BEAUTY and the BEAST: the better version
Summer 2018
SCENE ONE – School Room & Robert Palmer Dance
(Teacher, Little Beauty, Little Gaston, any other preschoolers, Robert Palmer dancers)
Narrator: Once upon a time, in a small village in France there lived a beautiful young girl. Her name was Beauty. Before we get to that, once upon an even longer time ago in an even smaller village there was a nursery school where a younger beautiful girl named Beauty attended.
There was also a bullish boy named Gaston in the nursery school. He basically spent all day chasing Beauty around the school while she tried to avoid him.
(TEACHER brings Little Beauty and Little Gaston out to school)
Teacher: Good morning class, please take your seats. Today we will learn about _____(child writes line)__________.
Little Gaston: I don’t need to learn about that. My mama says I’m the best!
Teacher: Settle down Gaston and please stop chasing Beauty.
Narrator: It could be said that Gaston found Beauty…
(Little Gaston gets up and chases Beauty as Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer plays and Robert Palmer dancers dance)
SCENE TWO – Home, Workshop, Town, Gaston Dance
(Beauty and Mother standing together looking at a book – mom dies. Dad in “shop” working on STEM project, Townspeople, Townsperson1, Townsperson2, Girl1, Girl2, Gaston, Sidekick )
Narrator: When Beauty was young her mother took her to the library each week.
Mother: Beauty, time for the library!
Beauty: Coming Mama!
Mother: Beauty Let’s start reading ________(insert favorite book – here is what we used) Anne of Green Gables today. It’s one of my favorite books. I think it is stupendous!
Narrator: Unfortunately when Beauty was quite young just like many other young fairy tale heroines her mother died.
MUSIC… Another one bites the dust (Mother rolls off set)
Narrator: Beauty grew up with only her father who by all accounts was a bit unusual always inventing, tinkering with his STEM projects like ___________(inserts projects)_________ . Here comes Beauty walking into town.
Townspeople (Walk around)
Townsperson 1: Hello Beauty, what are you reading?
Beauty: Oh it’s the best book. The main character is so funny always getting into trouble.
Townsperson 1: What’s the book?
Beauty: Anne of Green Gables. When I read books it’s like I am taken to faraway places. I sometimes feel like the characters are real and are here with me.
Anne of Green Gables: (Anne runs out in full costume to stand by Beauty) “There are a lot of different Annes in me…I sometimes think that why I’m such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable but that wouldn’t be half so interesting.” (Any quote or book can be used)
(As a group of girls walk by….)
Gaston: Why hello ladies.
Girl 1 : Oh Gaston! (look longingly at Gaston)
Gaston: What a lucky day for you ladies, you get to look at me!
Girl 2: So lucky! (one faints – trust fall into other townspeople)
Gaston: Hello Beauty! Why are you reading a book? Girls shouldn’t waste time reading, they should prepare for a life of service to their husband.
Beauty: Oh Gaston, you are positively primeval!
Gaston: Why thank you! Someday I will make some girl’s dreams come true when I make her my wife and let her cook and clean for me!
Townsperson 2: (mumbles to himself) dream……or nightmare?
Sidekick: There is no one like you Gaston! You are the best!
MUSIC: There is no one like Gaston – Gaston and Sidekick dance and pose to music.
SCENE THREE – Castle, enchantment
(Servants [Lumiere, Cogsworth, Chip, Mrs. Potts], Beggar woman/ Enchantress, Prince/ Beast)
Narrator: Meanwhile across the kingdom there was a young prince who lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. He was very demanding of his servants.
Lumiere: Each day the Prince grows more selfish.
Cogsworth: He is a brat beyond compare. I want this! I want that!
Chip: I have never heard him once say please.
Mrs. Potts : His parents never made him obey and now they have a real beast of a child.
Narrator: But then, one winter’s night, an old beggar woman came to the castle.
Special Effects (SNOW) from treehouse powdered sugar comes from a sifter, can be adapted to most sets
Enchantress disguised as Beggar Woman: Pardon me young man, but it is far too cold to sleep outside this evening. May I offer you a rose in exchange for shelter?
Prince: (sneer) Go away old woman, I do not want your rose. You smell awful and are so ugly!
Enchantress/Beggar Woman: You should not be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.
Prince: I told you to GO AWAY ugly woman!
Beggar Woman: (spin take off cloak and now look beautiful) Ha, Ha, Ha! There is no love in your heart so I will punish you and transform you into a hideous beast and turn all of your servants into objects! The spells will be permanent if you cannot find true love before your 21st birthday. This rose will remind you how much time you have left.
(MUSIC: Changes by David Bowie……Fogger – Prince become beast and Lumiere, Chip, Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth hide and return in new costumes: candelabra, teacup, teapot and clock)
Narrator: The Beggar woman was an Enchantress who had placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there. Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself in his castle and watched the enchanted rose. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?
BEAST turn on motor for spinning rose
MUSIC: Me and my Broken Heart by Rixton
SCENE FOUR – Home, journey to Castle, Be Our Guest Dance
(Beauty, Father, Luminere, Chip, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, Beast)
Narrator: Back in town things were not going well for Beauty. Beauty’s father had invested heavily in the subprime mortgage market [insert most recent economic problem] and lost all of his money. He worked feverishly on his new invention which he hoped to show at the next Maker Fair.
Beauty: Father this looks wonderful! What does it do?
Father: _____(have kids insert any STEM projects they are working on and use that)________.
Beauty: I know you will sell this at the Maker Fair and solve all of our our money troubles. Good luck on your journey.
Father: (Get on stuffed horse and leave) MUSIC: Horse clopping
Narrator: Unfortunately Beauty’s father fell sick as he traveled and got lost along the way. Eventually, he wandered into the Beast’s castle to sleep for the night. (Father lay down on carpet then wake up)
Narrator: When he awoke he could not believe his eyes.
Lumiere: Bonjour! How are you?
Chip: Who is that?
Mrs. Potts: Quiet Chip!
Cogsworth: I don’t know but he will soon wish he never came here!
Beast: Who are you!!! Why are you in my home?
Father: I’m sorry I was lost and I didn’t see anyone here. I didn’t think you would mind! (Cough, Cough)
Beast: Oh I DON’T mind! I want a prisoner! To the dungeons!
Father: Oh no! You can’t do this I need to see my daughter! (Cough)
Beast: Daughter, huh? How old?
Father: She is just 16; she needs me!
Beast: Is she pretty? Forget that how can I believe you. Someone find me her Facebook account! (Father looks up account and hands phone to Beast) Oh! She is beautiful. Call her and you can see her one last time!
Narrator: Beauty’s father didn’t understand that he was facilitating a prisoner exchange and Beauty would volunteer to stay with the Beast in exchange for her sick father. (Beast point and make the father leave)
Beast: In exchange for your father’s life you will now live here with me. You are my guest, you can go wherever you want as long as you never leave this castle.
Narrator: Although Beauty was more than skeptical of the Beast, she loved all of the enchanted objects and they did their best to make her feel welcomed in the castle.
Objects: Welcome Beauty.
Mrs. Potts: Please let us know if you need anything! You’re our guest!
Beauty: Why thank you!
MUSIC Be our guest – all enchanted objects dance with Beauty
SCENE FIVE -Town, Castle – battle of the wits
(Gaston, Vinny, Beast)
Narrator: Meanwhile back in town, several of Beauty’s admirers plotted to free her from the castle. There was one man, Vinny, who made an arrangement with Gaston. If he could get Beauty back from the Beast, Gaston would pay Vinny $1,000.
Gaston: Be warned it will be difficult to get Beauty.
Vinny: I cam capable.
Gaston: You could fail.
Vinny: Inconceivable!
Narrator: Vinny rescheduled his hunt for a Princess crept into the castle one night to confront the Beast and challenge him to a battle of the wits.
(Vinny crept into castle and surprised the Beast who is sitting with back to Vizzini looking at the rose)
Vinny: Hello Beast! I want Beauty. You know that I can’t compete with you physically but you are no match for my brains.
Beast: Ha- who do you think I am little man? You are that smart?
Vinny: Let me put it this way: Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?
Beast: Yes.
Vinny: Morons!
Beast: Really! In that case, I challenge you to a battle of wits.
Vinny: For Beauty? To the death? I accept!
Beast: (Pour two glasses of juice – turn back and pour in powder) I have put Iocaine powder in one of the goblets it is tasteless and odorless and dissolves instantly into any liquid but is among the more deadly poisons known to man……Where is the poison? The battle of the wits has begun!
Vinny: But it’s so simple. All I have to do is divine it from what I know of you. Are you the sort of beast who would put the poison into his own goblet or his enemies? Now, a clever beast would put the poison into his own goblet because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I am not a great fool so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you…But you must have known I was not a great fool; you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.
Beast: So you have made your decision then?
Vinny: Not remotely! Because Iocaine comes from Australia. As everyone knows, Australia is entirely peopled with criminals. And criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me. So, I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.
Beast: Truly, you have a dizzying intellect
Vinny: (raises eyebrows) Wait ‘till I get going!!! Where was I?
Beast: You were going to choose your glass now!!!
Vizzini: What in the world can that be? (point, when Beast turns pour in powder to Beasts goblet)
Beast: What? Where?
Vizzini: Oh nothing. Drink! ha,ha, ha!
Beast: What is so funny?
Vizzini: I’ll tell you in a minute. (Both drink)
Beast: You guessed wrong!
Vizzini: That’s what’s so funny. I switched the goblets when you weren’t looking. You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia; and only slightly less well known is this: Never go in against a Sicilian, when death is on the line! Ha,ha, ha (fall over dead)
MUSIC: Another one bites the dust
Beast: Silly man, Iocaine doesn’t affect beasts.
[Production Note: It may seem strange to have dialogue from the Princess Bride but this was an idea from one of the 10 year old performers and it was hysterical – any other character could be used to go and see the Beast.]
SCENE SIX – Castle, Town, battle
(Beauty, Beast, all objects, Gaston, Sidekick, Townspersons, Reporter)
Narrator: Back at the castle, Beauty was adapting to her new life as a captive. Every day she spent time with the enchanted objects, read, and then ate a somber dinner with the Beast, who tried his best to be charming.
Cogsworth: Excuse me Beast, but don’t you think it is time that you tried to talk a little more to Beauty?
Beast: Ok. (sit down at table, eat a little, look at Beauty) Why aren’t you eating? This dinner is delicious. Eat your dinner!
Beauty: I’m not hungry anymore. Excuse me. (Get up and leave the dinner table)
Lumiere: Possibly you might want to try another approach maybe be a little gentler.
Beast: This is never going to work. She will never fall in love with a beast like me. Just look at me!
Mrs. Potts: Oh don’t say that! I couldn’t stand to be a teapot for the rest of my life!
Chip: I don’t think Beauty judges people by how they look. I think she could grow to love you if you were kind to her.
Cogsworth: Try talking to her about something she likes. Maybe ask what book she’s reading!
Narrator: The beast decided to visit Beauty in the library and follow his servant’s advice.
Beast: Excuse me Beauty. Sorry I yelled at dinner. What book are you reading?
Beauty: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. (any favorite book)
Beast: What is it about? Is it similar to the Magic Treehouse series? (any favorite book)
Narrator: As time went on, the Beast and Beauty got to know each other and actually came to enjoy their time together. They took long walks on the grounds and talked about books, the environment, and technology. They loved to sit by the fountain where Beauty would often tinker with the programming (turn on fountain) which reminded her of her father. Little did Beauty and the Beast know, the townsfolk were planning a raid on the castle to free Beauty. Several people from town joined Gaston as they went to the castle. A reporter even joined the group. One night after Beauty went to bed, she heard screams.
Gaston: We are here to free Beauty! Show your ugly face Beast!
Townsperson 1: Come out Beast!
Beast: What is this about? Let’s talk this through.
Gaston: Attack!
MUSIC….Chariots of Fire – fight music (big fight in slow motion. Townspeople go to Beast one at a time and Beast will push away each townspersons as well as Gaston and Sidekick who will spin away from Beast. After all have engaged in a “fight” with the Beast the Beast will look hurt and limp toward the castle where he will fall to the ground. All Townspeople and Gaston will go the other way.)
Reporter: This is going to make a good story!
Gaston: Let’s come back tomorrow with more weapons but first let me get ahead of this story and tweet about my victory. (Voice over plays as Beast enters tweet into phone) “Incredible victory …………………Beast is a Loser……beast’s strength is terrible hoax….Fake NEWS…..I’ll make this kingdom Great Again”
Gaston: Ok ready to go back to the bar and come up with our new plan.
Narrator: Meanwhile, the wounded Beast had collapsed onto the castle floor where Beauty found him.
Beauty: Beast …Beast! What happened? Oh no! What did they do to you? (Start crying softly) Beast you are not what everyone thinks of you. You are kind, considerate and caring and I think… I …love you…
Beast: What did you say?
Beauty: I said that I think I love you.
Beast: I love you too!
Narrator: With that the spell was broken and the Beast magically changed back into a Prince. All of the enchanted objects transformed back into their former selves. Beauty and the Prince started dating, got to know each other (and themselves) better, went to college, and then graduate school. After all their schooling they married and lived…..
All: Happily Ever After!
MUSIC: ALLSTAR
HoganMade 