Synopsis

Synopsis

Beauty and the Beast Jr. is a one-hour stage version of the 1991 Disney film and the subsequent Broadway show.

Once upon a time in a faraway land, an Enchantress turns a cruel, unfeeling Prince into a hideous Beast. To break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose.

Ten years later, in a small village far below the Beast's castle, a beautiful and intelligent young woman, Belle, yearns for something more than her provincial life ("Belle"). On his way to show his invention at a fair, Belle's father, Maurice, gets lost and seeks shelter in a castle. Enchanted Servants - Cogsworth, Lumière, Babette, Mrs. Potts and Chip - try to make Maurice comfortable, but the Beast imprisons the intruder. To the dismay of the Silly Girls who fawn over Gaston, the village brute proposed to Belle, who turns him down ("Belle - Reprise").

When Belle sees Gaston's sidekick LeFou wearing her father's scarf, Belle runs off to search for him. Belle finds her missing father at the castle and offers herself in exchange for his freedom. The Beast agrees, sends Maurice back to the village, and escorts Belle to her bedroom, where she considers what she has done ("Home"). Seeing their guest forlorn, Mrs. Potts and Madame de la Grande Bouch comfort Belle ("Home - Tag").

In the village tavern, LeFou and the Villagers try to lift Gaston's spirits ("Gaston"). When "crazy old" Maurice barges in claiming that he has seen a Beast, Gaston and LeFou form a plan to win Belle ("Gaston - Reprise"). At the castle, the Servants coach the Beast on how to act like a gentleman. When Belle refuses to accept the Beast's invitation to dinner, he loses his temper and tells her to starve.

However, Lumière and the Servants offer Belle an extravagant feast anyway ("Be Our Guest"). While Cogsworth gives Belle a tour of the castle, she wanders off into the forbidden West Wing. The Beast discovers her there and explodes, which causes the frightened Belle to flee the castle. In the forest, Belle is attacked by wolves. The Beast saves her but is injured in the process.

Having a change of heart, Belle helps the Beast back to the castle and dresses his wounds. The Servants recognize something different between Belle and the Beast ("Something There") and express their hope that the spell may soon be broken ("Human Again"). Now dressed in a stunning gown, Belle dances with the Beast ("Beauty and the Beast").

Despite this new friendship, Belle longs to see her father. Using the Beast's magic mirror, Belle sees that Maurice is in trouble, so the Beast lets her go. Belle finds Maurice in the forest and takes him home to the village, where Gaston has arranged for Monsieur D'Arque to take him to the lunatic asylum. Belle proves that her father is not crazy by showing the Beast in the Magic Mirror.

Jealous of Belle's affection for someone else, Gaston whips the Villagers into a frenzy to storm the castle and kill the Beast ("The Mob Song"). While the Servants defend the castle from the Villagers' attack, Gaston confronts and stabs the Beast in the West Wing, then runs away in shame when the Beast refuses to kill him. Belle arrives and holds the dying Beast in her arms ("Home - Reprise"), while her weeping breaks the spell. The Beast transforms back into the Prince, the Servants become human again, and they all live happily ever after ("Finale").