Y’all know I’m a big ole musical theatre nerd. And having been in a production of BATB many years ago, I was excited for this 30th anniversary broadcast. Here are my thoughts …..
Overall, I found it charming, fun, and entertaining. Having a theatre legend like Rita Moreno serve as the narrator was pure genius. I very much liked the dance interludes, as well. A few casting choices really hit the mark - Joshua Henry as Gaston, Martin Short as Lumière, and Josh Groban as the Beast were standouts. And that Beast costume - WOW!
A few disappointments included not including Beast’s song “If I Can’t Love Her” (from the Broadway production), instead opting for the more formulaic “Nevermore” from the film version. I also missed Belle’s soliloquy ballad “Home” (also from the Broadway production). And while I love me some Shania Twain, she was a total miss as Mrs. Potts. Taking her out of character to sing the title sing was a bad choice, although I did appreciate the nod to the late Angela Lansbury at the conclusion of the song. Another fail was casting H.E.R. as Belle. She’s a fine enough singer, but I found her performance stiff and emotionless.
Did I enjoy the production? Absolutely. Were there problems? Yes. BUT … there is always a but … anything that introduces live theatre to someone is alright in my book.
