‘Be Our Guest’ for the ultimate love story

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — "Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is returning to the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State. The elaborate theatrical production will come to life on stage at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, in Eisenhower Auditorium.

"Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” features the animated film’s Academy Award-winning score with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, with additional songs composed by Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. Linda Woolverton wrote the book.

The original creators of the Broadway production have reunited for this new touring production. The show is directed by Rob Roth and choreographed by Matt West, with costume design by Ann Hould-Ward (Tony Award winner for her work on "Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”), lighting design by Natasha Katz (five-time Tony Award winner), scenic design by Stanley A. Meyer, sound design by John Petrafesa Jr., and music supervision by Michael Kosarin.

"Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

Based on the 1991 Academy Award-winning animated feature film and celebrating 22 years since its Broadway premiere in 1994, "Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” is the ninth-longest running musical in Broadway history. It’s become an international sensation seen by more than 35 million people worldwide in 22 countries and translated into nine languages.

This production, which launched in February 2010, has been seen by more than 3 million people while playing more than 1,500 performances in all 50 states and eight Canadian provinces.

To learn more about the presentation and for ticketing information, visit "Disney’s Beauty and the Beast" or call 814-863-0255.

Listen to a Center for the Performing Arts interview with actor and Penn State musical theater graduate Ben Cullen.

Read a Center for the Performing Arts feature article about Cullen.

Watch a preview of the production here.

A.W. & Sons is sponsoring the presentation at Penn State. WATM-ABC23, WWCP-FOX8 and MAJIC 99 are the media sponsors.

Artistic Viewpoints, an informal moderated discussion featuring a visiting artist or artists, is offered in Eisenhower one hour before the performance and is free for ticket holders. Artistic Viewpoints regularly fills to capacity, so seating is available on a first-arrival basis.

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