BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Kicks Off 2012/13 Broadway Season at the Orpheum Theatre, 10/16-21

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the classic musical love story based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre, October 16-21, 2012. This elaborate all-new production originated its national tour at the Orpheum in 1995 and is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes and dazzling production numbers including "Be Our Guest" and the beloved title song "Beauty and the Beast." Single tickets are on sale now. Beauty and the Beast is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as part of its 2012/13 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, 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 eternity. The smash hit musical has become an international sensation that has played to over 35 million people worldwide in 21 countries.

This spectacular theatrical production features the animated film's Academy Award-winning score with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, with additional songs with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. The book is written by Linda Woolverton. It is produced by NETworks Presentations.

The original creators of the Broadway production are together again for this new touring production. The show 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, scenic design by Stanley A. Meyer, sound design by John Petrafesa Jr. and music supervision by Michael Kosarin.

Director Rob Roth commented, "It has been wonderful to bring the entire original design team back together to work on this new production of Beauty and the Beast. As a director, it is rare to have the opportunity to revisit your work 15 years later. Hopefully I've grown and developed as an artist, along with my collaborators, and we can bring 15 years of experience to this new production. We have remained very close as a team over the years of producing the show around the world, and it has been so much fun getting together to re-explore and re-invent the show for this new NETworks tour. The theme of Beauty is about seeing past the exterior into the heart of someone, and this is reflected in the design for the show, which is about transparency and layers, seeing past one thing and into another."

For additional information, visit www.BeautyAndTheBeastOnTour.com.

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