Disney's Beauty and the Beast Is Heading to India

Disney will bring its legendary musical Beauty and the Beast to India, in a production that will feature over 100 performers and a local creative team drawing upon Western and Indian influences.

Developed locally in India, the production will be performed in English, with a running time of just over two hours. It will play select areas across Mumbai and Delhi from October-December 2015. The creative team will include Vikranth Pawar (director), Lesle Lewis (musical director), Terence Lewis (choreographer), Varsha Jain (scenic designer), Gavin Miguel (costume designer), Pallavi Devika (hair and makeup designer), and Suzanne D'Mello (vocal training).

Based on the 1991 Academy Award-winning animated film, Beauty and the Beast, featuring a score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, ran for 13 years on Broadway after premiering in 1994. Since licensing began in 2004, the musical has been seen in 28 countries. A live-action film version, starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, is being aimed for a March 17, 2017 release date.

Beauty and the Beast is the story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince under the spell of 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.