Though he's best known for playing bad guys, Paul Schoeffler will now get a chance to play someone who brightens up a room — literally. The actor best known for being Cathy Rigby's arch nemesis in Peter Pan and Valjean's heartless pursuer in the national tour of Les Miz, will now join the Broadway company of Beauty and the Beast as the helpful, candle-handed Lumiere. He'll light up the stage March 21-May 13.

The current Belle is Sarah Litzinger, who understuded Andrea McArdle during the former's year-long stint in the role. According to production spokespersons at Boneau/Bryan-Brown, also in the current cast are Steve Blanchard as the Beast, Christopher Sieber as Gaston, Barbara Marineau as Mrs. Potts, Jeff Brooks as Cogsworth, J.B. Adams as Maurice, Pam Klinger as Babette, Judith Moore as Madame de la Grande Bouche and Jeff Skowron as Lefou, with Harrison Chad and Jonathan Press alternating in the role of Chip.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast will celebrate its seventh year on Broadway April 18. Currently situated at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, after years at the Palace, Beauty has played more than 2,800 performances.

Beauty and the Beast, which opened at the Palace Theatre on April 18, 1994, was adapted from the popular animated Disney feature by the same name. It features songs by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton.

For tickets and information call (212) 307-4747.