Broadway in Milwaukee: Beauty and the Beast

Fantastical fun for the whole family

I kind of hate it when critics say things like "fun for the whole family!" because I know it turns people off. I mean, I love family shows and movies and that phrase even turns me off — or at least makes me question if the show/movie really is any fun. But having experienced Beauty and the Beast on stage, I now have some sympathy for those critics; sometimes there's just no other way to say it. This show really would be fun for the whole family. 

From the first notes I was sucked into this wondrous show. Of course I rather knew what to expect, but when the narrator started in with "Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle..." I felt like a kid again, hanging on every word of a bedtime story. Though I feel like I could replay Beauty and the Beast, the movie, in my head without skipping a beat, somehow the show managed to make me set aside the film and be totally immersed in the spectacle on stage. Like a lot of ladies my age, I can sing every character and voice inflection to Belle's opening song — but I never once thought "Ugh, this song was so much better in the movie." Like I said: Sucked in. I was grinning like an idiot pretty much the the entire time and freely laughing out loud.

With sets reminiscent of pop-up book pages and cartoonish costuming, it's easy to see why kids would get a kick out of Beauty and the Beast. All of the favorite songs are accounted for, and the added ones aren't just throw-away tunes but actually add to the heart of the story ("Home") or bring the house down ("Human Again"). As for new favorite characters, the Wardrobe gets more personality in the stage production; she's actually "Madame de la Grande Bouche" ("Missus of the Big Mouth" in French), a has-been opera singer.

Then there are all the little things aimed at adults, like some of the Gaston humor. He and LeFou might be villains, but they're also crowd favorites — except to the darling old man sitting next to us who, instead of clapping, shouted a good-humored "Booooo!" at the actors during the final bow. Also for the grown-ups: How Lumiere delivered every line as if followed by a **wink wink, nudge nudge**.

Some tweaks to the storyline dispelled any question of why the enchanted objects in the castle are human-sized. The enchantment is slowly turning each of them into their respective objects. So Mrs. Potts and the gang, just like the Beast, have only until the last rose petal falls before their transformations are complete.

Overall, favorite songs: "Be Our Guest" and "Gaston." The voices  were outstanding. The relationship between Belle and the Beast was believable. The cast of supporting characters were totally loveable and got a lot of laughs. The Beast's transformation back into a man at the end actually made me say "Neat!" out loud (because I'm 5 and have no self control?). The worst part of the whole production was Belle's dress (total Irene Molloy syndrome with bows and frippery — an overworked mess). Which is a terrible thing to under-deliver on, Disney! But it obviously could have been much worse. 

All I could think at the end (like a total musical nerd) was, "This was so much fun! Can I please see it in New York or Chicago and compare production value?!" I'm sure we loose the luxury of really eye-popping sets, actually gorgeous Belle gowns, and other special effects by virtue of this being a touring version of the show. So I hope Beauty and the Beast runs for years so I can see it on an even bigger stage. This might be the "tale as old as time," but I don't see how it could ever really get old.