Aahley Brown becomes the next Belle in Disney's 'Beauty And The Beast'

Ashley Brown becomes the next Belle, in Walt Disney�s Beauty And The Beast, which is Broadway's sixth longest running show and currently its longest running American musical. The musical is currently booking to the 24 Dec 2005 at the the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Ms Brown will assume the role of Belle on the 20 Sep 2005, taking other from Brooke Tansley who will play her last performance on the 18 Sep 2005 - Ms Tansley has been performing the role of Belle since the 14 Sep 2004.

Ms Brown will become the 15th actress to play the character of Belle, following in the steps of Susan Egan (Who originated the role), Christianne Tisdale, Ann Sanders, Sarah Uriarte Berry, Kerry Butler, Deborah Gibson, Kim Huber, Toni Braxton, Andrea McArdle, Sarah Litzsinger, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Megan McGinnis, Christy Carlson Romano and Brooke Tansley

Ashley Brown has appeared in productions of 'Candide', 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood', 'Violet', 'Sweeney Todd', 'Meet Me in St. Louis' and 'Guys and Dolls.' She has recently toured with the Disney musical revue 'On The Record.'

Beauty And The Beast originally opened on the 18 Apr 1994 at the Palace Theatre, where it played more than 2,250 performances, becoming the longest-running show ever to play that theatre. Beauty And The Beast is also the longest running tenant in the history of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where it is now playing.

Beauty And The Beast is the classic love story of Belle, a young woman in a small, provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a prince trapped in a spell placed on him by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and to be loved, the spell will be broken and he will be transformed back to his former self. But time is running out, and if the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he will be doomed for all eternity.

Disney's Beauty And The Beast stars Steve Blanchard as the Beast and Brooke Tansley as Belle. (Until the 18 Sep 2005) Grant Norman is Gaston, Jeff Brooks is Cogsworth, Peter Flynn is Lumiere, Alma Cuervo is Mrs. Potts, Jamie Ross is Maurice, Aldrin Gonzales is Lefou, Pam Klinger is Babette and Mary Stout is Madame de la Grande Bouche. Matthew Gumley and Patrick Henney alternate the role of Chip.

Disney's Beauty And The Beast features Alan Menken's Academy Award-winning score, songs by the late Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (including the Academy Award-winning title song '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'). Book is by Linda Woolverton, author of the original screenplay. The musical is choreographed by Matt West and directed by Robert Jess Roth. Sets are by Stan Meyer, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, and lighting by Natasha Katz.