Courtney Stapleton, Emmanuel Kojo, Gavin Lee to Lead BEAUTY AND THE BEAST UK Tour; Angela Lansbury Prologue Added
The production will also feature updates to the sets, costumes, and staging!
By: A.A. Cristi Apr. 29, 2021
Everyone's favorite tale as old as time will be hitting the road in Europe in 2021!
Today, Baz Bamigboye of The Daily Mail has reported that the production has found its title stars!
Courtney Stapleton (SIX, Dear Evan Hansen West End) and Emmanuel Kojo (Girl From the North Country West End) have signed on to portray the iconic Disney prince and princess in the touring production, which will also feature two-time Tony nominee Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins, The Spongebob Musical) as Lumiere.
Another exciting development is a new prologue recorded by original Mrs. Potts, Angela Lansbury, to be played before each performance.
The original creative team from the Broadway production is currently at work updating their staging including a new tap routine for "Be Our Guest" and an update to Belle's iconic costume! According to new reports, the princess will no longer sport an apron as part of her look.
Audiences can also expect a trimmed down runtime, as well as new sets.
Full casting has officially been announced. Check out the news here!
Disney Theatricals is currently at work on the production will tour the UK and Ireland in May 2021. The tour will launch at Bristol Hippodrome on August 25, 2021.
Beauty and the Beast was the inaugural production of Disney Theatrical Productions. It played a remarkable 13 year run on Broadway and has been produced in 37 countries worldwide.
Adapted from Walt Disney Pictures' Academy Award-winning 1991 animated musical film of the same name Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton. It tells the story of a cold-blooded prince who has been magically transformed into an unsightly creature as punishment for his selfish ways. To revert into his true human form, the Beast must first learn to love a bright, beautiful young woman whom he has imprisoned in his enchanted castle before it is too late.
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