Play Review: Beauty and the Beast

                       Beauty and the Beast

Remember the old story about the princess who turned a handsome prince into a horrible, ugly beast because he was so mean and nasty to others?

Neither do I, but there were actually four versions of that story before Disney got hold of it and turned it into one of the world’s most famous (and most popular) animated films of all time: “Beauty and the Beast.”

“Beauty” is back – live and onstage – through August 7 at Vista’s Moonlight Amphitheatre, in a spectacular, colorful and delightful version directed by Jamie Toricelli.

That mean old Beast (Michael Deni) has lost hope of ever being a prince again. So he glowers around his lovely castle, yelling at the servants and wishing things could change.

Meanwhile, Beauty (Jenna Lee Rosen) meets her dad Maurice (Johnny Fletcher), a sweet guy but a failed inventor, who shows Belle his latest invention and tells her he’s on the way to enter it in the local fair, which he hopes to win.

But he gets lost and ends up in the Beast’s castle, where the Beast makes him a prisoner.

The next time she sees Maurice, he’s in the Beast’s jail, and the Beast (who thinks she’s pretty cute) tells her the only way he can get out is if she takes his place.

Miracle of miracles, she agrees – and then the musical really starts.

Mostly, this is a show of volume and action. The cast lists 24 people, the program lists 22 songs excluding orchestral introductions, and Conductor Elan McMahon has her usual boffo orchestra, this time consisting of 11 musicians.

And the cast! This is where the Disney version shines. There’s Gaston, the musclebound jerk who not only thinks he owns the world because he’s strong, but also that Belle (yeah, he thinks she’s cute too) will be thrilled to walk down the aisle with him. As it happens, she’s a bookworm, more interested in brain than brawn. 

Rosen has a special relationship to this show: she was born while her parents were in a road show of “Beauty.” She’s also terrific in the part.

There’s Lefou (Zane Camacho), Gaston’s sidekick who mostly really gets kicked by Gaston. And Lumiere (Michael Paternoster), the candlestick, and Cogsworth (Jerald Vincent) the clock, and Mrs. Potts (Bets Malone), the teapot. And Mrs. Potts’ adorable son Chip (Abraham German), who walks around inside the tea service all night. 

The songs are familiar, the dancing often frenetic and wondrous, the actors terrific and obviously having a wonderful time. What more could you ask?

There’s only one drawback: the show is really long, running at least 2-1/2 hours. That might be a bit much for the kids, but they may be so entranced by the goings-on that they don’t notice how tired they are. 

“Beauty and the Beast” runs Wednesday through Sunday at 8 p.m. through August 7, with two added Tuesday shows on July 27 and August 3.  

For tickets: https://www.moonlightstage.com/shows-tickets