Theater Online - New York Theater Reviews

Literally Alive Children’s Theatre is currently presenting their version of “Beauty and the Beast” at The Players Theatre on MacDougal Street. With an original book and score by Brenda Bell and Mark McGee, fun music and a lively set of characters, children are sure to find it a pleasing experience

The story is based on the original book by Marie Beaumont, written in 1783, and thus departs quite markedly from the Disney version. I found it interesting to see a different version of the fairytale, but if kids are very familiar with (and fond of) the Disney movie, they may be confused as to why there are no talking candlesticks or teapots or even a character named Gaston. In the original story, Beauty has two brothers and two sisters, all of whom are very vain and demanding, and her father is a merchant. Although the family loses all of their money and must move to the country, Beauty maintains her unfailingly positive outlook on life. Her father stumbles upon the Beast’s castle where he is taken prisoner and Beauty exchanges her life for his. Of course, the beast ultimately falls in love with her and she with him, but the beast here was never particularly heinous in the first place.

While the quality of the production may not be up to the standards of adults, children between the ages of three and eight should enjoy it. “That was fun!” one child loudly proclaimed after a rousing song and dance number in which Beauty and the Beast did a little kick line complete with jazz hands. Children may be the toughest critics when it comes to maintaining their attention, and this production certainly did: however, they are much less likely to notice if the singing is occasionally flat or if the acting isn’t exactly top-notch.

Literally Alive Children’s Theatre, now in it’s 9th year, is the children’s company in residence at the Players Theatre. Other productions have included “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “The Velveteen Rabbit.” Their next production, “Treasure Island” will be opening next year. The company also offers a little pre-show workshop to help enrich the theater-going experience for kids; there is a short conversation about what theater is and then children are invited onstage, in this case to make masks resembling either Beauty or the Beast. Hopefully the experience will provide not only a fun outing for children, but a positive theater experience that will encourage them to go home and put on their own shows with their masks.