Inside the star-studded 30th Celebration of Disney’s animated classic.
Something magical is happening on a Burbank, Calif., studio lot.
As the opening strains of Oscar-winning song “Beauty and the Beast,“Josh GrobanandH.E.R.
Derek Hough (with mic) leads ensemble through finale choreography.Christopher Willard/ABC
descend velvet-lined stairs andDancing With the StarsjudgeDerek Houghcounts out steps for the waltzing, bewigged ensemble.
“It is a tribute and a celebration,” says executive producer Katy Mullan.
But this time, the enchantment also strives to make room for everyone watching.
H.E.R. as Belle.Christopher Willard/ABC
“It has everybody.
It has people of color, white people, people who are heavy.
It’s marvelous.”
Rizwan Manji as LeFou and Joshua Henry as Gaston.Christopher Willard/ABC
(Belle), and country music phenomShania Twain(Mrs. Potts).
We all felt the same childlike excitement to honor it in this way.”
“It was very much an arrival.
H.E.R. as Belle, Jon Jon Briones as Maurice, and director Hamish Hamilton.Christopher Willard/ABC
A more ambitious side of me.
It’s very romantic because it’s beautiful to be smart.
It’s beautiful to want more, to think more of yourself.”
H.E.R. as Belle with the ensemble.Christopher Willard/ABC
Wilson hopes audiences also find her Belle beautiful for what she brings to the character.
“There’s no Filipino princesses, so to be a Black and Filipino Belle is huge.
Adds director Hamish Hamilton: “She totally committed to being a Disney princess.
Josh Groban with his Prince Adam painting.Christopher Willard/ABC
For an artist of her standing and stature, you’re either all in or you’re not.
And she was, a million percent.”
And she’s infusing a bit of herself into the music as well.
H.E.R. as Belle and Josh Groban as Beast.Christopher Willard/ABC
Wilson even collaborated with original composer Alan Menken on new arrangements for the score.
“It’s very, very subtle, but there’s a little bit of a H.E.R.
twist in the music.”
Shania Twain as Mrs. Potts.Christopher Willard/ABC
“And I remember going home and wanting to sing every song from that show.”
Then he got the call.
Of course, that required some physical transformation.
A rosy look at ‘Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration’.Christopher Willard/ABC
As for becoming the Beast, Groban was wary of doing anything too theatrical or theme park-esque.
The apparatus foregrounds the Beast but still makes Groban visible within the structure.
“We didn’t necessarily want it to be prosthetics, because that can be really hit and miss.
And you’re able to’t really do CGI for a live performance like this.
“He’s trapped as a prisoner.
That presented some interesting physical challenges.
“We knew when we had to put the white flag up,” he jokes.
“Fighting off wolves was easier than learning how to do the foxtrot.”
Groban means that literally.
“With fight choreography, it’s a dance, everything is set to a count.
“He gave the puppet personality,” Hamilton says of his star’s dedication and hard work.
“There’s moments of humor and there’s moments of tenderness and there’s moments of fierceness.
To see him battle with this incredible costume and have it pay off is incredible.”
“We come from different musical universes,” the Beast actor notes.
“But we both really love this music.
The weight of the love for the 1991 film certainly weighed on Hamilton.
“This is easily the most daunting production that I’ve done,” says the director.
“It made singing the theme song very emotional for me.
But Alan Menken was on stage with me playing the piano, and that comforted me a great deal.
It was important to me to play the role with style and grace.
A sense of humor, inspired by Angela’s charm.
I kept Angela in mind the whole time.”
“It is so spectacularly beautiful the sets are wondrous, the costumes are fabulous,” she says.
