google.com, pub-8087192757053655, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 Director Jewels: July 2016

Friday, July 15, 2016

Beauty and the Beast at Kansas City's Starlight Theatre {Review}

Disclosure: I received press passes to attend this event. No other compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own. 


There's no better way to spend a night out under the stars in Kansas City than at Starlight Theatre! A classic show has rolled into town for just this week, and it's one you will not want to miss. NETworks presents Disney's Beauty and the Beast - a family favorite that is a wonder to behold.

Brooke  Quintana as Belle and the cast of Disney's Beauty and the  Beast. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

You're in for a treat with this touring Broadway adaptation of Disney's 1991 animated film. This particular tour has been on the road for eleven months, but that doesn't stop them from bringing a high-energy, visually stunning production right here to Kansas City!

The show features the famous songs from the movie including Belle, Gaston, Beauty and the Beast, and Be Our Guest, plus additional numbers created for the expansion of the show on Broadway. I was a little disappointed that two songs were cut from those included in the original Broadway production (No Matter What and Maison de Lunes), but all the favorites are there!

Christiaan Smith-Kotlarek  as Gaston and the cast of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

The original creators of the 1994 Broadway musical came together again to launch the NETworks’ 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 the Broadway production), lighting design by Natasha Katz, scenic design by Stanley A. Meyer, sound design by John Petrafesa Jr. and music supervision by Michael Kosarin.

My three-year-old daughter attended the show with me - it was her first Starlight production! While she was a little frightened of the wolves and the Beast's roaring, she adored all of Belle's dresses and hasn't stopped talking about them. It was magical to share such a special night with my girl - and we didn't even mind the heat.

Brooke  Quintana as Belle and the cast of Disney's Beauty and the  Beast. Photo by Matthew Murphy.
The touring production uses 81 wigs and 580 costume pieces, including some from the original Broadway costumes. Make sure you arrive early at Starlight to go on a tour of the theater - you might get to go backstage and catch a glimpse of all those wigs waiting for their actors and actresses.

The production design lends itself to a storybook feel, with a vine-covered proscenium encircling the cast as they move from Belle's provincial town to the Beast's castle and back again. Be Our Guest was a crowd favorite for sure, with streamers shot out into the audience multiple times. I saw little girls in Belle dresses holding tight to some of those streamers on their way out of the theatre.

The Enchanted Objects of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Thank you, Starlight, for bringing this wonderful production to Kansas City. This experience with my daughter is one I will never forget. I'm sure she and I will share many more magical evenings at this beautiful theater in the future.

Sam Hartley  as the Beast and Brooke  Quintana as Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Tickets for Beauty and the Beast at Starlight Theatre are on sale now for $15-$143+. Tickets are available online at Starlight Theatre, by calling 816.363.STAR (7827) or at the Starlight box office at 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City, MO 64132. Evening performances begin at 8 p.m. and there is a Saturday morning show at 10:00 a.m.

Thanks to Starlight Theatre for providing my tickets to the show. I received no other compensation and all views expressed are my own. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy.
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