Matt West Reimagines Beauty and the Beast at Popejoy Hall, Reports Say

Walt Disney’s stage musical Beauty and the Beast opens at Popejoy Hall on the University of New Mexico campus on Wednesday, Oct. 14, bringing a completely redesigned production to Albuquerque that slashes touring truck requirements from 25 down to nine while introducing new stage illusions, Popejoy Presents reported.

Matt West Reimagines the 1994 Broadway Production

Director and choreographer Matt West, who also choreographed the original 1994 Broadway version, agreed to helm the new touring production only after Disney approached him with the condition that he could completely reimagine the show from A to Z, according to the Albuquerque Journal report. West spent months re-evaluating the costuming, lighting, and choreography with a fresh perspective, working alongside dance arranger David Chase and orchestrator Danny Troob.

“I said yes — if I could reimagine it,” West told the Albuquerque Journal.

The revised choreography expands the musical number “Be Our Guest” into an 11-minute extravaganza that transitions through tango, ballroom, and tap dancing styles.

Advanced Fabrics and Lighter Castles

Costume designs retain the classic silhouettes of characters such as Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and Lumière, but utilize modern fabrics that stretch and move in ways unavailable during the 1994 production. West noted that the updated garments are less bulky, more streamlined, and shift in color dynamically depending on the lighting.

Set design similarly moves away from heavy, blacked-out transitions. The updated staging relies on large set pieces that fly overhead silently, joining together to form different parts of the castle as the audience watches them travel.

The reduction in set size directly impacts the logistics of the national tour. While the original production required nearly 25 trucks to transport equipment, the new version requires only nine, according to production figures cited in the Albuquerque Journal.

New Visual Effects Accompany Stable Ticket Pricing

Jim Steinmeyer, the designer behind the original 1994 stage illusions, returned to develop new visual effects for the revival. Among the additions is a live transformation of the Prince into the Beast that occurs directly in front of the audience at the start of the show.

Lower touring and operating costs stemming from streamlined set transport allow producers to keep ticket prices between $46 and $206 for families across the country. Tickets remain available through the official venue ticketing portal.

Performance Schedule at Popejoy Hall

The Albuquerque engagement runs from Oct. 14 through Oct. 18, with evening and matinee performances scheduled at the University of New Mexico venue.

• Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Arts writer Logan Royce Beitmen reported on the production for the Albuquerque Journal.