Beauty and the Beast

by Joshua Paul in 4 acts

Act 1

A down on his luck bankrupt merchant with three daughters travels to town to collect some unexpected money from the sale of his assets. Before leaving he asks each daughter what he can bring them - power wants a dress, money wants a necklace, and beauty who loves her father wants a rose.

Act 2

The merchant is lucky and gets more than expected and buys the necklace and the dress but forgets the rose.

Heading home he encounters bad weather and gets lost.

He finds a mysterious house with a lovely rose garden.

He knocks but no one answers but it's clear he is welcome and expected. He enjoys the hospitality and leaves in the morning.

Surrounded by the roses he remembers his promise, and feeling guilty as his does it - he takes one rose.

The beast appears and condemns him to death.

The merchant bargains for his life - but he has nothing the beast desires.

Finally the merchant asks for mercy - he is father, his daughters need a father.

The beast offers to spare his life if one of his daughters will live with the beast for a year.

The merchant begs but the beast is unyielding.

Act 3

The merchant tells his daughters what has happened.

Power and money say it is beauty's fault and she should go.

Beauty agrees. The merchant begs her not to go.

She says good bye and goes to live with the beast.

The beast is kind and gentle but hideous.

And every days after dinner asks her to marry him.

But she can not - he is a beast.

She rides, reads, and gardens but she misses her family.

The beast agrees to let her go home only if she promises to return in 7 days. He gives her a rose telling her to return before the rose withers.

Act 4

Once home, she tells her sisters of the magical house and they are jealous.

She is consumed with helping her father and her sisters that she forgets about time passing.

Too late she finds the rose has wilted completely away.

Feeling guilty at betraying the beasts trust, she hurries back to the house.

She is shocked at what she sees.

The fine garden is a ruin.

The fountain is dry and cracked.

The house is empty and dusty.

Stricken with worry - she runs from room to room calling for her beast.

Finally she finds him in a small room on a small bed.

She sits next to him, cradling his head in her arms and stroking his mane, calling his name.

Beast, dear Beast. Don't go - come back.

He opens his eyes and asks

Beauty will you marry me?

Yes beast - yes I will marry you.

And as they embrace - eyes still closed - oblivious to the outside world - the outside world is transformed.

The rose gardens bloom.

The fountain gurgles to life.

The house puts itself back to order.

and last of all the beast is transformed into a handsome young man.

She opens her eyes - but only has eyes for her beast.

Beast what happened to your face? What happened to your mane?

Beauty you have saved me. You have fulfilled the spell that was placed upon me.

But why?

I treasured only power and money and cast aside someone of great value. She took pity on me and transformed me into a beast so that I might learn what treasure really is.

Beast what is the real treasure?

Beauty - you - you are the real treasure.