Revisit a Disney milestone and watch the original TV spot for Beauty and the Beast on Broadway!

Disney officially arrived on Broadway 25 years ago with its lavish stage adaptation of the 1991 animated feature Beauty and the Beast, which opened April 18, 1994, at The Palace Theatre.

The film’s score, written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman (who won an Oscar for the title song), was expanded for the Broadway production. In addition to unused material that never made it to screen, Menken teamed up with Tony-winning Evita lyricist Tim Rice to write new songs for the stage adaptation.

The original cast featured Susan Eagan as Belle, Terrence Mann as the Beast, Gary Beach as Lumiere, Heath Lamberts as Cogsworth, Beth Fowler as Mrs. Potts, Tom Bosley as Maurice, and Burke Moses as Gaston.