When I found out I had the opportunity to review for Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast: The Musical” I was ecstatic. Belle has always been my favorite of the Disney princesses, always wanted to be gifted a library rather than roses, so the prospect of getting to watch her come to life on the stage was a rather exciting one.
I was not disappointed.
Everything was grand from the very beginning: the costuming, the characterizations, the dancing, the singing. Belle was adorable and her voice was so strong. The night I attended, Belle was played by understudy Grace Marie Rusnica, making her national tour debut. I loved everything about how she played my beloved Belle from her voice to her body language, and even the kindness in her eyes. She really brought life to the character I’ve been connected to for so long.
My only complaint? Her hair! Costuming had her in a half-updo the entire play, losing her iconic low pony and curtain bangs. While my complaint is minor, I still think having the signature ponytail would have added to the excitement of seeing her transformation to the gold dress even more.
I had an interesting seating position for this show where I was directly in-between a family of (I estimate) six people, and a group of older ladies and gentlemen behind me. I was tickled to listen to them speaking about the play during intermission. The children were obsessed with Beast, Fergie L. Philippe, talking about his cool costumes and parkour throughout the show. The older folks were flabbergasted by Chip, played by Kanoa Edgar, the child teacup who was pushed around on a cart that had a very large hole in the middle. They simply could not figure out where the rest of this child’s body was. One of those wonders of the stage.
The Beast is played by Fergie L. Philippe during this national tour.
Matthew Murphy/Disney
Now for what I really wanted to see — “Be Our Guest.” Arguably one of the most iconic Disney songs of all time; an entire production within its original film. Would this version stand up to its animated predecessor? Would it leave me with the biggest smile on my face like it had when I was a child? Simply, yes. Yes it would. The entire production of the song was like being at a Disney Park for the first time and allowing yourself to feel all that magic at once.
Led by Lumiere, played by Michael Dikegoros, the number included multiple costume changes, dynamic lighting effects and dance styles ranging from can-cans to kick-lines to tap. At one point the background even became an aerial shot from above, allowing you to see the dancers laying down and creating fun shapes with their bodies just like the iconic scene in the movie. I was in awe the entire time, unable to drag my eyes away from this stunning display. Truly, my breath was stolen from me.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: Disney on Broadway knows that you’ve gotta go big or go home, and they’ve simply lost the map home. Regardless, I am always blown away by the amount of love put into theatrical performances. Everyone was giving their best, their 1,000%, always. You could see it in their smiles as they took their bows. If you have a chance to see Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast: The Musical” while it is still in Tulsa (now through Sunday, February 1st, 2026), I will highly recommend you go. I promise you won’t regret it.
