Disney Theatrical Productions Australia are inviting even more Australian musical theatre fans to be their guest next year. Following its inaugural 2023 season at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, the production is set to arrive at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s (QPAC) Lyric Theatre from February 2024, followed by a season at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne from June 2024. Whether the season is set to run straight through until May 2024 in Brisbane or will perhaps see a short season in Perth or Adelaide has yet to be confirmed. This is confirmed to be the first time that Beauty and the Beast has performed in Melbourne since its premiere season in 1995, and the first time it has ever been performed in Brisbane.
Waitlists are now open via the official Beauty and the Beast the Musical Australian website, and fortunately, we also know when ticket sales will be open for both states. In Brisbane, those who sign-up prior to 13 October 2023 will gain priority access to tickets with pre-sales set to begin 16 October 2023. For Melbourne you have an extra month to brace yourself, with those who sign up for the waitlist prior to 10 November 2023 gaining access to pre-sales starting 13 November 2023.
This is a reimagined production of Disney Theatrical Production’s inaugural musical theatre work, and even if its origins are with a musical almost three decades old, it still has the foundations of a magical musical. You can check out my full review of Beauty and the Beast the Musical’s ongoing Sydney season HERE.
Commenting on the new legs of the Australian tour, President and Producer at Disney Theatrical Productions, Thomas Schumacher, shared the following message:
We are thrilled to return to Brisbane and Melbourne with Beauty and the Beast, as re-imagined by members of the brilliant original creative team. This beloved show – and Belle herself – are somehow as contemporary today as when the film premiered in 1991, even more meaningful to those who first discovered them decades ago and to new generations. Each time we’ve returned to Australia over the last quarter century we see audiences grow larger and more appreciative and the deep pool of extraordinary home-grown musical theatre talent grow even deeper. We cannot wait to bring this cherished story to two of our favourite Australian cities once more.
The 2023-2024 Australian production features a principal cast including Brisbane’s Shubshri Kandiah as Belle, Brendan Xavier as Beast and Melbourne’s Rohan Browne in the role of Lumiere. Additionally, Brisbane’s Jackson Head will step into the role of Gaston, Cogsworth will be played by Melbourne’s Gareth Jacobs and Gold Coast’s Jayde Westaby will play Mrs Potts. You can expect to see a range of young Queensland children performing opposite Westaby in the role of Chip. The principal cast is capped off by Nick Cox as Le Fou, Rodney Dobson as Maurice, Hayley Martin as Babette and Alana Tranter as Madame.
Beauty and the Beast is produced in Australia by The Walt Disney Company and Disney Theatrical Productions, under the supervision of Thomas Schumacher.
