BENGALURU: Among the many classic fairy tales to have been given a modern flourish by Disney, Beauty and the Beast is perhaps one of the oldest. Originally written in the late 18th century by the French writer Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, this tale of love, redemption and the transformative power of kindness has had many tellings and retellings. Now, based on the original Broadway production that ran for over a decade, garnering nine Tony awards, an abridged version tailored for younger performers, titled Beauty and the Beast Jr is coming to Bengaluru this month.
“This is the first officially licensed adaptation of Beauty and the Beast Jr to be staged in India. Disney themselves staged the full-length adaptation of Beauty and the Beast before COVID-19 in Mumbai. Compared to the original, the junior version is pretty much the same, except in length by being shorter by an hour,” says Divyesh Bhandari, director of the show. “It’s quite unique for Bengaluru. The city has probably one or two musicals each year, but nothing quite like this one, in terms of production. It’s also a proper Disney show, performed by children, with exceptional music and a strong message for the current times. It’s a family entertainer with contemporary relevance. And we are also including a special tribute to the people of Palestine and Israel who are going through much suffering right now. “
Produced by Bhandari’s Imbroglio Productions to commemorate Delhi Public School Electronic City’s 10-year anniversary, the musical features students of DPS. Despite working with an amateur cast, Bhandari and his team have worked to ensure the production value of the musical remains high. “The production has been a race against time. We finished auditions in early October, so we had only around two and a half months to prepare. I can confidently say that people who come to watch the show won’t be disappointed. From the production presets like costume, makeup and props, to the cast, who have come close to professional actors,” he concludes.
(Beauty and the Beast Jr will be staged on Dec 23 at Prestige Srihari Khoday Centre for Performing Arts, Kanakapura Rd. Tickets are priced at Rs 600. Details on bookmyshow.com)