supervisor/vocal arranger and orchestrator, respectively.
The design team is completed by Tony Award-winner John Shivers as sound designer, with Darryl Maloney as video and projections designer and David H. Lawrence as hair designer. The illusions designer for the 1994 production Jim Steinmeyer is also returning. Casting for the production is by Pippa Ailion Casting.
Inspired by the classic French fairy-tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumon, the original 1991 film became the first animated feature to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture. Disney’s live action version became the highest-grossing live action film musical of all time on its release in 2017. (The record was only beaten by the company’s The Lion King live action release in 2019).
Angela Thomas
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