(LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre (MMT) presents a four-weekend run of Beauty and the Beast from September 13 to October 6, 2024. Beauty and the Beast tells the classic “tale as old as time” of a selfish prince turned into a beast, and the beautiful woman longing for adventure beyond her provincial town. This, the first of the full-length Disney stage musicals, is the twelfth mainstage show of MMT’s 2024 season.
When Belle, played by Jill Gibilisco (All Shook Up, Sweet Charity), is imprisoned by the Beast, played by Søren Madsen (Tuck Everlasting, Anything Goes), in his gloomy castle in exchange for her father’s freedom, she soon discovers she’s not quite as alone as she thought. All of the objects in the castle are alive, placed under the same curse as their master, and they believe Belle is the only one who can break the curse before the last petal of the enchanted rose falls.
Back in the little town Belle left behind, her father Maurice, played by Bill Weir (Tuck Everlasting, Hello, Dolly!) and trophy hunter Gaston, played by Tristan Takacs (Lend Me a Tenor, City of Angels) work to rescue her. However, Gaston’s own ego and selfishness take a dark turn, resulting in a final battle that proves beauty and goodness are truly found within.
This MMT production of Beauty and the Beast will have a touch of that original Broadway magic, as one of the child actors to play the teacup Chip in the earliest days of the Broadway run, Patrick Lavery, is now all grown up and directing this beloved musical on the MMT stage 30 years later!
Lavery (Murder on the Orient Express, Sweet Charity) was seven years old at the time of his casting in 1994 and played the precocious Chip for two years. Now, when asked what the most exciting part of directing the MMT production has been for him, Lavery says, “I am constantly in awe of our depth–of the cast itself, their talents, and the level of dedication and collaboration they bring to rehearsal every single day. Of course I wanted to convey to them how meaningful the show has been to me, but more than that, I wanted them to know what a lovely and special piece of theatre this is.”
He goes on to say, “There are characters everyone in every audience can identify with. You root for them (or in Gaston's case, against them), you want to see them achieve their dreams, you want to believe the fantasy is real. This cast has bought into that from Day One, and I couldn't be prouder.”
This production of Beauty and the Beast is one the whole family can enjoy together. As Lavery said, “This was the first Broadway show I ever saw, and I know the same can be said for a lot of people my age who now may have young, aspiring theatregoers of their own (my daughter, who is nine weeks old, will be at opening night!)...With this production, I hope to recreate the magic so many people felt (and so many of them for the first time) starting back in 1994.”
With a book by Linda Woolverton, music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, Beauty and the Beast features beloved songs from the Academy Award-winning film, including “Belle,” “Be Our Guest,” and the title song “Beauty and the Beast,” as well as songs written especially for the Broadway show, including “Human Again,” “A Change in Me,” and “If I Can’t Love Her.”
Beauty and the Beast will run on the MMT stage from September 13th–October 6th, with 8:00pm evening performances on Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00pm matinee performances on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available for purchase online. Music Mountain Theatre is located at 1483 NJ 179 in Lambertville, New Jersey.
For all MMT shows, discounted tickets are available for students, seniors, and members of the military, as well as for subscribers to MMT, and in group sales of fifteen or more.
Music Mountain Theatre opened its doors on October 6, 2017 with its inaugural production of Phantom. In addition to their Mainstage productions, they offer performances for Young Audiences throughout the year. Their theatre school offers classes encompassing a range of disciplines across acting, musical theatre, and dance. Their mission is to enrich, educate, and entertain the community through the study, performance, and appreciation of the arts.
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