Besotted by BEAUTY & the BEAST at Pantages

I was besotted by Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" at the Pantages Theater.  Having seen the original Broadway cast I was ready to forgive any truncated staging or substellar cast. However, I was deceived by my lower expectations. It was SUPERB! The script was smarter and succinct with its few cuts. Several delightful new numbers were a welcomed addition. The cast was pitch perfect; on par with the best of Broadway's talented elite. "Beauty and the Beast" was Disney's first animated feature nominated for Best Picture. The story brought the Disney oeuvre out of the dated"One day my prince will come" motif. Belle fell for the Beast for the person he was hidden by his hideous facade. "Beauty is found within" is the valuable messaging sent. This production did away with the 3 insipid village girls who swoon at the sight of Gaston. Belle, already a strong, independent character appeared smarter and more compassionate than previous incarnations. The spectacles she donned were a prop to make her appear serious minded. Never mind the reading glasses, Belle was not only fierce but kind and considerate. She didn't want to make the Beast feel belittled by his being illiterate. Two new songs, though not intended to be show stoppers helped moved the storyline along. The memorable big numbers, "Be Out Guest" and "Something There" were especially entertaining! The ballroom scene was magical. More time was given to Belle and the Beast having a heart to heart talk under a starry sky rather than just merely gazing into one each other's eyes.  The pathos felt by both the Beast and Belle when parting was deeply moving. The costuming was dazzling. The choreography was first rate. The use of video to change scenes quickly was clever. Videos of the wolves in the forest mitigated their scariness. Disney used tricks for added sparkle. The cart Chip was situated may have been lost on the younger audience but delighted adults. There was a small but live orchestra that provided first-class quality. Last, but not least, the three leads, Belle (Kyra Johnson), Beast (Fergie Philippe) and Gaston (Stephen Lukas) were all stellar. Don't believe me? Ask the audience, especially the beautiful Belles and dashing Gastons in costumes. (One, Belle came in her blue/white provincial dress which was the best!) The entire packed house was completely enchanted by this great adventure, more than I can tell; from the opening notes with Angela Lansbury's prologue through the entire, spellbinding staging. All eyes were captivated with what was happening on stage. It was so quiet you could hear a petal drop.