La Belle et la Bête

Written by Gabrielle Suzanne Villeneuve
Adapted for the stage by Annie Loui 

Annie Loui, director
Yee Eun Nam, scenic design
Ashley Morgan, costume design
Maisie Crimmins, lighting design
Andrew Yoder, sound design
Mike Hooker, music composition
DJ Maloney, stage management

May 2-10, 2025

Experimental Media Performance Lab (xMPL)

Where does an artist get inspiration from?

The virtuous Belle, in order to save her bankrupt father’s life, surrenders her person to the Bête, whom she eventually agrees to marry when her feelings of gratitude outweigh the drawbacks of his repulsive physique. This is the moral of the fairytale “Beauty and the Beast” written by Mme. Gabrielle Suzanne Villeneuve in 1742. Driven by her father’s debts to the Paris salons of Louis XIV, impoverished noblewoman and newcomer Mme. Villeneuve is mocked by courtiers. She is befriended by the shabby but infamous poet Crébillon, who prefers animals to humans and honesty to the wit of the court.  

A short time later, “La Belle et la Bête” was published and became an instant hit. Voltaire, Mme. Pompadour and Machiavelli join Crébillon as characters in Mme. Villeneuve's world. The interwoven stories of her own life and her fairytale about the transformative powers of love are told in movement, dialogue and music in the style of CounterBalance Theater. Based on a true story. 

Hear Director and Adapter Annie Loui introduce the show here.

Approximate length: 90 minutes (no intermission)

• Recommended for age 12+.
• This production has some mature content. Please check with box office for details.

Major support for La Belle et la Bête is provided by Robert and Lorna Cohen Endowment for Excellence in Drama, the Theatre Guild, and the Claire Trevor Society.

Image design: Neo Patel, Joel Veenstra

Performances
Evenings: May 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 at 8 p.m.
Matinees: May 3, 4*, 10 at 2 p.m.
Evening: May 7 at 7:30 p.m.
* Please join us after the performance for a talkback with company members and scholars.

Tickets
General Admission: $25
Senior Age 62+: $22
UCI Faculty, Alumni, Staff, Emeriti and Retirees: $22
Arts Packages (3+ events): $21
Groups 10+: $20
Students & Youth Age 17/Below: $10

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