A MODERN BELLE

Beauty And The Beast The Musical arrives in Singapore to celebrate a timeless story and beloved score

- STORY: SUWITCHA CHAIYONG

In 1991, Beauty And The Beast became the first animation to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

The animation stood out as its sophisticated script reflected the complexity of its characters. Additionally, its beautiful musical scores were memorable.

In 1994, Beauty And The Beast opened on Broadway and played for more than 13 years, remaining to this day one of the top 10 longest-running shows in Broadway history.

After its huge success in Australia, Beauty And The Beast The Musical will make one stop for Asian audiences in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands starting from Dec 11 for a limited period of time. Tickets can be purchased at marinabaysands.com.

Beauty And The Beast is a story of Belle, an intelligent bookworm, who sacrifices herself in exchange for her father's freedom. Belle has to live with a monstrous Beast in his castle who was actually a handsome prince who had been cursed because he was cruel and selfish. To break the spell, the Beast must make Belle love him before the last petal falls from his enchanted rose.

Produced by Disney Theatrical Group and presented in Singapore by Base Entertainment Asia, Beauty And The Beast The Musical has been reimagined with new sets, costume designs and state-of-the-art technology to bring the timeless romance to life on stage.

The lead roles are played by Australian actors Shubshri Kandiah (Belle) and Brendan Xavier (the Beast). Kandiah is known for her captivating portrayal of Princess Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin The Musical during its 2019 season, while Xavier won over audiences as Kristoff in Disney's Frozen The Musical.

During the Asia launch at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore, when Matt West, director and choreographer, was asked what specifically made Kandiah and Xavier the right choice for this Beauty And The Beast The Musical, he replied that both had their own unique charm.