Disney will launch North American tour of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in 2025, Broadway stop next?

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 8:00am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Disneys-BEAUTY-AND-THE-BEAST-To-Premiere-North-American-Tour-In-June-2025-20240125

The new tour will hold technical rehearsals and launch in Schenectady, NY at Proctors in June 2025, prior to the official opening in Chicago, IL at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in July, followed by a stop in Minneapolis, MN at the Orpheum Theatre in August. Casting and the anticipated two-year tour route will be announced at a later date.

Reuniting to create this new production are members of the original Tony Award-winning artistic team, including composer Alan Menken (who wrote the film's beloved score with the late lyricist Howard Ashman), lyricist Tim Rice, book writer Linda Woolverton, with direction and choreography by Matt West, scenic design by Stanley A. Meyer, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward and lighting design by Natasha Katz.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 8:11am

This is the same production that was in the west end and then toured the Uk.  From everything I’ve seen and heard, it’s hideous. Keep this far away from Broadway. It looks like a subpar cheapened version of the original. They would get awful reviews in nyc. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 9:02am

This has quietly been known to be in the works. The amateur rights even had a notice about bidding for them would only be allowed through the end of 2024. So there's a ton of community theaters and high schools doing it this year.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 9:34am

I feel like this is confirmation that this production will make it to Broadway.....unfortunately.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 9:48am

Great - so the cheap and projection filled UK production is coming across the pond... No doubt this will tour the U.S. and then come to Broadway in 2026.

[Hey, Zelda!]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 10:51am

Hot off the press:

‘Beauty and the Beast’ musical will launch new tour in Chicago [in July 2025; Minneapolis to follow]

[darquegk]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 11:28am

This is probably the new licensed version, which cuts several songs and moments and simplifies the harmonies for a smaller or less trained ensemble. I hate those changes.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 3:09pm

There is just no point to doing this if it's tacky. The quality of the costumes and makeup in photos is shockingly bad, like Halloween Adventure bad, like it feels as though Disney is actually trying to devalue the property. I would love to have a quality Broadway revival of this show, but in the meantime you can see this show cheaply produced but with actual local/amateur charm all over the country. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 5:12pm

Is this an Equity tour, or is it going to be like the old BATB tours with a cast of twenty-somethings who have never appeared in anything except for college and community theatre productions?

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 5:34pm

I wonder how this would compare to the current production touring Australia? It is visually stunning, full of life and great talent. I feel it could transfer to Broadway as is. We indeed have quality talent here that I would love to see stand proud on Broadway.

'Chicago' is doing great business around the country[with a couple of not so strong performers-IMHO] and Groundhog Day with Andy Karl about to open In Melbourne. A great new production of Grease is also filling its theatre..

I live in Brisbane and a brand new theatre is currently being built to welcome so many new productions. Come visit.

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 5:52pm

Are they shortsighted or what? They already had an inferior tour not that long ago. Give us something as good as the original, or don’t bother. 

[SuttonPeron]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 6:23pm

Sadly, Disney has no interest in producing a show with half the grandeur, splendour, detail and magic of the original. Both the Palace and the Lunt runs had 24 people in the pit, a cast of 35 (+ swings), and a huge detailed, complex set with some stunning moments. This, has 10 people in the pit, 27 in the cast (+ swings), and a set that´s basically LED projections and a couple of physical pieces.

I do think they are devaluing their own property. If they cared about it, they´d hire a new creative team for a fresh new take on the show. The score is absolutely terrific (that dark, fairytale vibe is second to none), the show is full of heart as it is. The new orchestrations (and less complex harmonies), new cheap designs... are a cash grab. Sadly, "reimagining" the show seems to be synonymous with cheapening it massively. They´ll cast diverse, delete every funny/sarcastic and "problematic" line (like they did for the UK and Aus. runs) and call it a day.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 7:36pm

Of course, will they care if they are catering to tourists, who are more used to scaled down productions, if they see them at all.  This is sad; ironically, I was never crazy about the show because I thought it was too bloated.  Only saw it twice, since I think the cartoon is infinitely better.  I will admit that I even liked the televised version with Emma Watson.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 8:04pm

Why don’t they just remount newsies back at the nederlander ?  It never stopped making money on broadway and was actually good. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 8:49pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Is this an Equity tour, or is it going to be like the old BATB tours with a cast of twenty-somethings who have never appeared in anything except for college and community theatre productions?"

It is worth noting that this will be the first Disney-produced stage production of Beauty & the Beast to launch in North America in over two decades. So I'm guessing the former.

[tacotheatrelover]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 9:13pm

Broadway Flash said: "Why don’t they just remount newsies back at the nederlander ? It never stopped making money on broadway and was actually good."

Or how about we tour Hunchback? Another Disney show that was actually good.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/25/24 at 9:21pm

tacotheatrelover said: "Broadway Flash said: "Why don’t they just remount newsies back at the nederlander ? It never stopped making money on broadway and was actually good."

Or how about we tour Hunchback? Another Disney show that was actually good."

I don't think a 32-person choir would your well on an equity contract.

[Timon3]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 6:32pm

This isn’t a patch on the Broadway or first National tour, but is is still half decent. This ain’t some non equity tour that plays one night in a small town in Alabama then expected to do a week at the Pantages, Los Angeles.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 7:10pm

As a massive BATB fan (one of my first professional theater experiences was the opening night of the first national tour in ‘95), I agree that the newly ‘reimagined’ show is largely disappointing. It’s an even bigger disappointment when you remember they brought back original creatives (including scenic, choreography, costume) for this version…below is a quote from an interview with director/choreographer Matt West from when it launched in the UK, which is where I think they really missed the mark. They said this after lauding how massively successful the original production was: 

“We decided to start over, to completely reinvent it, partly because we are all better now than we were back then,” says West with a grin. “It has been a fantastic opportunity to really dig into every aspect of the show, from the script to the choreography and the costumes.”

He adds that part of the aim was to make the production more fitting for today’s audience. “We wanted to modernise it, but in a very careful and respectful way. After all it is hugely well known, it’s the number one licensed production of all time. So it was more about giving it a modern flavour.”

[tacotheatrelover]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 9:58pm

Timon3 said: "This isn’t a patch on the Broadway or first National tour, but is is still half decent. This ain’t some non equity tour that plays one night in a small town in Alabama then expected to do a week at the Pantages, Los Angeles."

HEY!... we rarely get one nighters... we usually get two or 3 nights. And a week if you travel to Birmingham, or the occasional one week stop in Huntsville.

[rabymon10]

Posted: 1/27/24 at 12:50am

SweetLips22 said: "I wonder how this would compare to the current production touring Australia? It is visually stunning, full of life and great talent. I feel it could transfer to Broadway as is. We indeed have quality talent here that I would love to see stand proud on Broadway."

It will be a replica production, but local cast unless Equity work out some sort of performer swap. Importing talent happens rarely from time to time, but needs a lot of support from the producers for it to get across the line. 

 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/27/24 at 11:33am

SweetLips22 said: "I wonder how this would compare to the current production touring Australia? It is visually stunning, full of life and great talent. I feel it could transfer to Broadway as is. We indeed have quality talent here that I would love to see stand proud on Broadway."

That's the same production that toured the UK and it doesn't look particularly stunning. The stage is 80% empty most of the time...

[BETTY22]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 2:31pm

Will this be a traditional take on the show - like the original production. Or are they airing for something new?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 4:33pm

BETTY22 said: "Will this be a traditional take on the show - like the original production. Or are they airing for something new?"

My guess is that this will be the exact same production that toured the UK, played the West End, and had some subsequent productions (including Australia). It will not be the original production.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/21/24 at 11:46am

The tour will be using the tier 3 touring contract. Disney could afford to tour this on the highest level contract, so I’m shocked equity approved this.