20 years a classic: "Beauty and the Beast"

Cameron Bond as Gaston and the cast of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” Photo by Matthew Murphy.

(Tulsa, OK) Back by popular demand and just in time for the holiday, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, returns to Tulsa this month.

Beauty and the Beast is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

Beauty and the Beast features an Academy Award-winning score with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, with additional songs composed by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. The book is written by Linda Woolverton.

The original creators of the Broadway production have reunited for this new touring production. The play is directed by Rob Roth and choreographed by Matt West, with costume design by Ann Hould-Ward (Tony Award winner for her work on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), lighting design by Natasha Katz (four-time Tony Award winner), scenic design by Stanley A. Meyer, sound design by John Petrafesa Jr. and music supervision by Michael Kosarin.

Based on the 1991 Academy Award-winning animated feature film and celebrating 20 years since its Broadway premiere in 1994, Beauty and the Beast has become an international sensation. Currently, there are four other productions playing around the world including Paris, tours in Japan and Germany, and a new international tour that currently will visit over 12 countries in two years.

Presented by Celebrity Attractions, Beauty and the Beast comes to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for three performances only December 22-23. The performance schedule is Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets may be purchased by phone (918) 596-7111 or (800) 364-7111, in person at the Tulsa PAC Ticket Office, or online at MyTicketOffice.com.

For more information on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, visit www.BeautyAndTheBeastOnTour.com or www.CelebrityAttractions.com.