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Act
One Listen to Music- Prologue
*Music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard
Ashman. ©1991, 1994 Walt Disney Music Company (ASCAP)/Wonderland Music Company,Inc. (BMI)/Menken Music (BMI)/Trunksong Music, Ltd.(BMI). | From The
Beast's Library | Enchanted Objects | All photographs by Joan Marcus/Marc Bryan-Brown
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nce upon a time, in a faraway land, a YOUNG
PRINCE lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince
was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came
to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold.
Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the Prince sneered at the gift and turned the old
woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is to be
found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to
reveal a beautiful enchantress.
he Prince tried to
apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. As
punishment, she transformed him into a hideous BEAST and placed a powerful spell on the
castle and all who lived there. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose,
which would bloom for many years. If he could learn to love another and earn their love in
return before the last petal fell, the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed
to remain a Beast for all time.