Disney Cruise Line debuts new ‘Beauty and the Beast’ show aboard Disney Dream
The “tale as old as time” is being told on the high seas in a totally new way, as the Disney Dream has debuted its new Beauty and the Beast musical production, inspired by the live-action remake of Disney’s animated classic.
Disney Cruise Line’s new Beauty and the Beast show recounts the familiar fable with a blend of classic stage techniques and cutting-edge technology in the ship’s 1,340-seat Walt Disney Theatre. Costumes, puppetry, and dance are used to bring to life the well-known songs and characters. The exclusive Disney Dream production expands upon elements of the live-action and original films, incorporating moments from the recent reimagining with nostalgic nods to award-winning animated feature. You can watch our highlights video from the show’s press premiere below:
To bring Beauty and the Beast to the stage, Disney assembled an all-star creative team, led by director and choreographer Connor Gallagher (“Tangled: The Musical,” “Found”) in collaboration with writer Sara Wordsworth (“Frozen, A Musical Spectacular,” Broadway’s “In Transit”). The stage musical uses the scenic motif of a music box to guide spectators through the story. Set designer, Jason Sherwood (“Paint Your Wagon,” “Frozen, A Musical Spectacular”), worked in concert with video designer, Aaron Rhyne (“Frozen, A Musical Spectacular,” Broadway’s “Anastasia”), to create a transforming set that takes audiences on a magical journey through the music box, from Belle’s provincial French town to the Beast’s mysterious castle. Lighting design by four-time Tony Award-nominated, Japhy Weideman, complements the immersive set, and costume designer Sarah Cubbage (Broadway’s “Skylight”) and puppet designer Jeff Conover recreated the show’s enchanted objects like Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth in true scale using innovative puppetry and elaborate costumes.
Beauty and the Beast features songs from the original animated film’s award-winning soundtrack by acclaimed composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, along with two of the new songs created for the live-action film by Menken and lyricist Tim Rice, “How Does a Moment Last Forever” and “Days in the Sun.” The songs have new arrangements and orchestrations by Matt Castle and Frank Galgano (“Into the Woods”) that reflects the show’s stylized approach. For example, “Be Our Guest” is a “multi-course French dinner rooted in imagination and fantasy,” with choreography and visual effects filling the stage.
Beauty and the Beast debuted during the Disney Dream voyage that departed on Nov. 6, 2017, joining a lineup of Broadway-style stage productions aboard the ship, including “The Golden Mickeys” and “Disney’s Believe.” The Disney Dream sails three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Fla.
To learn more about Disney Cruise Line visit disneycruise.com, and watch these videos of other Disney Cruise Line performances:
