BWW Reviews: DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Kingsbury Hall is Magical

The national tour of DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which played at Kingsbury Hall this past weekend, is a spirited, magical production of the beloved musical.

DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, book by Linda Woolverton) is based on the classic Disney animated film. When a prince is transformed into a beast because of his selfishness, he must learn to love another and earn her love in return. When the beautiful, brainy Belle finds herself in the Beast's enchanted castle through unexpected circumstances, she and we discover that true beauty comes from within.

The well-loved story and songs from the movie are all there and expanded, along with wonderful Broadway additions such as "If I Can't Love Her," "Home," and "A Change In Me," which even trump the original songs with their melodies and heart. Two of the other songs added to the Broadway show have sadly been removed from this edition, presumably to speed up the running time.

The new scenic design by Stanley Meyer is intimate and bold. It is a fresh, scalable look for the show that doesn't feel cheap. The adapted costume design by original, Tony-winning designer Ann Hould-Ward is lovely. Belle's stunning yellow ball gown still elicits awe and wonderment more than 20 years after its Broadway debut, as it should.

The evocative lighting design by Natasha Katz and illusion design by Jim Steinmeyer are great additions, as is the puppet design by Basil Twist. The lifelike wolf puppets are an inspired solution for staging the wolf attack scenes, and they are much preferable to the dancers and other puppets that have been used in the past.

The new direction by original Broadway helmer Rob Roth is befuddling, as it often spends time on extraneous, over-the-top comedic moments. In fact, the show sometimes feels much more cartoony than the animated film did. However, there are also moments of real, honest emotion, especially between Belle and the Beast, that add much maturity and gravitas to the production.

Jillian Butterfield as Belle is a delightful reminder of original actresses Paige O'Hara (screen) and Susan Egan (stage). Rather than a generic ingénue, she provides both sweetness and spunk to her portrayal.

Ryan Everett Wood as the Beast is both dramatic and funny, and Cameron Bond is everything you'd want in a Gaston.

The leading household objects are played with great panache by Patrick Pevehouse as Lumiere, Samuel Shurtleff as Cogsworth, Kelly Teal Goyette as Madame de la Grande Bouche, and Emily Jewell as Mrs. Potts.

All in all, this new national tour is a worthy production of an audience favorite.

For more information about future performances from Broadway Across America in Salt Lake City, visit www.broadwayinutah.com.

Photo Credit: L-R Jillian Butterfield (Belle) and Ryan Everett Wood (Beast)

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