All My Children's Jacob Young Makes Broadway Debut as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast May 9

One of ABC Daytime's most popular stars, Jacob Young ("JR Chandler" on ABC's "All My Children") will be making his Broadway debut as Lumiere in Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. He will begin performances on Tuesday, May 9th at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street) for a limited 10-week engagement.

"I have always wanted to combine my love of music and acting by performing on Broadway. It's such a pleasure for me to be welcomed into the Disney family with this role in 'Beauty and the Beast.'"

Jacob Young joined the cast of "All My Children" in the leading role of "JR Chandler" in September 2003, a role that earned him a Daytime Emmy® Nomination as Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series. Prior to that, Jacob earned a Daytime Emmy® Award for his role as "Lucky Spencer" on "General Hospital."

Jacob was featured in the ABC movie for television, "Beach Boys: An All American Family." Jacob's feature film The Girl Next Door was released in 2004. He has also been a guest star on ABC's "Hope & Faith." In 2002, Jacob was named Sexiest Male Soap Star by People Magazine.

Jacob released his debut album Jacob Young in 2001 on Artemis Records for music icon Danny Goldberg.

Most recently, Jacob has performed on the Broadway stage as a featured performer in two ABC daytime benefits supporting Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS.

Jacob will not be appearing in the Wednesday matinee performances due to his shooting schedule for "All My Children."

In 2006, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will mark several major milestones. On April 18th, the musical will celebrate its 12th anniversary on Broadway. The production will play its 5,000th performance on Tuesday, June 20th.

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is currently the sixth longest running musical in Broadway history. More than twenty million people have seen the show in over twenty productions worldwide. The original cast recording is currently available on Disney Records.

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST features Alan Menken's Academy Award-winning score, songs by the late Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (including the Academy Award-winning title song and the show-stopping "Be Our Guest"), plus songs written especially for the stage by Alan Menken and Tim Rice (including "If I Can't Love Her" and "A Change In Me"). Book is by Linda Woolverton, author of the original screenplay. Disney's Beauty and the Beast is choreographed by Matt West and directed by Robert Jess Roth. Sets are by Stan Meyer, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, and lighting by Natasha Katz.

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the classic love story of Belle, a young woman in a small, provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a prince trapped in a spell placed on him by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and to be loved, the spell will be broken and he will be transformed back to his former self. But time is running out, and if the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he will be doomed for all eternity.

Beginning April 11, the performance schedule for Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street) is as follows: Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday – Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 3pm. Beginning May 30th, Tuesday performances will be at 8pm.

There are three easy ways to get tickets to Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – Online at www.disneyonbroadway.com, via Ticketmaster at (212) 307-4747 or www.ticketmaster.com and in person at the Lunt-Fontanne box office (205 West 46th Street).

Photo credit: Copyright ABC Television Network/Yolanda Perez