Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast
Vintage Theater
Aurora, CO 
November 25, 2016 - January 8, 2017

The Vintage Theatre has never shied away from a challenge. They have a lovely, intimate stage which they regularly push to its limits. Beauty and the Beast is a beloved classic transformed into a stage spectacle. It’s a huge task to translate into a regional production.

The cast was very strong for this production. Belle and the Beast have strong, beautiful voices and clear understanding of their characters. The affection between them did seem to grow before our eyes. While their Gaston was not the muscle man of the film, his voice and swagger give us the bully the story needs. LeFou is his perfect sidekick, believable in his ridiculousness.

The castle staff have great chemistry between them, although their accents were often uneven. The ensemble was strong, pulling off great feats in the choral songs. The dance sequence in the song “Gaston” was heavily influenced by the Broadway production and they pulled it off flawlessly. “Be Our Guest” was flat by comparison – the cast was just not large enough to pull off the spectacle we are used to.

The biggest disappointment in the production was the set for the show. It seemed more like a high school set than one for a professional theater. Technically it functioned as needed, but it never changed throughout the show. So, the door to Belle’s home became the main entrance to the Beast’s castle and the entryway to the kitchen. Lighting effects helped to change the setting a bit, especially with some of the outdoor scenes.

The costumes for the show demonstrated far more creativity. While they were clearly modeled after the clothing the characters wore in the original film, the designer put her own spin on them. Lumiere’s black and gold sequin suit was stunning. And while Belle’s ball gown was still in its signature yellow, but it was more ornate and period appropriate than the movie version. The costumes for Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip were a bit crude, but they got the point across.

Overall, the production suffered very little being scaled down. The Vintage extended the magic after the show by having both Belle and the Beast/Prince in the lobby after the show for meet and greets. It was a popular draw for children of all ages and it continued until everyone had a chance to take photos.