Hollywood’s legendary El Capitan Theatre presents a special engagement of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST September 2 – 18, 2016. In celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary, as well as the release of the Signature Collection Edition of the movie on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere (Sept 6th) and Blu-Ray (Sept 20th), the El Capitan Theatre will have a special appearance by Belle live on stage before each screening of the movie.
“The El Capitan Theatre is the perfect place to revist Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, or discover the magic and wonder of this beloved modern classic for the very first time” said James Wood, operations and stage productions for the El Capitan Theatre. “The film was nominated for six Academy Awards®, winning Oscars® for Best Song, by the renowned Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and Best Original Score. It’s the perfect Disney movie for El Capitan guests of all ages. ”
Daily showtimes are 10 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now, available at the El Capitan Theatre (6838 Hollywood Blvd.), online at www.elcapitantickets.com or by calling 1-800-DISNEY6. Special group rates for parties of 20 or more are available by calling 1-818-845-3110. Showtimes and dates are subject to change.
On select dates, El Capitan guests may enjoy breakfast, meet Belle and receive a commemorative photo before seeing the 10 a.m. movie. Seating is limited and reservations are required.
The El Capitan Theatre will also host a very special Tiny Tot Tuesday every Tuesday at 10 a.m. during the run of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. During these special screenings, parents and small children may enjoy the movie in a tot-friendly way—with lights dimmed rather than out and reduced sound levels. At the end of the film, guests will have the opportunity take pictures with Belle on stage.
For information on behind-the-scenes theatre tour packages, call 1-800-DISNEY6, visit the theatre box office or www.elcapitantickets.com
For information on behind-the-scenes theatre tour packages, call 1-800-DISNEY6, visit the theatre box office or www.elcapitantickets.com
ABOUT BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ magical classic “Beauty and the Beast” captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.
Featuring unforgettable music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, “Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
CELEBRATING THE EL CAPITAN THEATRE 90TH ANNIVERSARY
“Restored to showcase its original lavish architecture, the El Capitan Theatre’s history dates back to Hollywood's inception as the center of the entertainment world,” said Ed Collins, General Manager of the El Capitan Theatre.
In the early 1920s, real estate developer Charles Toberman envisioned Hollywood as a thriving theatre district, playing a role in developing over 30 buildings, including the Roosevelt Hotel and the Hollywood Masonic Temple (now the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, home to ABC's late night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!), and along with Sid Grauman, building the Egyptian, the Chinese, and the El Capitan theatres.
Local architect, Stiles O. Clements, of Los Angeles based Morgan, Walls & Clements, designed the elaborate cast-concrete Spanish Colonial style exterior. G. Albert Lansburgh, a San Francisco architect known for his design of over 50 West Coast theatres and luxury cinema houses, designed the lavish East Indian inspired interior. The El Capitan Theatre, the largest legitimate theatre in Hollywood, debuted on May 3, 1926. Theatre producer, Henry Duffy, produced over 120 live plays here including NO, NO, NANETTE, ANYTHING GOES, and AH, WILDNERNESS; stars like Clark Gable, Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford Joan Fontaine, Henry Fonda, and Will Rogers graced the El Capitan stage.
In 1941, the El Capitan Theatre was converted from a playhouse to a movie theatre with the premiere of Orson Welles' first feature film, CITIZEN KANE. The theatre then closed for a renovation, reopening in March 1942 as the Hollywood Paramount, a new, streamlined "art moderne" first run movie house.
Collins goes on to explain, “In 1989, the Walt Disney Company joined forces with Pacific Theatres and launched a two year, museum quality restoration of the historic theatre, led by renowned theatre designer Joseph J. Musil. Musil with the supervision of the National Park Service's Department of the Interior, and guidance from conservator Martin Weil and architect Ed Fields, achieved the goal recreating the original 1926 look and feel of the El Capitan Theatre.”
Collins said, “Declared a Historic Cultural Monument by the City of Los Angeles, the El Capitan Theatre reopened its doors on June 19, 1991 for the world premiere of Walt Disney Pictures' THE ROCKETEER, the first of many Walt Disney Pictures feature films to premiere here.” For the past twenty-five years, the El Capitan Theatre has been an exclusive first run theatre for Walt Disney Pictures and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology (currently one of the few theatres in the world capable of Dolby Vision™ 3D and Dolby Atmos®), hosting live stage shows, world premieres, and other special events.
