La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment, celebrating its 25th Silver Anniversary at the theatre, are thrilled to present the fifth and final show of its season, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Step into the enchanted world of Broadway’s modern classic, an international sensation that continues to amaze and delight with its captivating story of soaring romance, bright humor, and thrilling adventure. The show starts on Friday, May 31st and runs through Sunday, June 23rd.
Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of composer Alan Menken’s (The Little Mermaid and Newsies) memorable songs from the film, plus delightful new ones. Nominated for nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, it’s a tale as old as time… given a fresh, inventive, lively new production you won’t want to miss!
The cast of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will feature Laurie Veldheer as “Belle,” Todd Adamson as “The Beast,” Matthew Ragas as “Gaston,” Justin Charles Cowden as “Lefou,” Joey D’Auria as “Maurice,” Chelle Denton as “Madame de la Grande Bouche,” Michael Stone Forrest as “Monsieur D’Arque/Bookseller,” Josh Grisetti as “Lumiere,” Sara King as “Babette,” Kaine Koltuniak as “Chip,” Alexandra Melrose as “Mrs. Potts,” and Phillip Taratula as “Cogsworth.”
Besides Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the show’s director Michael Heitzman is also be directing the upcoming show 42nd Street at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Michael’s other recent credits include 42nd Street, Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago (Jeff Award nominee, Best Director), Newsies, Big River and Legally Blonde, Broadway Sacramento at Music Circus, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Shrek and Disney’s The Little Mermaid, North Shore Music Theater (IRNE Award nominee, Best Director). In addition, he has directed The Lucille Lortel Awards, celebrating excellence Off-Broadway, for the past 10 years. He is the director and co-writer of VICES (Jeff Award nominee, Best Director). A Dramatists Guild Fellow, he co-wrote the song “Throw That Girl Around” from the Broadway musical Swing! He and writing partner, Ilene Reid, are currently writing the musical adaptation of the novel Geniusby Patrick Dennis and their original musical Solana will receive a workshop at AMTP in spring of 2020.
Robbie Roby is delighted to be returning to La Mirada, having previously set the choreography for Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Robbie’s choreography credits include Broadway Backwards (New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC), Little Shop of Horrors (Sacramento Music Circus), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Pittsburgh CLO), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Hairspray (Sugar Loaf PAC). Select associate credits: The Flamingo Kid (world premiere, Hartford Stage), The Tempest (Shakespeare in the Park, NYC), Beaches (world premiere, Signature Theatre), Carnegie Hall Family Holiday Concert: NY City Pops. Upcoming: Shrek (Sacramento Music Circus, Walnut Street Theatre), Chasing Rainbows (Papermill Playhouse). As a performer, Robbie was the dance captain for the Broadway productions of Hairspray and Billy Elliot.
The production’s musical director and conductor will be Darryl Archibald. His recent credits include The Color Purple (2015 revival tour and Paper Mill Playhouse); Motown The Musical (Broadway 2016 and national tours); Wicked at the Pantages Theater (substitute conductor); Memphis (Broadway tour); Disney’s The Lion King (Broadway tour – vocal coach/assistant conductor); Ragtime (Pasadena Playhouse); Dear World with Tyne Daly (VPAC); Jonathan Dove’s Innocence (Banff Centre and Manhattan Theatre Club); Next To Normal (McCoy/Rigby); In The Heights (TUTS); Two By Two with Jason Alexander, How To Succeed… with John O’Hurley, The Fantasticks with Eric McCormack, Once On This Island with Ledisi, Li’l Abner with Cathy Rigby and Fred Willard (Reprise); Great Expectations, My Fair Lady, 1776, Camelot, and Forever Plaid (Utah Shakespearean Festival). Orchestration credits include Great Expectations (USF), The Wiz (The Muny); A Hollywood Holiday Celebration (ABC – television), The Fountain Show and Christmas Trolley Show (The Grove Los Angeles).
The Tony-nominated La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, with BT McNicholl as Producing Artistic Director, has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the best Broadway-style houses in Southern California.” This beautiful state-of-the-art theatre has been presenting quality productions since 1977, co-producing several national tours. The recipient of Tony, Emmy, and Ovation Award nominations, La Mirada Theatre won the 2012-13 L.A. Stage Alliance OVATION AWARD for “Best Season of the Year.”
Celebrating its 25th Silver Anniversary season at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, McCoy Rigby Entertainment, is one of the world’s premier theatrical production companies. Headed by Executive Producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, MRE has produced over one hundred musicals, plays, and concerts featuring some of the biggest stars in the industry today.
Performances are Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 7:30 pm; Fridays at 8 pm; Saturdays at 2 pm & 8 pm & Sundays at 2 pm. There will be additional performances on Sunday, June 9 and Sunday, June 16 at 7 pm & Friday, June 21 at 1 pm. There will be no performance on Tuesday, June 18.
An Open-Captioned performance will take place on Saturday, June 15 at 2 pm and an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, June 22 at 2 pm. Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Wednesday, June 5 and Wednesday, June 19.
Click here to purchase tickets or call the box office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310.