Beauty and the Beast Pre-Broadway?

Posted: 1/20/07 at 1:04pm

Does anyone have any info from the the pre-Broadway Beauty and the Beast in Houston that played in 1993?

Posted: 1/20/07 at 1:33pm

bumpalicious

Posted: 1/20/07 at 2:08pm

Sorry, but I'm bringing BumpyBack.

[ErikInTheCity]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 2:20pm

I actually saw the preBroadway of the show. What type of info are you looking for? Changes to the show?

Posted: 1/20/07 at 4:02pm

JUst in general.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 4:43pm

From what I remember reading back then, the only changes were with the Beast's make-up. Originally the make-up was composed of more prosthetics, which they discarded choosing to allow Terence Mann's actual face to be more visible.

I believe the show transferred intact to Broadway, but others would know more -- hopefully.

[EganFan2]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 5:04pm

All I remember (as I was in Houston at the time) was that there was a big news story on the local news. I was under the delusion that they were going to show the actual musical on TV. I would be interested to hear what changes there were. I was quite young at the time.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 5:49pm

I saw it, but the night I went, the transformation didn't work. Something happened with the harness, so we saw the pyrotechnics and then the Beast sort of jumped up, took off his mask and robe, and he was the prince. Then, several members of the production staff jumped out of their seats in the orchestra and ran backstage. It was 10 years before I finally saw the transformation.

As far as I know, the show transferred identically to its tryout in Houston. With the exception of the transformation that evening, it was solid and set just as it was. I don't remember the difference with the Beast's prosthetics, but it is a minor point.

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 6:07pm

I believe Susan Egan was Belle and Terrance Mann was the Beast. My uncle saw it back them so I'll ask him.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 6:11pm

Um, as with all pre-Broadway runs...the pre-Broadway Houston run featured what eventually became the original Broadway cast.

Seems no changes were made during the NY previews since the Original Broadway Cast Recording was available at the Palace Theatre's box office when the show started previews.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 6:13pm

Um, as with all pre-Broadway runs...the pre-Broadway Houston run featured what eventually became the original Broadway cast.

Yep, that sure happens with ALL pre-Broadway runs! Just ask Jack Noseworthy!

Posted: 1/20/07 at 6:16pm

Thanks!!!!

Does anyone have pics? And also, wasn't there a different logo?

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 6:17pm

The "Gaston" dance break didn't feature the clinking beer steins during the Houston tryout. The number originally featured dancing tricks involving bar stools. You can still occasionally see press footage used showing this. The cast album was recorded in between Houston and Broadway before the stool bit was changed to the stein part. This is why you do not hear the clinging and clanking during the "Gaston" dance break on the Broadway Cast Album. You do, however, hear the beer stein clinging and clanking on the London Cast Album as the production opened years later after the change.

[leefowler]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 7:18pm

The clinking beer stein bit in Gaston was actually put in towards the end of the Houston run..at least that's how I remember it (I wrote the dance music for the show.)

I didn't remember that we didn't use clinking sounds on the cast album...but if we didn't, it was because we thought it would sound irritating minus the visual element. The Gaston number was redone inbetween the Houston and New York runs...but there was clinking in Houston!

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 8:13pm

Did they change the lyrics to "Home" when it transferred to Broadway? Because on the recording, there's an extra verse but during the LA run, it was taken out so I'm wondering if it was altered in between.

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 9:25pm

Lee,

Thanks for your first hand information. So I take it there was more of a team working on BATB's dance arrangements and not just Glen Kelly?

[leefowler]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 1:15am

Clarkstallings,

No, it was just Glen Kelly. I'm Glen Kelly.

[dancinfan]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 1:31am

Actually, there were a couple of minor cast changes from Houston to Broadway: the Houston Enchantress became a Silly GIrl (and a new Enchantress was hired), and two swings were added.

The cast album was recorded before New York rehearsals and previews were complete, so there are lyric changes and dance arrangements and tempos that don't match the actual Broadway opening night (or subsequent changes).

A lot of makeup and minor costume changes happened between Houston and the Palace, too, as well as some scenery adjustments. One of the biggest changes was the look of the Wolf Chases. The Houston wolves were small arm-length puppets. For New York, the opening night wolves were much larger puppets (often dubbed "wolf-on-a-stick" or "throw pillow wolves"), and they were later changed to dancers in wolf costumes.

[misto625]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 2:01am

Which one of the Silly Girls was the original Enchantress?

[dancinfan]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 2:07am

Sarah Solie (then Sarah Solie Shannon) was the Houston Enchantress. If you have ever had a chance to see the tv show about the making of Beauty, it is is Sarah who is doing all the fireball pyro tests and flying.

The Houston "red" Silly Girl was Leslie Trayer. The original Broadway Enchantress was Wendy Oliver.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 1:24pm

I remember the behind the scenes show, I, as needy as it is, had it on VHS and wtched it REPEATEDLY after recording it....

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 2:22pm

Was that the same behind-the-scenes show that was narated by David Ogden Stiers way back in the early 90's?

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 2:45pm

"Did they change the lyrics to "Home" when it transferred to Broadway? Because on the recording, there's an extra verse but during the LA run, it was taken out so I'm wondering if it was altered in between."

I was wondering about this too. When I first saw the show on Broadway in 1999, I noticed the verse from "Home" had been cut as well. Does anyone know when it was cut...and why? That song is gorgeous and shouldn't have been shortened.

[Zachary Goldfarb]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 3:07pm

When the show was in previews in Houston, it was over 3 hours long. There was much cut early on. The scenery was much more elaborate at first (I vaguely remember, for example, the castle doors Maurice comes upon being HUGE - aren't they now just a drop?). And yes, the wolves went through several "versions."
TUTS has an archive video of the full show as it was in Houston for the majority of the run. Maybe one day it will surface.

[dancinfan]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 6:18pm

Home was cut down because that second verse's lyrics are subpar ("Home's a lie" - what does that mean?). And Maison Des Lunes was tinkered with extensively because it needed a bigger "applause" ending.