The musical was first staged on Broadway in 1994 and it is based on the 1991 animated Disney classic. It features the same songs you hear from the film including "Be our Guest", "Belle", and of course, the Oscar-winning theme "Beauty and the Beast". A few songs were added to the musical. Personally, the new songs aren't as musically enjoyable as the original ones. However, a couple of these new songs brilliantly showcase the amazing vocal ability of the two lead characters. Here is Darick Pead as the Beast performing "If I can't love her" to end the first act (that last high note is held for about 13 seconds and he sings it so cleanly and his projection is effortless).
video uploaded in youtube by ibleedgreenandblue
Hilary Maiberger as Belle sings "A Change in Me" towards the end of the show. Her voice is extraordinarily crystal clear and she hits the high notes with the greatest of ease.
video uploaded in youtube by La Bella y la Bestia de Disney
Of course, it wasn't just about great music and amazing voices. The stunning sets and the dazzling costumes and props were a visual feast and the production numbers were spectacular. "Gaston" featured a thoroughly enjoyable sequence that involved beer mug choreography. It also showcased the amazing athleticism and physical comedic timing of Jordan Aragon as Lefou. The transformation of the Beast into the prince was like the grand finale of a magic show. Of course, there was the "Be Our Guest" number which was possibly the scene I was most excited to see.The song itself is enough to make you happy and seeing the whole elaborate production just took that enjoyment to another level. There was a slight bit of "audience participation" as tinsel was shot out into the audience (you can see all the kids and people in the first few rows trying to grab them as souvenirs :)). There were also some fantastic acrobatics by a "rug" that included an amazing series of pirouettes which could not have been easy while being in a rug costume. (I wonder if the rug was also Jordan Aragon?) The only unfortunate thing about this was that the rug's acrobatic moves came in the middle of the song so he didn't get rewarded with massive applause that he definitely deserved. I could sense a lot of us wanted to clap for him but we weren't sure if we should given that number was still going on. I just hope he knows that his performance was very much appreciated by the audience.
A couple of firsts. My nephew watched his first musical with us and my family and I sat in the upper box for the first time. Oh and we barely made the start. My family got stuck in traffic on the way to CCP and my brother was still about to park with ten minutes left before the show. The rest of my family got seated while I frantically waited for my brother. When I saw him enter CCP, there was less than a minute left. By the time my brother and I made it to our seats, the lights dimmed and the show started. Talk about a photo finish!
The fountain in front of the CCP Main Theater is turned on whenever a show is staged here.
It's great that more and more musicals are making their way to the Philippines and I hope this trend continues. I really enjoyed Beauty and the Beast and I definitely recommend it. It will be staged at the CCP Main Theater until February 1 and there are shows everyday so if you haven't seen it, you still have time to get tickets at Ticketworld.
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