Full casting announced for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Disney’s first North American production of the beloved musical in over 25 years
Stephen Mark Lukas, Danny Gardner, Kathy Voytko and Javier Ignacio join Kyra Belle Johnson and Fergie L. Philippe
MINNEAPOLIS (May 8, 2025) — Hennepin Arts announced today that Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt, Anne Quart and Thomas Schumacher, proudly announces full casting for the eagerly-anticipated tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the first North American production of the musical presented by Disney in over 25 years. The tour will launch in Schenectady, NY on June 25, before its official opening in Chicago in July and then heading to Minneapolis Tuesday, Aug. 5 to Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 at the historic Orpheum Theatre (910 Hennepin Ave.) as part of the Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin season.
Tickets for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST are on sale now at HennepinArts.org. For reservations for groups of 10 or more, please click to minneapolis.broadway.com/groups. Show dates are Tuesday, Aug. 5 to Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 at the historic Orpheum Theatre. Performance times are Tuesday to Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. There will be an 1 p.m. performance on Thursday, Aug. 14 and no performance on the evening of Sunday, Aug. 17.Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.
The production features Stephen Mark Lukas as Gaston, Danny Gardner as Lumiere, Kathy Voytko as Mrs. Potts, Javier Ignacio as Cogsworth, Harry Francis as Le Fou, Kevin Ligon as Maurice, Holly Ann Butler as Madame, Cameron Monroe Thomas as Babette, and Beatrice Goddard Beggs and Levi Blaise Coleman alternating as Chip. They join previously announced stars Kyra Belle Johnson as Belle and Fergie L. Philippe as the Beast.
The Ensemble includes Vinny Andaloro, Benjamin Cheng, Spencer Dean, Julian Marcus De Guzman, Michael Dikegoros, Masumi Iwai, Darrell T. Joe, Emily Larger, Lena Matthews, Caleb McArthur, Sam Rose Pearson, Melaina Rairamo, Ellen Roberts, Grace Marie Rusnica, Ben Sears, Michael Seltzer, Jasmine Pearl Villaroel and Kate Wesler.
Based on the 1991 Academy Award®-winning animated feature film, Beauty and the Beast premiered on Broadway in 1994 and still ranks as the 10th longest-running show in the industry’s history. Nominated for nine Tony® Awards, winning for Best Costume Design, Beauty remains one of the highest-grossing Broadway shows of all time. The title’s visibility and success have expanded globally with productions of the stage show and the smash Oscar®-nominated 2017 live-action film, which grossed over $1B worldwide.
Reuniting to create this new production are members of the original Tony Award®-winning artistic team, including composer Alan Menken (who wrote the film’s beloved score with the late lyricist Howard Ashman), Tim Rice, who wrote lyrics for the stage adaptation, book writer Linda Woolverton, director and choreographer Matt West, scenic designer Stanley A. Meyer, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward and lighting designer Natasha Katz.
To download Beauty and the Beast Tour cast headshots, click HERE
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
KYRA BELLE JOHNSON (Belle) is honored to bring this magical story back to the stage. She previously toured as Sophie in the National Tour of Mamma Mia! TV/Film Credits: Damned If You Do, Role Play, and“FBI.” Proud alumna of Texas State’s BFA Musical Theatre Program. Huge thanks to DGRW and Disney for making this dream come true. Endless gratitude to Colin and her family, given and chosen, for their steadfast love and support. @kyrabellejohnson
FERGIE L. PHILIPPE (Beast).Broadway: Hamilton (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison), Camelot (Sir Sagramore; King Arthur U/S). Off-Broadway: The Connector (Bob Henshaw/Willis Taylor). National Tour: Hamilton (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison). TV/Film: “The Good Fight,” “The Gilded Age,” “Law and Order: SVU,” Space Cadet. As a puppeteer, he's worked on projects like Aanika’s Elephants, Jupiter’s Journey to Earth, Rescue Rue, and Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Fergie also directs around the country. Productions include Death of A Driver, An Unlikely Hero, and Poor People.
STEPHEN MARK LUKAS (Gaston) has appeared on Broadway and on Tour as Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl and Elder Price in the Book of Mormon. Regional: Gaston in Beauty and the Beast (Paper Mill), Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees (Goodspeed - CT Critics Circle nom), Curly in Oklahoma! (Ogunquit Playhouse and Reagle Music Theatre- IRNE nom), Lancelot in Camelot (Westport Country Playhouse). Television: “Elsbeth” (CBS), “FBI: Most Wanted” (CBS) and “Gossip Girl” (CW). Love to my family and B. Follow along: @smlukas
DANNY GARDNER (Lumiere). Broadway: Dames At Sea, A Christmas Carol, Flying Over Sunset. Off-Broadway: Lady, Be Good! (City Center Encores!), The NY Summer Spectacular (Radio City), Cheek To Cheek (The York Theater), Time Step (New Victory Theatre), The Opposite of Love (NY Rep). National Tours: White Christmas, 42nd Street. Regional: Dial M For Murder (Geva & Dallas Theater Center), Crazy For You (Signature Theater), Mary Poppins (Seattle 5th Avenue). Love to my wife / castmate Emily. www.danny-gardner.com @dannyjgnyc
KATHY VOYTKO (Mrs. Potts). Kathy made headlines when Hugh Jackman’s curtain speech went viral after she went on for Sutton Foster in The Music Man. Broadway: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Tuck Everlasting, Next To Normal, The Pirate Queen, The Frogs, Nine, Oklahoma! Thank you BATB company. For my loves: John, Alena, & Evelyn.
JAVIER IGNACIO (Cogsworth). Broadway: Company (Jamie, Peter, Andy u/s); Side Show (Houdini/Dog Boy). National Tour: Company (Peter); Fiasco’s Into the Woods. Off-Broadway: Fiasco’s Twelfth Night (Sebastian); PublicWorks’ Twelfth Night; Encores! Call Me Madam.Regional Theatres: La Jolla Playhouse, The Kennedy Center, The Asolo Rep and MTWichita. Wichita State University Alum. AEA. www.JavierIgnacio.com
HARRY FRANCIS (Le Fou). London/West End: Mary Poppins, Cats, Wicked, A Chorus Line, Barnum, Pippin, The Book of Mormon. Tours: Cats, Hairspray, West Side Story, Edward Scissorhands. US: West Side Story, Cats, Newsies, Jersey Boys and Elvis. @HarryRFrancis
KEVIN LIGON (Maurice). 12 Broadway shows including Hello, Dolly!, The Producers, The Secret Garden. Regional: Arthur Whittington in An Old-Fashioned Family Murder (New Theatre), Herr Schultz in Cabaret (Goodspeed), Pirelli in Sweeney Todd (Kennedy Center). TV: “Blue Bloods,” “The Good Fight,” “Law & Order: SVU.”
HOLLY ANN BUTLER (Madame). Broadway: Come From Away, Diana the Musical, On the Town, How to Succeed…, Grease. National Tours: Evita, Shrek, Jersey Boys. TV/Film: Diana the Musical, A Holiday Spectacular, “Figure It Out.” Instagram: @performingpinup. Thanks to my husband, Steven.
CAMERON MONROE THOMAS (Babette), TXST MT 2025, is thrilled to make her National Tour debut with BATB! Recent credits: Sister Act (Tina/Ensemble) and BATB (Ensemble) at The Muny and Beautiful (Lucille/Shirelle) at The ZACH. Philippians 4:13.
BEATRICE GODDARD BEGGS (Chip at certain performances) is joyfully celebrating her National Tour debut! She hopes to inspire other kids to bravely chase their dreams. With gratitude to Avalon Artists, Bercy Talent & CalliCo, she dedicates this show to her little brother, Teddy. @beatrice_b_adventure_diary
LEVI BLAISE COLEMAN (Chip at certain performances). Debut tour! Levi thanks JESUS; Disney Theatrical Group; TRC Company; Kim Pedell/Zoom Talent; David Gilbert/Zuri Agency; Amelia DeMayo/Glenn Gordon & bergenPACPAS; Jessi Clayton/ThePrepNY; The Ailey School; family & friends. IG: @leviblaise
VINNY ANDALORO (Swing) is thrilled to be twirling on the road again! National Tours: Funny Girl, Cats. Regional: Ogunquit, NSMT, The LEX. BFA, The Boston Conservatory. Love to my amazing family, friends, mentors, and incredible fiancé, Jackson. IG: @vinny__andaloro
BENJAMIN CHENG (Ensemble). National tour debut! Memphis, TN native and recent CCM graduate. Many thanks to HCKR and The TRC Company. And thanks to God and my family for their constant love and support! Colossians 3:16-17. @benjamin.s.cheng
SPENCER DEAN (Monsieur D’Arque, Ensemble). National Tour debut!! Regional: MUNY, Goodspeed, NSMT, Weston, City Springs. TV: “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” BFA: Boston Conservatory. Thanks to The TRC Company, Lucille and The Hybrid Agency. Immense love to friends & family, especially mom - you are my rock! @JSpencerDean; www.Spencer-Dean.com
JULIAN MARCUS De GUZMAN (Ensemble). Broadway: Beetlejuice, Newsies, Hello, Dolly! Miss Saigon. BFA Dance & Sociology, UC Irvine. Filipino. San Francisco Bay Area Born & Raised. Thankful for the DeGuzman’s, Jo, CESD, Canaan, Joni, Coyote. Isang bagsak! @julianofguzman
MICHAEL DIKEGOROS (Ensemble). National tour debut! Off Broadway: the York. Regional: Ogunquit, Tuacahn, Music Theatre Wichita. Commercial: Holiday Inn Club Vacations. Elon BFA MT. Love to CTG, The TRC Company, his family, friends, Brady and Ellie. michaeldikegoros.com @m_dikegoros
MASUMI IWAI (Ensemble). Thrilled to be back on the road! Broadway: Funny Girl (OBC). Regional/Tours: FLY (La Jolla Playhouse), The King and I (National Tour). Much love to friends and family both in Japan and US! @mmmasssun
DARRELL T. JOE (Ensemble). So excited to share this “tale as old as time” around the country! Broadway: Spamalot. Off Broadway: Cheek to Cheek (York). National Tours: Jesus Christ Superstar. Regional: Goodspeed, Muny, DCPA, TUTS, Maltz and more! @darrelltjoe
EMILY LARGER (Ensemble). National Tours: Elf (Kennedy Center, MSG), The 39 Steps. Regional/NY: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine), Billy Elliot, Cabaret (Goodspeed), A Chorus Line (Cassie). Sharing this adventure with her loves Danny, Jack, and Maple! emilylarger.com
LENA MATTHEWS (Swing) is thrilled to be a part of BATB! Broadway: Trisha Paytas’ Big Broadway Dream. Off-Broadway: A Sign of the Times. Tour/Regional: Jesus Christ Superstar, Newsies, Carousel. Love and gratitude to my father Bob Matthews and my team at Suite talent! @_lenamatthews
CALEB McARTHUR (Swing). National Tour Debut! University of Michigan BFA Musical Theatre Alum. Thank you to his agents at Henderson Hogan, his devoted teachers and his loved ones who have helped make this dream come true. @calebbmcarthur
SAM ROSE PEARSON (Swing, Dance Captain). (they/she) National tour debut! TV/Film: “The Equalizer,” “Evil Lives Here.” Regional: Asolo Rep, NC Theater, New London Barn Playhouse, Forestburgh Playhouse. Elon Music Theatre BFA Alum. Endless thanks to HCKR, Disney, and their family - given, found and chosen. @sampearson___
MELAINA RAIRAMO (Village Lass, Ensemble)isoverjoyed to be here! Regional: Guthrie, Fulton, Maine State. Proud UATD alum. Endless gratitude to family, friends, and the Beauty team—this dream wouldn’t be possible without you. Roll Tide! @Melaina_Rairamo
ELLEN ROBERTS (Swing). National Tour Debut! Boston Conservatory class of 2025. Credits: Frozen, Jersey Boys (NSMT), Beautiful, Jersey Boys, The Bodyguard (TBTS). LINK Class 6. Thanks to Michelle Chasse, Daniel Hoff Agency, and love to her family.
GRACE MARIE RUSNICA (Ensemble). National tour debut! Pittsburgh native and recent graduate of CCM. Off-Broadway: Monte Cristo. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, The Muny. TV: “American Idol.” All my love to the whole BATB team, Henderson Hogan, and my family! @gracerusnica
BEN SEARS (Ensemble). (he/him) Pizza Enthusiast! Broadway: The Heart of Rock & Roll (OBC). National Tours: CATS (1st Nat’l), A Bronx Tale. Love to The A Squad, my agents, Peter Van Dam & my Family. As always, this is for Dad.
MICHAEL SELTZER (Swing, Assistant Dance Captain). Broadway: West Side Story. 1st National Tour: Back To the Future. Regional: The Old Globe, Asolo Rep, Sacramento Music Circus, The Muny, Weston Theater Company. BFA Musical Theater: The Boston Conservatory. Love to The Bloc Agency and family.
JASMINE PEARL VILLAROEL (Village Lass, Ensemble) completed her BFA at Temple University (‘25) while in the Original Broadway Cast of The Great Gatsby! Endless love and thanks to family, friends & teachers for everything. Wishing on stars & working hard! @jasmine.villaroel
KATE WESLER (Enchantress, Village Lass, Ensemble). Broadway: Harmony (OBC). Tours: Chicago (Roxie), Pippin (Fastrada). TV/Film: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”(Principal Dancer), Caught Stealing (Principal Dancer). Julianne Hough Residency (Dancer). CCM graduate. Grateful for this team. Love to my family. www.katewesler.com @kate.wesler
About Disney’s Beauty & the Beast
Critics have raved about the show throughout its history, from its 1994 Broadway premiere through the recent smash U.K. and Australian productions: “A delight! The astonishments rarely cease,” declared The New York Times in reviewing the original Broadway production. “A tale as old as time, but as exhilarating as ever,” raved the London Evening Standard. “Witty and exuberant with breathtaking choreography,” wrote the Sydney Morning Herald.
The structure and tone of the story and score made Disney history. It was just the second time that a Disney film had been structured as a stage musical where the songs are integral to plot and characterization. This Menken/Ashman innovation is credited with the 1990’s Disney animation renaissance that went on to create such film classics as Aladdin, The Lion King and Hunchback of Notre Dame and helped re-introduce the book musical form to popular culture.
Beauty and the Beast, directed & choreographed by Matt West, features Alan Menken’s Academy Award®-winning score, songs by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman (including the Academy Award®-winning title song and the show-stopping “Be Our Guest”), plus songs written especially for the stage by Alan Menken and Tim Rice (including “If I Can’t Love Her” and “A Change In Me”). The production features a book by Linda Woolverton, author of the original screenplay. Sets are by Stanley A. Meyer, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward (Tony Award® winner for Beauty and the Beast) and lighting by Natasha Katz.
Longtime Menken collaborators Michael Kosarin and Danny Troob are music supervisor/arranger and orchestrator, respectively. New dance music arrangements are by David Chase. David Andrews Rogers is music director.
Completing the design team, John Shivers is sound designer, Darrel Maloney is projection & video designer, and David H. Lawrence is hair & make-up designer. Jim Steinmeyer is the illusion designer, as he was on the original 1994 production. Jason Trubitt is the production supervisor and Myriah Bash is the general manager. Anne Quart serves as executive producer.
Previous Disney-produced North American Tours of Beauty and the Beast played for almost eight years from November 1995 through August 2003, for a combined total of 2,893 performances to nearly six million audience members.
For more information, visit beautyandthebeastthemusical.com, Instagram and Facebook.
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