Disney’s Beauty and the Beast visits UAE as part of first-ever international tour

ABU DHABI– Disney Theatrical Productions, NETworks and Broadway Entertainment Group announced that, in celebration of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast’s 20^th anniversary on the stage, the show will visit Abu Dhabi for the very first time as part of a forthcoming international tour. 

The English-language production will play at du Forum on Yas Island from October 30 to November 8, 2014 as part of a tour which will also visit Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Turkey.

An exclusive presale for FLASH members starts on Tuesday, August 5^th at 12PM to Wednesday August 6^th at 11AM. Tickets go on sale for the general public on Wednesday, August 6^th at 12 PM.

The international tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will see the show’s original creative team reuniting to bring this Broadway classic to life.

The musical is directed by Rob Roth and choreographed by Matt West, with Costume Design by Ann Hould-Ward (Tony Award winner for her work on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Lighting Design by Natasha Katz, Scenic Design by Stanley A. Meyer, Sound Design by John Petrafesa Jr. and Music Supervision by Michael Kosarin.

“Beauty and the Beast is a legendary show that has enchanted young and old alike over the last two decades”, says Didier Vanneste, Vice President and Country Manager, The Walt Disney Company MENA.

“Disney is delighted to be able to bring the full Broadway experience to the UAE capital for its regional premiere in partnership with FLASH Entertainment. It’s a show that delivers all of the magic, awe and excitement that you’d expect from Disney.” 

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast coming to Abu Dhabi sets a milestone for family entertainment in this city,” said John Lickrish, Chief Executive Officer, FLASH Entertainment. “We are bringing the full Disney Broadway experience to all age groups and theatre-goers across the region for them to be enchanted, enthralled and entertained.“

Based on the 1991 Academy-Award winning animated feature film, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast premiered on Broadway in 1994, where was nominated for nine prestigious Tony Awards and ran for 13 years.  It still ranks as one of the longest-running and highest-grossing Broadway shows of all time.

Since its debut, the title’s visibility and success have expanded globally with subsequent productions developed around the world. 

Since licensing of the title began in 2004, there have been productions in 22 countries, seen by more than 35 million people, translated into 8 different languages with over 28 thousand performances – equivalent to a run of 67 years, generating over $1.7B in revenue.

In the US, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast has been licensed to over 6,000 individual theatres including professional, community and school productions. 

For the past five years, it has been the most performed musical in high schools in the United States.   The title’s strength has allowed it to enter international markets with limited traditions of producing Broadway musical theatre.

It was the first Disney Theatrical Productions title in countries across Scandinavia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Russia, among others. In addition to professional productions, Beauty and the Beast is Disney’s most requested title internationally for regional, community and armature productions. 

Currently, there are five productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast playing around the world including in Paris and tours in North America, Spain, Japan and Germany.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. 

If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

The musical boasts music by Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Tangled) and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin), with additional songs with music by Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice (The Lion King).

The book is written by Linda Woolverton (screenwriter of The Lion King, Alice In Wonderland and Maleficent).­

During the 10 days of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast theatre-goers will be in the epicenter of entertainment on Yas Island which offers a myriad of experiences for all age groups.

Yas Island houses the world renowned Yas Marina Circuit, Ferrari World, Yas Links, Yas Water World and the Yas Marina & Yacht Club. 

Attendees can stay at one of the 3,600 three, four and five star luxury hotel rooms on Yas Island and enjoy a family getaway, a romantic weekend with gourmet dining and entertainment options that are unrivalled.

Customized hospitality packages will be made available for fans with several hotel, entertainment and dining packages yet to be announced.

Show Timings and Dates

Performances run from Thursday, October 30^th until Saturday, November 8^th. The schedule is as follows: 

 

Doors open 1 hour prior to show time.

Ticket Information and Pricing

Group sales are underway for groups of 10 or more, for more information contact yasgroups@thinkflash.ae .

Tickets will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, August 6th on www.ticketmaster.ae.

A discount of 20% will also be available on gold tickets for race ticket holders redeeming their Y1 Access benefits.

Y1 Access is the money off advantage programme for buyers of tickets to the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and extends across a selection of major FLASH concerts and events from the time of purchase until February 2015.

For more information about hotel packages and Yas Island, visit www.yasisland.ae