It might not be every young girl’s dream to be a Disney princess, but for some, it’s a sweet childhood fantasy. For Hilary Maiberger, it’s one that actually came true.
The actress will be arriving in Abu Dhabi on October 30 as Belle for the touring musical show, Beauty and the Beast. The show will run for 10 days at du Forum, until November 8.
“The Broadway team has come back together to put this show on. It’s actually amazing to see the lavish set and costumes that are the same as the Broadway production, that are then able to be toured around the world,” Maiberger told tabloid!.
The original Broadway musical, based on the 1991 Disney film, is the theatre’s eighth longest-running production in history, raking in upwards of a billion dollars. With its story of love going beyond what meets the eye, it has charmed endless children and adults alike.
“Kids love it, but I think it is a show that has a broad appeal for all age groups,” Maiberger said. “The Broadway production opening [was] 20 years ago now, and the animated feature before that, so there is a whole generation of people who are familiar with the story and the music. That generation of people are starting to bring their own kids along to the show.”
And for that original generation who fell in love with Belle’s obsession with reading, her no-nonsense policy, and her signature yellow gown, they can expect all of the elements of the film to remain intact on stage.
“Belle wears four costumes, and they are all beautiful, especially the yellow ball gown I wear when I get to do the waltz with the Beast. I only have one of each costume, but there are duplicates made for the understudies, as they are all custom-created for each of us,” she said.
A few added bonuses that are exclusive to the stage show come in the form of three extra songs (watch out for the Beast singing; actor Darick Pead is apparently an incredible singer), an 11 member live orchestra, and a few special effects.
“The magical elements in the show, including the wolf and enchantress puppets, help us to tell the story. The special effects in Be Our Guest are pretty spectacular, so the show looks really great,” said Maiberger.
“[It’s] a show that ticks all the boxes — it’s such a beautiful love story, there is comedy, there is great singing and dancing, and it’s such a fun night out. The show is something that I think we can all connect to.”
‘Grounded and honest’
The cast of the show, including a few new members, rehearsed for four weeks together in New York City before leaving for the international tour. Maiberger said the song-and-dance performance can be challenging to pull off and tough on the stamina, but she keeps fit to perform to the best of her abilities.
“I think Belle and I have some similarities, so to prepare for the role, I made sure I stayed grounded and honest, and made sure that my personality was showing through, while still keeping the spirit of the Belle that everyone knows and loves,” said Maiberger.
Stage chemistry
Her camaraderie with onstage beau, Pead, is certainly a key factor in engaging the audience every night.
“This is the third year that Darick and I have been playing Belle and the Beast onstage together, and I think we have great chemistry onstage,” she said. “We are such good friends, and so it’s so nice to be on this journey with someone who I have such a fun time with.”
Musically, all the fan-favourite songs will be in the show, from Gaston to title song Beauty and the Beast. But Maiberger, who has a background on the operatic stage with performances such as Don Quixote, lists one of the new songs written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman as the highlight of her night.
“One of my favourite songs is a brand new song written especially for the stage production, called A Change in Me, she said. “This song creates such a beautiful journey, and to be able to act with someone like Paul Crane [Maurice] makes it even better.”
Tickets
Tickets for Beauty and the Beast at du Forum, found through ticketmaster.ae, are available for 7.30pm showings on October 30 and 31, as well as November 6, 7 and 8. There is a matinee 1pm showing on October 31. Tickets range between Dh150 and Dh750.
