"Tale as old as time,

Song as old as Rhyme,

Beauty and the Beast"

are
how the lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice tell the story of Beauty
and the Beast. The theme of not judging a book by its cover, not judging
people from how they look, has been told in every medium numerous times
with its current version first a movie in 1991 and then brought to the
Broadway stage in 1994. Now 20 years later the story of Belle and the
Prince with a cast of 31, plus an orchestra of 13, moves the audience as
always. This tour presented by NETworks productions started in February
2010 and now after a 6 week break have come to the Broward Performing
Arts Center with redone costumes, re-painted, and in some cases new,
sets.

The
book by Linda Woolverton, with the music by Alan Menken and the lyrics
by Ashman and Rice, captured every child, mainly girls and more children
than I have ever seen at a musical, in the audience including a few
adults. Is there a male who hasn't, at one time or another, felt like
the Beast? Is there a female who didn't want to be Belle in a yellow
ballgown waltzing in the arms of a man she loves? For a moment or more
each member of the audience, young or old, were either the Beast or the
Beauty.

The
hardest working member of the cast has to be Andrew Kruep, playing the
sidekick of Gaston, the local town Lothario. Known as Lefou he does more
pratfalls than any other actor I have seen and gets many laughs along
the way with looks and actions. Logan Denninghoff, playing Gaston, gets
every narcissistic action required of the egotistical man and shows his
villain side when needed.

Mrs.
Potts, played by Julia Louise Hosack, puts across the title song with
feelings and is an important part of the ensemble. Michael Haller, as
Lumiere the candelabra, is hard to understand overdoing the French.
Benjamin Lovell as the clock, Noah Jones as Chip, Chandon Jones playing
Babette, Jen Bechter as Madame, Christopher Spencer as Belle's father
along with Matt Kopec as Monsieur d'Arque are all adequate in their
roles.

Emily
Behny, as Belle, is on stage for most of the time and takes a while to
warm up but when she does she is a strong actress, singer and dancer and
really shines playing opposite the Beast. Dane Agostinis, as the
Prince/Beast, has very little to do in the first act but with the rise
of the second act curtain he takes the stage, and the show, over. Emily
Behny and Dane Agostinis, in the second act, show why "Disney's Beauty
and the Best" has been a hit.

The
negatives are a slow, long first act and not very distinguished
choreography. Everyone knows "Be My Guest" but it isn't sold to the
audience as the rousing number it is.

Just
an observation--this is certainly a family show and one children should
be brought to, for among other things, to introduce to musical shows,
but by 9:30 PM most of those under 5 (?) were fading away.

1st act 1 hour and 25 minute   Intermission 20 minutes  2nd act 50 minutes  total show 2 hours and 35 mintes

Strobe lights, smoke

Playing at the BPAC until the 27th and then goes to Springfield, Ill., Richmond, Ky., Portsmith, Ohio.
Coming
to the Broward Performing Arts Center: Jersey Boys January 11-20, 
Billy Elliot February 29-March 11, South Pacific April 10-22,  La Cage
Aux Folles June 12-24