Reimagined Beauty and the Beast to tour the UK

Disney musical Beauty and the Beast will tour the UK next year, in a “re-imagined and re-designed” production from the musical’s original creative team.

It will open on May 25 at Curve in Leicester, before touring to venues in Dublin, Bristol, Liverpool and Edinburgh.

Rob Roth will direct, leading a team that includes choreographer Matt West, scenic designer Stan Meyer, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward and lighting designer Natasha Katz.

The show has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, with a book by Linda Woolverton,

Menken said: “Beauty and the Beast is a testament to the genius of my late friend and collaborator Howard Ashman, but the show’s richness comes from the combination of Howard’s style and that of the brilliant Tim Rice, with whom I expanded the score to give voice to the Beast.”

He added: “It’s clear that audiences the world over want to return to the world of Beauty, which continues to amaze and humble those of us who created it. As the show returns to the UK, I cannot wait to see how Rob Roth and this glorious creative team bring the whole universe of Beauty and the Beast to life once again."

Rice said: “I am thrilled that there will be a brand new production and that the newest theatrical wizardry will bring another layer of magic to the tale. It is great that the UK will host the premiere of the new production, as this country has always enjoyed a special affinity with the show”.

Director Roth said the show would make “full use of all the newest technologies in stage craft, lighting and costume construction”.

“Many of these elements hadn’t been invented when we first developed the show. So we are creating something brand new from this beloved ‘tale as old as time’,” he said.

The show will have dance arrangements by David Chase, with musical supervision and orchestrations by Michael Kosarin and Danny Troob, respectively.

Completing the design team is John Shivers as sound designer, Darryl Maloney as video and projections designer, and David H Lawrence as hair designer. Jim Steinmeyer will oversee the show’s illusions.

Casting for the production is by Pippa Ailion, and will be announced later.

Beauty and the Beast is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under Thomas Schumacher.