TOLEDO, Ohio — Editor's Note: The attached video is from an earlier 3B performance. It aired on May 31, 2013.
The classic animated Disney film "Beauty and the Beast" returns to the stage in Maumee later this month.
Each year, 3B Productions stages several shows, some classic, others less well-known. During the year, their shows are open to auditionees of all ages, but their summer shows are specifically reserved for teens age 12 to 19.
In the past, 3B Productions' teen shows have included "Grease" (2021), "Hairspray" (2018), and "The Little Mermaid" (2016). This also will not be 3B's first time staging "Beauty and the Beast." The company performed the musical first as teen show in 2013 and later in 2018 for all ages.
3B Productions was founded in in Waterville in 2005 by Joe Barton, Gary Buerk and Jesse Bernal and since its inception has won many awards at the regional and state level for their performances. Though Burek passed away in 2021, the company's dedication to excellent in theatre practice remains strong.
Though "Beauty and the Beast" has its origins in French fairytales, it is perhaps most well known for Disney's 1991 animated adaptation, followed by the live-action remake in 2017 that starred Emma Watson.
The stage version that 3B will be producing, also created by Disney, first debuted in 1993 and closely follows the plot and musical numbers of the 1991 version, with some added twists. In addition to songs such as "Be our Guest" and "Belle," the stage adaptation includes pieces by Disney composer Alan Menken like "Home" and "No Matter What." It does not, however, include new songs used in the 2017 remake.
3B's third iteration of "Beauty and the Beast" will open at the Maumee Indoor Theatre on Thursday, July 21, with performances at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A 2:30 p.m. matinee performance will take place on Sunday. Tickets, which are $20 for adults and $18 for students and seniors, can be purchased here.
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