BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Opens At Alhambra Theatre June 8

The Alhambra Theatre & Dining has always billed its summer show as specifically family-friendly and regardless of what's on stage, the summer run can be counted on to sell out. This summer's run of Disney's Beauty and the Beast has set a record, opening at more than 85% sold and has now been extended an extra week. The iconic Alhambra Theatre opens Beauty and the Beast presented by Ikea on June 8 and will now run through July 30, an eight-week run, also the longest summer run of any show in the Alhambra's history.  

Managing Partner Craig Smith is particularly fond of the summer's family-oriented run. He stated, "One of our goals with the Alhambra has always been making live, Broadway-quality theater more accessible to more people, and perhaps for the first time for many of them, especially kids. 

Shows like Beauty and the Beast cross generations and it's wonderful to see tables with kids, parents, and grandparents together.” Most shows at the Alhambra run four to five weeks. With Beauty and the Beast running eight weeks, the Alhambra will seat more than 25,000 guests for its entire run.  

This season will be the third consecutive time IKEA has been the Presenting Sponsor for the Alhambra's summer show. The family show ties in perfectly with IKEA's community engagement initiatives and will offer a discounted ticket to their Family Membership Club, matching perfectly with folks the Alhambra is attracting to the Alhambra. IKEA will also leverage the sponsorship to treat employees to a private evening at the dress rehearsal.   

Based on the smash hit 1991 Disney animated feature and dating back to a late 18th-century classic French fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast tells the story of Belle, a beautiful and intelligent young woman who feels out of place in her provincial French village. When her father is imprisoned in a mysterious castle, Belle's attempt to rescue him leads to her capture by the Beast, a grisly and fearsome monster, who was long ago trapped in his gruesome form by an enchantress. The only way for the Beast to become human once again is if he learns to love and be loved in return. There is a time limit, too: once a magical rose loses all its petals, all hope will be lost, and he will stay a Beast forever.

The Beast's enchanted household--populated by such beloved characters as Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Chip--watch anxiously as Belle and the Beast grow to understand and befriend one another. Their feelings grow ever deeper as the clock ticks and petals continue to fall off the enchanted rose--will they confess their love for one another before it is too late?  

Broadway Backgrounder Beauty and the Beast premiered on Broadway on April 18, 1994, starring Susan Egan and Terrence Mann as the eponymous Belle and Beast, respectively. The musical opened to mixed reviews from theater critics but was a massive commercial success and well received by audiences. Beauty and the Beast ran on Broadway for 5,461 performances for thirteen years (1994 - 2007), becoming Broadway's tenth longest-running production in history. The musical has grossed more than $1.7 billion worldwide and played in thirteen countries and 115 cities.    

Tickets Disney's Beauty and the Beast runs at the Alhambra from June 8, 2023 – July 30, 2023. The Alhambra Theatre & Dining is located at 12000 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL. Alhambra tickets start at just $45 and include a three-course meal that changes for each show, a Broadway-style performance and complimentary parking. Tickets can be purchased online at www.alhambrajax.com or by calling 904.641.1212.

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