Beauty and the Beast revival

[dev101]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 5:18pm

Anyone else hoping for a Beauty and the Beast revival since the movie is out soon? It could stir up more excitement like the movie did with Les Mis.

Possible cast: Will Swenson as Beast (maybe Zachary Levi), Laura Benanti as Belle, and Josh Gad as Lefou. 

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 5:26pm

Weren't they planning on bringing the show back for a holiday engagement but opted not to do it, because it would have conflicted with the little mermaid?

[Dave13]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 5:29pm

I would guess they would wait until after the movie is released to DVD. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 5:33pm

I think (or hope) they'd go quite a bit younger than Laura Benanti's age (no offense to her)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 5:37pm

I'm not sure Disney would ever produce a Broadway revival...however I wonder if they are open to licensing shows to a different producer for Broadway revivals. I would like to see Aida back on the boards!!

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 5:46pm

I would love to see a revival.  I just think that they shouldn't try to mimick the animated film, but find something new in the material instead.  The score is truly lovely.

I NEED Cynthia Erivo in Aida.  I NEED IT.

[Dave13]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 5:46pm

Good point about Disney doing revivals.  However they have allowed NETworks to produce the show on tour.  So they may allow another production company to produce the revival.  

Updated On: 7/24/16 at 05:46 PM

[AnnieBlack]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 5:48pm

Maybe Benanti should be cast as Mary in Secret Garden if we think she is right for Beauty & the Beast

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 6:21pm

Laura Osnes!

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 6:53pm

Both Lauras are too old to play Belle. Seriously. They both deserve great roles in their futures, but ingenue, not so much. Can't see Disney remounting this anyway...

Oh, and for those disagreeing with me...what did you think of Streisand asking the Playbill journalist, "How old do I look?" when she was asked about her proposed Gypsy remake several years ago?

We all love our favorites, but sometimes when I see posters recommending their favorites for potential upcoming roles, it seems they're not considering a lot of factors. A lot of factors.

Hey, I would've liked to have seen a lot of my favorites do a lot of things they were "rumored" to be doing back in the day. 

[Alessio2]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 6:57pm

Is Belle's age ever specified? Laura Osnes is only 30 but I feel she reads younger and would make a perfect Belle.

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 7:04pm

Honestly, Laura Osnes looks like she's 16 years old.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 7:08pm

Belle is probably late teens. Osnes could look that, no problem. Streisand, with all the help she could afford and then some, could look fine for Gypsy. So why all the hatred for Streisand's proposed Gypsy while we're proposing 30-37 year olds to play a teen Belle. Think about it.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 7:38pm

I don't think Beauty and the Beast requires a radical reconception, but a new take on the material is never remiss. 

Benanti, goodness knows, but she is more in the realm of a Mrs. Potts these days - an actually age appropriate one, though younger than we have come to expect. She'd actually be a rather fun Madame de le Grande Bouche.

In regard to age, Disney lore places Belle at 17 years old and Prince Adam (the Beast) has just turned 21 according to the film mythology, after being cursed by the Enchantress as an 11 year old.

( For the record, Will Swenson would be TERRIBLE as the Beast. Absolutely awful. Josh Gad my be a fantastic LeFou on film, we do not know, but he could NEVER play that role as conceived for the stage show.)

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 7:59pm

Victoria Clark would sound fantastic as Mrs. Potts and Norm Lewis would sound pretty great as The Beast.

[Drewski Vanderbilt]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 8:15pm

icecreambenjamin said: "Victoria Clark would sound fantastic as Mrs. Potts and Norm Lewis would sound pretty great as The Beast.

 

"

NORM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 8:25pm

I am sure he would. Safely on a studio cast recording.

[¿Macavity?]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 8:40pm

1. I'd love them to revive it.

2. Jorge, I believe there were rumors, but nothing definite.

3. icecreambenjamin, I like your new avatar. :)

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 9:24pm

Question: would the original Beauty and the Beast have closed in 2007  if The Little Mermaid hadn't come into play?

[¿Macavity?]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 9:46pm

In regards to broadwayguy91's question: (this is just copied/pasted form it's Wikipedia page)

"The Broadway production closed to make way for Disney's next musical venture, The Little Mermaid. With Disney set to open its Broadway version of The Little Mermaid on November 3, 2007 at the time, it was believed that having two Disney princess films on Broadway at the same time would divide audiences and cause competition between the two shows. At this point, Disney also had three other shows running at the same time: The Lion King, Tarzan, and Mary Poppins." 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 10:16pm

Laura Osnes needs to be Belle. Period. If only the show stuck around for a little white, I guarantee that Laura would be cast as Belle on the spot. I'm so disappointed she didn't get Ariel.

[nycgogetter]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 10:50am

there is discussion on a Beauty and the Beat revival, but not to open (directly) on Broadway

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 3:52pm

^Where did you hear that?

[¿Macavity?]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 6:16pm

Yes, where?

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 6:17pm

gypsy101 said: "I think (or hope) they'd go quite a bit younger than Laura Benanti's age (no offense to her)

 

"

I was going to ask, just how old does the OP think Belle is?

Paige O'Hara (the original voice of Belle) tells me the filmmakers and studio thought of Belle as 16 when the film begins (which might make her 17 by the finale). I'm sure they take liberties with stage actors, but Laura (much as I love her) Benanti?

BTW, Paige herself was not 16 when she recorded the film, nor did she claim to be. She used to joke that every time Disney sent out a press release, they shaved a few more years off her age.

Updated On: 7/27/16 at 06:17 PM