Interview: Stephanie Harter Gilmore Excited to Give an Operatic Flair to a 'Tale as Old as Time' in DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Stephanie Harter Gilmore said there seems to be a trend of common traits shared among the characters she portrays on stage.

"Whenever I am in New York, anytime I see a call that is a character that has an operatic flair, that is what I go for, because it is my background, but musical theater is where I want to be," the actress, who received a Master's degree in opera performance, said.

This was one of the reasons why Gilmore enjoyed playing Duchess Estonia Dulworth in the national tour of "Nice Work If You Can Get It," a role she described as a "good fit" because "she just gets to sing all of these glorious high notes."

Now, Gilmore is hitting the road again as Madame de la Grande Bouche in NETworks Presentations' traveling production of "Disney's Beauty and the Beast."

"It really is an acting part, which is so much fun for me. And it is really for my peers in the audience ... I bring the adult humor," Gilmore said of playing Madame de la Grande Bouche, a former-opera-diva-turned-singing-wardrobe who resides in the beast's castle. "It is a totally different experience."

Featuring classic music from the original Academy Award-winning score by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, as well as newer songs by Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice, "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" follows the story of Belle (Brooke Quintana), a girl from a provincial French town who is sent to live with a prince (Sam Hartley) cursed by an enchantress to live as a beast until he can learn to love and be loved. The musical is based on a 1991 movie of the same name.

Gilmore said she thinks "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" is a unique production because of its ability to attract a diverse crowd.

"A lot of people who, like me, grew up with this music and with this movie, want to go see it on stage. And a lot of people who have already seen it before on stage are coming back to see it again and bringing their kids and their families," she said. "It is a lot of fun to have such young audiences and that really inspires my hope in the theater and the fact that it is a growing art. And that it is getting to more and more people."

She added that the musical's "timeless" message is sure to resonate with audiences of all ages.

"The story is really about seeing past someone's exterior and finding out who they are on the inside," she said. "There is something about seeing it live. It is irreplaceable."

Gilmore added that there is another commonality in the characters she plays that might come as a surprise to audiences.

"They tend to be sometimes maternal and there also seems to be a recurring theme of some alcohol, which you might not expect in 'Beauty and the Beast' outside of Gaston's tavern, but you'll have to come see the show to know what I mean," she teased.

"Disney's Beauty and the Beast" is set to be performed at the Palace Theatre from March 15 - 20.

Tickets are available from the CAPA Ticket Center, located at 39 E. State St., as well as at all Ticketmaster outlets. They can also be purchased via phone by calling (800) 745-3000 or on Ticketmaster's website.

Showtimes and more information can be found on the "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" website.

The Palace Theatre is located at 55 E. State St.

To post a comment, you must register and login.