This was a great Broadway musical and at the time it was the most expensive one to make! Sadly, the man who probably contributed more than he knew to Disney's Beauty and the Beast, died 6 months before the movie came out and his name was Howard Ashman. Howard was the executive producer and song lyric writer of the movie. He was BRILLIANT! When the movie was being made, no one except music writer, Alan Menkin, knew that he was dying of AIDS. They whole cast and crew had to keep coming from LA to NYC whenever they needed to work with Howard and they wondered why he couldn't just come to see them. They assumed he was too busy to travel but far into production he revealed to them that he was very sick and dying and he then gained their full support. When they couldn't come to see him, they would have him listen to the performances over the phone and listen for his feedback. He kept working on the film until pretty much the day he died. He was really committed to his work. He died in 1991, he was 40. It's kind of ironic that the movie was brought to Broadway because Howard Ashman was a Broadway producer. He was a longtime fan of Disney. In fact, in many ways he was just like Walt Disney. When he and Alan were an unbeatable team. Alan would write the music and Howard would come up with the lyrics. Howard put the feeling of Broadway in the movies he worked on. Howard Ashman would've definitely approved of the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast. He probably didn't know he was bringing to life something that would later become a big hit on his territory, BROADWAY. I bet Alan told the cast and crew of the musical that Howard would be very proud of them. To this day, everyone involved with the movie and the musical deeply regret that Howard did not get to share the success both had become. The film and musical would not have been possible had it not been for him. Walt Disney wanted to do Beauty and the Beast after finishing Snow White but he just couldn't figure out how to make it as magical as Snow White and put it aside. Howard accomplished something that even Walt Disney couldn't.

So wonderful to see my favorite story on Broadway

Really NEED a revival of this now!!

I love Broadway and Susan Egan so much

This musical is absolutely fantastic! I would most definitely watch it again!!!

Alan Menken starting too high at 11:35 is a wonderful moment, kind of an endearing mistake. Doesn't detract from how much of a genius he is, though.

Another thing that's good in this musical is that it also explains why the servants are under the spell, too. In one scene Cogsworth tells Lumiere that he doesn't see why they had to suffer under the spell, too when it was their master who turned the old woman/enchantress away. Lumiere says that they are responsible for helping making the master the way he is and Cogsworth supposes that is true. After all, they did everything and gave him everything he wanted, thus spoiling him which is what helped make him how he is.

I hope this musical comes back I miss seeing it

10:25 Alan Menken Also Wrote Songs From Disney's The Hunchback Of Notre Dame In 1996 Which Is After The Success Of Disney's Beauty And The Beast In 1991. Thanks Mate. X

R.I.P Gary Beach

Is this the Theatre Under the Stars footage I’m seeing?

@3:33 cosutmes

Disney's Beauty And The Beast Did Go To New York City.

ok