One month to go until Disney’s Beauty and the Beast arrives in Adelaide!

Disney’s new production of Beauty and the Beast will open in Adelaide for the first time next month ahead of its highly anticipated season at the Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre. The spectacular new production from the producers of Aladdin, The Lion King, Mary Poppins and Frozen has sold over one million tickets to date in Australia, playing to audiences in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, and Adelaide is next! Beauty and the Beast will have its first Adelaide performance on Thursday 8^th May 2025.

Beauty and the Beast is a much-loved classic that will fill the hearts of a new generation with the timeless tale of Belle and her Beast. Based on the 1991 animated film, the original production of Beauty and the Beast played for more than 13 years on Broadway, remaining to this day one of the top 10 longest running shows in Broadway history, and touring to 37 countries worldwide. Adelaide audiences will be enchanted by this reimagined production, featuring the nostalgic and spellbinding songs of Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice including Belle, Gaston, Human Again and Be Our Guest.

With spectacular new sets, costume designs and state-of-the-art technology fused with this beloved, classic story, the timeless romance is brought to life on stage by a stellar Australian cast, starring Shubshri Kandiah as Belle, Brendan Xavier as Beast, Rohan Browne as Lumiere, Gareth Jacobs as Cogsworth, Jayde Westaby as Mrs. Potts, Hayley Martin as Babette, Alana Tranter as Madame, Jackson Head as Gaston, and Adam Di Martino as Le Fou.

Adelaide locals Nathan Stafford, Ambrielle Payne and Lewis Shilvock round out the talented ensemble and swing cast.

Members of the creative team from the original, ground-breaking Broadway musical have returned to reimagine this classic tale. Olivier Award nominee Matt West directs and choreographs, leading a team that includes original composer Alan Menken, lyricist Tim Rice, book writer Linda Woolverton, scenic designer Stan Meyer, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward and lighting designer Natasha Katz. The team collectively received five Tony® nominations and a win for Hould-Ward’s costume design, when Disney first debuted Beauty and the Beast on Broadway 28 years ago.

The season will also include a relaxed performance on 14 June at 2 pm, in partnership with Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia) and Autism SA; the first of its kind for a Disney show at the Adelaide Festival Centre. This unique and inclusive performance will be tailored from start to finish to ensure audience members who may need specific support can attend, engage and feel welcomed. A relaxed performance means that audience members are encouraged to be completely themselves during the performance; to make sounds, move around, fidget or use noise cancelling headphones.

Aspect’s autistic staff assessed the show and recommended modifications for the relaxed performance that considered the diversity of audience preferences, including sensory sensitivities. Adjustments include a visual story that explains the show step by step, inclusive and welcoming language used on the official website and during the ticket buying process, increased staff and volunteers to assist audience members, turning off all announcements throughout the theatre, and providing a dedicated quiet room and multiple quiet spaces for use by anyone who needs a break from the performance.

Amendments to the production for the cast and crew include noise reduction, keeping the house lights dim during the performance, and employing visual cues to act as a ‘pre-warning’ mechanism prior to potentially overwhelming scenes or moments.

A short pre-show welcome has been designed to introduce the audience to certain characters and stage effects that may be unpredictable or sensorially significant in advance. For example, the character of Lumiere’s hands are candles that light up with real fire, which will be explained in an approachable and respectful way to get the audience ready for the performance ahead.

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Photo Credit: Daniel Boud