In Hollywood's "Golden Age" it seemed like every other movie that graced the silver screen was based on a hit Broadway musical. In recent years, however, that trend has reversed itself. There have even been bizarre "double remakes" like Hairspray and The Producers, where stage musical adaptations of earlier movies were remade yet again into new movies. It's all very meta when you think about it. One of the most popular Broadway musicals to make the leap to celluloid is Disney's mega-smash Beauty and the Beast. The play is based on the 1991 animated movie of the same name but the story of Beauty and the Beast has been the basis for five previous films and a weird-as-hell TV series. Cooked up by a dream team of Broadway hit makers including Tim (Jesus Christ Superstar) Rice and Alan (Little Shop of Horrors) Menken, this Beast is a lively update of the age-old fairy tale that is jam-packed with powerful and memorable songs guaranteed to keep the whole family tapping their toes for years to come. This show is a definite must-see for anyone who has ever tasted forbidden love. Disney's Beauty and the Beast is at the Winspear Opera House Tuesday through July 25. Visit BeautyAndTheBeastOnTour.com for more information.
Tuesdays-Fridays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sun., July 18, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sun., July 25, 2 p.m. Starts: July 13. Continues through July 25, 2010