Sadly, Monday was the last night of Beauty and the Beast‘s run at the Paramount in Seattle–our review tickets, originally for opening night, got rescheduled when weather delayed the show’s trip across the Cascades. But if you happen to be in Eugene next week, or Detroit in mid-April, or Schenectady, NY, from May 15-20, maybe you’ll check out the tour then? Coming up next at the Paramount: Mamma Mia! from March 20-25, 2012.
Figuring that single, childless, 35-year-old male sports fanatics were not the target audience for Disney’s musical version of Beauty and the Beast, I decided to give my comped plus-one to my 11-year-old niece. I was not the only adult with a kid in tow. Pre-show, the lobby was packed with girls my niece’s age and younger, some wearing colorful princess dresses.
The show, which ran for 13 years on Broadway, is a staged version of the Disney movie of the same name; music by Alan Menken, lyrics by the late Howard Ashman. This touring version has a new set design, the colorful set is intended to be “an illuminated manuscript come to life.”
The fun part of these musical-née-movies is seeing how the best songs will come out live. This production’s showstopper is “Be Our Guest,” it was my favorite part of the show and my niece’s. After a playful comic lead in by Lumiere (Michael Haller), the number builds as the company appears as brightly colored silverware and plates, a sort-of dancing, singing wedding registry. The climax features a bit of staging magic that, if financially possible, you’ll want to be in the first ten rows or so for.
Haller shines in his comic role, as does Jen Bechter as Madame de la Grande Bouche. As the smarmy stud Gaston, Logan Denninghoff was perfect, with comic eyebrow raises so large they drew laughs in the balcony.
Belle is played by Emily Behny, an Indiana native and 2010 (!) graduate of Ball State University. Her earnest Midwestern accent was perfect for the role. She’s really the only earnest character in the play–everyone else is going for laughs. Dane Agostinis’ Beast was more silly than scary, he shaded his attempt to woo Belle with a sort-of “clueless-but-sweet jock” styling. Not that this is a bad thing–kept the kiddies entertained, which is really the main objective.
For some generational diversity, I polled my stepmom and her younger co-worker friend who also happened to be at the show. “Really good,” they both offered. As for the single male sports fan, I wouldn’t say that I’d give up a pair of Mariners tickets to go–unless I had a daughter between the ages of 7 and 13, in which case I’d feel like a jerk if I didn’t.
