Spend an Enchanted Evening with Beauty and the Beast

Photo by Kevin Graft/Courtesy Pittsburgh CLO

by Janet Jonus

Disney’s smash musical, Beauty and the Beast, is coming to the Benedum Center for an enchanted engagement July 27th through August 5th.

Join Belle, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Cogsworth, Gaston, Maurice, and the Beast for an evening of magic and mystery, love and heartbreak, music and dance. Beauty and the Beast tells the tale of Belle, the book-loving beauty who longs for love and adventure, and the Beast, a selfish prince who has been cast under a spell until he can love and be loved in return. When Belle is imprisoned in Beast’s castle, the two discover an unlikely bond. Can Beast reform before the last petal falls off of the enchanted rose?

Beauty and the Beast is the Broadway Musical based on the hit Disney animated movie. It features songs unique to the musical including Belle’s “Home”, Beast’s “If I Can’t Love Her”, and Gaston’s “Me”. All eight songs from the classic 1991 animated movie are featured including “Something There”, the eponymous “Beauty and the Beast”, and the crowd-pleasing “Be Our Guest”.

The story opens when the Enchantress, disguised as an old woman, asks the handsome Prince for shelter. Repulsed by her looks, he rudely refuses. She casts a spell on the Prince and all of his servants. He is transformed into a hideous beast while the servants are slowly turning into inanimate objects. The Enchantress gives Beast a rose and explains he must learn to love and be loved in return before the last petal falls from the rose to break the enchantment. If he doesn’t, the spell will last forever.

Belle lives in the nearby village with her eccentric inventor father, Maurice. Belle is considered the most beautiful girl in the village but she only cares for books and the romance and adventure they represent. She is pursued by the boorish Gaston who will stop at nothing to force Belle to marry him.

When Maurice goes missing, Belle sets out an adventure that will change the lives of the occupants of the Castle and of the Village forever.

The opulent production ran for thirteen years on Broadway. Beauty and the Beast touring companies have played in thirteen countries and 115 cities. The production features Tony-Award winning costumes, a stunning set, and special effects that bring the story to life.

The Benedum Center production features Pittsburgh CLO veteran Jessica Grové as Belle, Broadway veteran James Snyder as Beast, and Jason Michel Evans as Gaston.

Beauty and the Beast opens at the Benedum on July 27th with an 800PM performance. The Saturday July 28th performances are at 200PM and 800PM. Shows on Sunday July 29th are at 200PM and 730PM. There are no shows on Monday July 30th. There is a 730PM performance on Tuesday July 31st, Wednesday August 1st, and Thursday August 2nd. There is a show on Friday August 3rd at 800PM. There are two performances on Saturday August 4th at 200PM and 800PM. The final performance of Beauty and the Beast in Pittsburgh is on Sunday August 5th at 200PM.

Tickets cost $25.75 – $75.75 plus fees. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 412-456-6666 or online at https://pittsburghclo.culturaldistrict.org/production/54545/disneys-beauty-and-the-beast or at Box Office at Theater Square at 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 near the Benedum and Heinz Hall. The Box Office is open Monday through Saturday from 900AM – 900PM and Sunday from 1200PM – 600PM. There are half-priced children’s tickets available for the performances on Sunday July 7th at 700PM, Tuesday July 31st at 730PM, Wednesday August 1st at 730PM, and Friday August 3rd at 800PM. Tickets are only in Price Scale C and cost $20.75 each plus fees. The Benedum Center has a bit of an unusual numbering system for seating. The Center sections are numbered sequentially (101,102, 103, etc.) The Left sections have odd numbers (21, 23, 25, etc.) The Right sections have even numbers (22, 24, 26, etc.)

Run time for Beauty and the Beast is two and one half hours with a 15 minute intermission. Children under the age of three are NOT admitted. Children 3 and over must have a ticket and sit in a seat next to the accompanying adult. Children who “disturb the enjoyment of others” may be asked to leave without a refund. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information check here: http://www.pittsburghclo.org/buy-tickets/ticket-information/child-policy-info
The Benedum has a bag policy limiting the size of any bag brought into the theater to 16”x16”x8”. For more information check here: http://www.pittsburghclo.org/buy-tickets/ticket-information/bag-policy The performance on Saturday July 28th at 200PM is an audio-described performance. For accessibility information check here: http://www.pittsburghclo.org/buy-tickets/ticket-information/accessibility-info

Doors to the theater open one hour before show time. Latecomers may not be seated. Food and beverages for sale at the theater must be consumed in the lobby prior to entering the theater. Reuseable cups purchased at the concession stands and water bottles can be taken into the theater. Photography and video recording is prohibited. All cell phones must be turned off during performances.

The Benedum Center is located at 237 7th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Parking is in Theater District and Downtown lots. Check out http://parkpgh.org/ for available parking. The Wood Street Station on the T is within one half block of the Benedum. Numerous Port Authority bus routes are nearby. More information can be found here: http://www.pittsburghclo.org/plan/directions-and-parking General information can be found here: http://www.pittsburghclo.org/