Review: New tour of ‘Beauty and the Beast' lives up to all the expectations
All that to say: with every sentimental feeling I can still summon as a jaded 30-something, I'm happy to report that Disney's new North American tour, now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, delivers just about everything I could hope for in 'Beauty and the Beast' — lovely music, dazzling costumes and standout choreography that made me fall in love with new moments in the show.
The musical's score by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, expands on the songbook of the 1991 animated film and many of the additional numbers are among my favorites. Although I was disappointed that this tour cuts Belle's sweet duet with her father, 'No Matter What,' I greatly enjoyed Kyra Belle Johnson's rendition of 'Home,' Belle's first-act solo. Her voice has that clear, bell-like timbre that's so quintessentially Disney princess. And it's certainly worth the wait when Fergie L. Philippe finally reveals his rich baritone just before intermission in the Beast's tormented number, 'If I Can't Love Her.'
Directed and choreographed by Matt West (the original Broadway choreographer), this production really gains momentum about halfway through the first act, with the comedic antics of the Beast's enchanted household staff and two major dance sequences that delighted the opening night crowd. Gaston (Stephen Mark Lukas), Lefou (Harry Francis) and company perform the raucous tavern song, 'Gaston,' with gusto, waving pompoms as they cheer on their favorite narcissist and clanking their tankards to the beat.
West later pulls out all the stops for 'Be Our Guest,' with the help of several of the original Broadway designers, including Stanley A. Meyer (set), Ann Hould-Ward (costumes) and Natasha Katz (lighting). Led by Danny Gardner as Lumiere, the cheeky, limber candelabra-turned-MC, the ensemble energetically cycles through choreography that includes classic chorus lines, tap dancing and a neat bit that resembles synchronized swimming, projected in real-time from an overhead camera.
West's choreography shines in a quieter manner in 'Human Again,' as Lumiere, Mrs. Potts (Kathy Voytko), Cogsworth (Javier Ignacio), Chip (Levi Blaise Coleman on opening night), Madame (Holly Ann Butler) and Babette (Cameron Monroe Thomas) dream of being transformed from household objects back into their original bodies. As they imagine all the things they'll do when the castle's spell is broken, white-clad members of the ensemble double as their human forms in a sort of dream ballet, performing graceful pirouettes, lifts and waltz steps that aren't possible in the singers' current, semi-inanimate forms. It's easily the most moving version of this number that I've seen.
Other design elements that deserve a nod are Hould-Ward's many striking costumes, which sparkle and shimmer with vibrant flair. I appreciated the small touch of Belle, patron saint of bookworms, wearing oversized reading glasses in several scenes. Jim Steinmeyer also contributes some nifty illusions to this production, the most impressive being Chip's cart. As usual, the young teacup rolls around looking like a disembodied head, but here, the illusion is especially convincing, as the bottom of the cart appears to be fully transparent when other actors walk behind it.
Darrel Maloney's projections and video were the only design elements that didn't work for me. With highly saturated colors and overly crisp lines, they sometimes resemble artificial intelligence-generated illustrations and don't integrate well with the physical set pieces. This is less of a problem during the castle scenes, with their dark interiors and night skies, but in Belle's village, the backdrops often took me out of the fairytale setting.
This touring cast features plenty of Broadway talents, including Voytko, a longtime Chicago actor who made headlines in 2021 by stepping in for Sutton Foster last-minute to star opposite Hugh Jackman in 'The Music Man.' The most touching casting choice, though, is the late Angela Lansbury as the voice of the prologue narrator. The beloved stage and screen actress, who voiced Mrs. Potts in the original film, died in 2022, shortly after the closing of the West End revival on which this tour is based. When Lansbury's familiar voice delivers the show's opening line, 'Once upon a time, in a faraway land,' there's a bittersweet sense of the baton being passed to younger generations of actors, entrusting them with this tale as old as time.Review: 'Beauty and the Beast' (3.5 stars)
When: Through Aug. 2
Where: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St.
Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Tickets: $40 and up at www.broadwayinchicago.com
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