PROLOGUE

Narrator: Once 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 found within. And when he dismissed her again, The old woman's ugliness melted away To reveal a beautiful Enchantress. The Prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, For she had seen that there was no love in his heart. And as punishment, She transformed him into a hideous beast, And placed a powerful spell on the castle, And all who lived there. Ashamed of his monstrous form, The beast concealed himself inside his castle, With a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. 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 her love in return By the time the last petal fell, Then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast For all time. As the years passed, He fell into despair, and lost all hope, For who could ever learn to love...a Beast?

BELLE

Belle: Little town It's a quiet village Ev'ry day Like the one before Little town Full of little people Waking up to say: Lady: Bon jour! Man carrying grain sack: Bon jour! Egg man: Bon jour! Washer woman: Bon jour! Baker: Bon jour! Belle: There goes the baker with his tray, like always The same old bread and rolls to sell Ev'ry morning just the same Since the morning that we came To this poor provincial town Baker: Good Morning, Belle! Belle: Good Morning, Monsieur. Baker: Where are you off to, today? Belle: The bookshop. I just finished the most wonderful story About a beanstalk and an ogre and a - Baker: That's nice. Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up! Townsfolk: Look there she goes that girl is strange, no question Dazed and distracted, can't you tell? Woman: Never part of any crowd Man: 'Cause her head's up on some cloud Townsfolk: No denying she's a funny girl that Belle Man I: Bonjour! Woman 1: Good day! Man 1: How is your fam'ly? Woman 2: Bonjour! Man 2: Good day! Woman 2: How is your wife? Woman 3: I need six eggs! Woman 4: That's too expensive! Belle: There must be more than this provincial life! Bookseller: Ah, Belle! Belle: Good morning, sir. I've come to return the book I borrowed. Bookseller: Finished already? Belle: Oh, I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new? Bookseller: Not since yesterday. Belle: That's all right. I'll borrow . . . . . this one! Bookseller: That one? But you've read it twice! Belle: Well, it's my favorite! Far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise - Bookseller: If you like it all that much, it's yours! Belle: But sir! Bookseller: I insist. Belle: Well, thank you. Thank you very much! Townsfolk: Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar I wonder if she's feeling well With a dreamy, far-off look And her nose stuck in a book What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle Belle: Oh, isn't this amazing? It's my fav'rite part because --- you'll see Here's where she meets Prince Charming But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three! Woman: Now it's no wonder that her name means "Beauty" Her looks have got no parallel Shopkeeper: But behind that fair facade I'm afraid she's rather odd Man: Very diff'rent from the rest of us Townsfolk: She's nothing like the rest of us Yes, diff'rent from the rest of us is Belle! Lefou: I got it Gaston! Wow! You didn't miss a shot, Gaston! You're the greatest hunter in the whole world!. Gaston: I know. Lefou: No beast alive stands a chance against you. --- And no girl, for that matter. Gaston: It's true, LeFou. And I've got my sights set on that one. Lefou: The inventor's daughter? Gaston: She's the one - the lucky girl I'm going to marry. Lefou: But she's - Gaston: The most beautiful girl in town. Lefou: I know, but - Gaston: That makes her the best. And don't I deserve the best? Lefou: Of course you do! Gaston: Right from the moment when I met her, saw her I said she's gorgeous and I fell Here in town there's only she Who is beautiful as me So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle Bimbettes: Look there he goes Isn't he dreamy? Monsieur Gaston Oh he's so cute! Be still my heart I'm hardly breathing He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute! Woman 1: Bonjour! Gaston: Pardon Belle: Good day Woman 2: Mais oui! Woman 3: You call this bacon? Woman 4: What lovely grapes! Man 1: Some cheese Woman 5: Ten yards! Man 1: One pound Gaston: 'scuse me! Cheese merchant: I'll get the knife Gaston: Please let me through! Woman 6: This bread - Woman 7: Those fish - Woman 6: it's stale! Woman 7: they smell! Men: Madame's mistaken. Women: Well, maybe so Townsfolk: Good morning! Oh, good morning! Belle: There must be more than this provincial life! Gaston: Just watch, I'm going to make Belle my wife! Townsfolk: Look there she goes The girl is strange but special A most peculiar mad'moiselle! Women: It's a pity and a sin Men: She doesn't quite fit in Townsfolk: 'Cause she really is a funny girl A beauty but a funny girl She really is a funny girl That Belle!

NO MATTER WHAT

Belle: Papa, do you think I'm...odd? Maurice: My daughter odd? Where did you get an idea like that? Belle: I don't know. It's just that, well, people talk. Maurice: They talk about me, too. Maurice: No, we're not odd, its true No family could be saner Except one uncle who...well, maybe let that pass In all you say or do You couldn't make it plainer You are your mother's daughter; therefore you are class Belle: So I should just accept I'm simply not like them Maurice: They are the common herd And you can take my word You are unique: creme de la creme No matter what you do I'm on your side And if my point of view Is somewhat misty-eyed There's nothing clearer in my life Than what I wish and feel for you And that's a lot... No matter what Belle: No matter what they say You make me proud I love the funny way You stand out from the crowd Maurice: It's my intention my invention Shows the world out there one day Just what we've got... Both: No matter what Maurice: Now some may say that fathers just exaggerate Belle: That ev'ry daughter's great? Maurice: You are! Belle: And ev'ry daughter tends to say her father's tops Maurice: She pulls out all the stops To praise him Both: And quite rightly! Maurice: No matter what the pain We've come this far I pray that you remain Exactly as you are This really is a case of father knowing best Belle: And daughter too! Maurice: You're never strange Belle: Don't ever change Both: You've all I've got No matter what.

NO MATTER WHAT (REPRISE)

Maurice: First prize is nearly mine It's quite my best invention So simple, yet complex So massive, yet so small This triumph of design Will be my old-age pension That is, provided I can find the fair at all I must have missed a sign... I should have paid attention... (Wolf howls) That's not a nightingale, and not a mating call.

ME

Gaston: You've been dreaming, just one dream Nearly all your life Hoping, scheming, just one theme: Will you be a wife? Will you be some he-man's property? Good news! That he-man's me! This equation, girl plus man Doesn't help just you On occasion, women can Have their uses too Mainly to extend the fam'ly tree Pumpkin, extend with me! Gaston: We'll be raising sons galore Belle: Inconceivable! Gaston: Each built six foot four! Belle: Unbelievable! Gaston: Each stuffed with ev'ry Gaston gene! Belle: I'm not hearing this! Gaston: You'll be keeping house with pride! Belle: Just incredible! Gaston: Each day gratified Belle: So unweddable! Gaston: That you are a part of this idyllic scene. Gaston: (Speaking) Picture this: A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting over the fire, my little wife massaging my feet, while the little ones play on the floor with the dogs. We'll have six or seven! Belle: Dogs? Gaston: No, Belle! Strapping boys...like me! Belle: Imagine that! Gaston: I can see that we will share All that love implies We shall be a perfect pair Rather like my thighs You are face to face with destiny! All roads lead to... The best things in life are... All's well that ends with me! Escape me? There's no way Certain as "Do, Re," Belle, when you marry... Gaston: (Speaking) So Belle, what would it be? Is it "yes", or is it "oh, yes"? Belle: I...I just don't deserve you! Gaston: Who does! Gaston: ME!

BELLE (REPRISE)

Belle: Is he gone? Can you imagine? He asked me to marry him. Me, the wife of that boorish, brainless . . . "Madame Gaston!" Can't you just see it? "Madame Gaston!" His "little wife" No sir! Not me! I guarantee it I want much more than this provincial life! I want adventure in the great wide somewhere I want it more than I can tell And for once it might be grand To have someone understand I want so much more than they've got planned

HOME

Belle: Yes, I made the choice For papa, I will stay But I don't deserve to lose my freedom in this way You monster! If you think that what you've done is right, well then You're a fool! Think again! Is this home? Is this where I should learn to be happy? Never dreamed That a home could be dark and cold I was told Ev'ry day in my childhood: Even as we grow old Home will be where the heart is Never were words so true! My heart's far, far away Home is too Is this home? Is this what I must learn to believe in? Try to find Something good in this tragic place Just in case I should stay here forever Held in this empty place Oh, but that won't be easy I know the reason why My heart's far, far away Home's a lie What I'd give to return To the life that I knew lately And to think I complained Of that dull provincial town Is this home? Am I here for a day or forever? Shut away From the world until who knows when Oh, but then As my life has been altered once It can change again Build higher walls around me Change ev'ry lock and key Nothing lasts, nothing holds All of me My heart's far, far away Home and free!

HOME (REPRISE)

Mrs. Potts: (Speaking) Cheer up child. It will turn out alright in the end, you'll see. Mrs. Potts: I hope that we'll be friends Though I don't know you well If anyone can make the most of living here Then, Belle, it's you And who knows? You may find Home here, too!

GASTON

Gaston: Who does she think she is? That girl has tangled with the wrong man! No one says "no" to Gaston! LeFou: Darn right. Gaston: Dismissed! Rejected! Publicly Humiliated! Why, it's more than I can bear. LeFou: More beer? Gaston: What for? Nothing helps. I'm disgraced. LeFou: Who, you? Never! Gaston, you've got to pull yourself together. LeFou: Gosh it disturbs me to see you, Gaston Looking so down in the dumps Every guy here'd love to be you, Gaston Even when taking your lumps There's no man in town as admired as you You're ev'ryone's favorite guy Ev'ryone's awed and inspired by you And it's not very hard to see why No one's slick as Gaston No one's quick as Gaston No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Gaston's For there's no man in town half as manly Perfect, a pure paragon! You can ask any Tom, Dick or Stanley And they'll tell you whose team they prefer to be on LeFou and Chorus: No one's been like Gaston A king pin like Gaston LeFou: No one's got a swell cleft in his chin like Gaston Gaston: As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating! LeFou and Chorus: My what a guy, that Gaston! Give five "hurrahs!" Give twelve "hip-hips!" LeFou: Gaston is the best And the rest is all drips Chorus: No one fights like Gaston Douses lights like Gaston LeFou: In a wrestling match nobody bites like Gaston! Bimbettes: For there's no one as burly and brawny Gaston: As you see I've got biceps to spare LeFou: Not a bit of him's scraggly or scrawny Gaston: That's right! And ev'ry last inch of me's covered with hair Chorus: No one hits like Gaston Matches wits like Gaston LeFou: In a spitting match nobody spits like Gaston Gaston: I'm especially good at expectorating! Ptoooie! Cronies: Ten points for Gaston! Gaston: When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs Ev'ry morning to help me get large And now that I'm grown I eat five dozen eggs So I'm roughly the size of a barge! Chorus: Oh, ahhh, wow! My what a guy, that Gaston! No one shoots like Gaston Makes those beauts like Gaston LeFou: Then goes tromping around wearing boots like Gaston Gaston: I use antlers in all of my decorating! Cronies: My what a guy Gaston!

GASTON (REPRISE)

Gaston: Crazy old Maurice, hmmm? Crazy old Maurice... Gaston: LeFou, I'm afraid I've been thinking LeFou: A dangerous pastime Gaston: I know. But that whacky old coot is Belle's father And his sanity's only "so-so" Now the wheels in my head have been turning Since I looked at that loony, old man See, I've promised myself I'd be married to Belle And right now I'm evolving a plan Gaston: If I . . . {whisper} LeFou: Yes? Gaston: Then we . . . {whisper} LeFou: No! Would she . . . Gaston: {whisper} Guess! LeFou: Now I get it! Both: Let's go! No one plots like Gaston Gaston: Takes cheap shots like Gaston LeFou: Plans to persecute harmless crackpots like Gaston Gaston: Yes, I'm endlessly, wildly remorseful LeFou: As down to the depths you descend Gaston: I won't even be mildly resourceful Both: Just as long as I (you) get what I (you) want in the end Gaston: Who has brains like Gaston? LeFou: Entertains like Gaston? Both: Who can make up these endless refrains like Gaston? And his marriage we soon will be celebrating My what a guy Gaston!

HOW LONG MUST THIS GO ON?

Beast: How long must this go on? This cruel trick of fate? I simply made one careless, wrong decision And then the witch was gone And left me in this state An object of revulsion and derision Hated... Is there no one Who can show me How to win the world's forgiveness?