Tiana Youtzy and Mark Pino Photo by Ponic Photography

The animated version was only 84 minutes long, so it had to be stretched out and glitzed up for the stage. The movie had eight songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, who was one of the cleverest lyricists of the last half century. All of these songs are in the Broadway musical, but more were needed to make a Broadway-length show. Lamentably, Ashman died before the movie was released, so Menken worked with Tim Rice to produce another six songs. One of these songs, the one for the Beast, works perfectly. The others really don't add much but they do allow for a dance number or two and for the requisite power ballad near the end.

Thus, the movie was turned into a really big theatrical production: lots of set changes, lots of costumes and wigs, a fair amount of choreography, and big voices. You would think it is beyond the reach of a community theatre company, but the Albuquerque Little Theatre totally pulls it off. Hats off to director Laura Cummins Wright, music director Lina Ramos, choreographer Annmarie Sheahan, and assistant choreographer Sarah Jaeger for marshalling a cast of 31 into a tight ensemble.

A great deal of credit also goes to set designer and builder Jason Roman, sound and props designer Lando Ruiz (who also has a major role on stage), and lighting designer RayRey Griego. I can't imagine how hard costume designer Shannon Scheffler and assistants Katy Jacome and Chris Appleton had to work in order to outfit the ensemble. Sometimes they're townspeople, sometimes they're wolves, sometimes they're goblins, and then they're dancing silverware and plates. Amazing. The dressers are awfully busy, as is the stage manager Tobanna Barker.

Most people will know the story before they enter the theater, but it's spelled out at the very beginning. An arrogant, cold-hearted young prince is turned into a beast by a witch whom he ignores when she asks for a bit of charity. The spell can only be broken if he is able to love another person and be loved in return. All of the servants of his household have been transformed into objects like a clock, a candelabra, a chest of drawers, a teapot, and so on. Will they ever be fully human again? Oh well, fairy tales are not supposed to be reality, and it makes for an enchanted and enchanting show.

The big roles are very ably performed by lovely-voiced Tiana Youtzy as Belle, Mark Pino as the Beast, and newcomer Michael Gale as the macho egomaniac Gaston. (Gaston has my favorite line in the whole show: "I use antlers in all of my decorating." Howard Ashman was a genius.)

Megan McCormick does a wonderful job with the Oscar-winning song "Beauty and the Beast." Lando Ruiz and Santiago Baca are a lot of fun as the candelabra and clock, and Nicholas Handley is hilarious as the Mae West lookalike Madame de la Grande Bouche, who is turning into a wardrobe. (Salvador Dali turned Mae West's face into an apartment and her lips into a sofa, so why not?)

Really, the entire cast and crew do great work, and it's no surprise that this show is selling out. It has nothing to do with the Christmas season, but you couldn't ask for a better gift.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast runs through December 24, 2024, at Albuquerque Little Theatre, 224 San Pasquale Ave SW, Albuquerque NM. For tickets and information, please visit albuquerquelittletheatre.org.