[NEohioPAL]Berko Review of Beauty and the Beast

Thu Feb 7 19:58:01 PST 2002

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attached is the review.

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<I>BEAUTY AND THE BEAST </I>DELIGHTS AT ALLEN THEATRE<I><BR>
</I><BR>
Roy Berko<P>
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)--<P>
Times Newspapers--<P>
<I>Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times</I><P>
<BR>
     There are some critics who damn the Disneyfication of the American musical.  
They believe that the Disney organization has made the theatre into a place of formula
plots and overblown productions.   I am not one of them!  I think the arts, theatre
included, has to appeal to many different types of people on different levels for it to
fulfill it's mission.<BR>
     It was exciting on opening night of <I>BEAUTY AND THE BEAST</I> to see a near
capacity audience made up of young children, teenagers, Generation Xers and the
Geritol set.  They came in spite of the fact that this is not the first time the show has
been in Cleveland.  They came, they were excited about being in the theatre, and they
enjoyed themselves.  Many of these people would not come to see the likes of
<I>PARADE</I>, <I>BLOOD BROTHERS</I> or <I>CHESS</I>, but they came to see the fantasy, the magic,
the farce, the inventive sets, and the wonderful costumes of this show.  This mass
assemblage wanted to enjoy themselves, to have some cotton candy for the mind and
cherry cokes for the soul.  Hurray for Disney for finding a way to draw these people
into see live theatre. <BR>
     Did the Disney studios actually reinvent the musical?  No!  The <I>BEAUTY AND
THE BEAST</I> plot line follows the tried and true formula set up by Rogers and
Hammerstein in the 1940s.  The first act lays the foundation for the plot, the last incident
of the act makes us want to come back to find out how the story ends.  It's the same as
what we experience in Lerner and Loewe's <I>MY FAIR LADY</I>.  The question at the end of
the first act is, "Will Eliza be able to fool everyone and be perceived as a lady of
breeding?" The question in <I>BEAUTY AND THE BEAST</I> is, "Will Beauty be able to teach
the Beast how to love and thus break the wicked spell?"  In both cases the answer, of
course, is "yes." That's the stuff of which fantasies are made.<BR>
     The production on stage at the Allen Theatre is everything one could ask for.  It's
been that way since 1993 when the musical previewed in Houston and 1994 when it
opened to its long run on Broadway.  It's been that way as it has worked its way across
the world and thrilled people in such places as Sydney, Toronto, Vienna, Osaka, Mexico
City and London. <BR>
     This is a full-scale beautifully mounted production which will enchant children of
all ages.  But, be warned, it may also scare the little ones as the Beast roars, the shadows
and fog fill the stage, and wolves chase Beauty. (As one sweet 3-year old, all dressed up
in her pink ruffles said, "I don't like this movie, it scares me." Her parents snuggled her
in, reassured her, and she remained transfixed for the rest of the show.<BR>
     The cast is wonderful.  Danyelle Bossardet is a Snow White-like Beauty with a
warm and charming voice.  Grant Norman's voice fills the theatre as it did when he
played the lead in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and in London.  Marc Dalio
creates a Gaston who is perfectly overblown.   Gerard McIsaac is a perfect slapstick fool
and punching bag for Gaston.<BR>
     Over 17 million people worldwide have seen and loved <I>BEAUTY AND THE
BEAST</I>.  I challenge anyone except the reviewer-Grinch to not love this production. 
LONG LIVE the Disneyfication of the musical!   Ba, humbug to the sourpusses who look
down at making people laugh, smile and want to come to the theatre!<BR>
     BEAUTY AND THE BEAST runs through February 17 at the Allen Theatre. 
Tickets, which range from $20 to $65 may be obtained by calling 216-241-6000 or 800
766-6048 or go on line at Tickets.com. 

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