Beauty and the Beast

The story of Beauty and the Beast

The musical follows Belle, a bright and independent young woman in a provincial French village, who trades her freedom for her father's release and finds herself living in an enchanted castle ruled by a cursed Beast. Set against a fairy tale version of eighteenth century France, the story unfolds as a household of servants turned into talking objects work to help Belle and the Beast see past appearances and fall in love before an enchanted rose loses its final petal.

It is at heart a classic fable about looking beneath the surface, paired with a charming subplot of village life and the vain, blustering suitor Gaston, who provides much of the show's comic tension.

The music and the makers

Alan Menken composed the score, building on the songs he wrote for the original 1991 animated film and expanding them with new numbers for the stage. The result is a lush, melodic score rooted in the Disney musical tradition, full of warm ballads, comic set pieces, and big ensemble production numbers.

As a family friendly comedy adapted from film, the show leans into spectacle and charm, with the music doing much of the work of establishing the fairy tale's emotional stakes alongside its humor.

Beauty and the Beast on Broadway

Beauty and the Beast opened on Broadway in 1994 and became one of the defining hits of Disney's early push into theatrical producing, running for over a decade. Its success helped prove that adapting animated films for the stage could work as a lasting business model rather than a novelty.

The show has remained popular with family audiences and theatre newcomers alike, prized for its recognizable songs, elaborate design, and the reliable emotional payoff of its central romance. It continues to be produced widely around the world by touring companies, schools, and regional theatres.

Beauty and the Beast: frequently asked questions