Beauty and the Beast
The two lead roles for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast have just been announced and Box Hill resident Brendan Xavier will star alongside Shubshri Kandiah in the iconic manufacturing which could have its Australian premiere at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre next year.
Brendan, a former scholar at Marian College Kenthurst, is currently performing in Frozen the Musical. Brisbane-based Shubshri is finest known for her position as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin and is at present playing the title function in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
It’s the primary main role for Brendan who stated: “I discovered that I received the function on my way to work and I had to just stop strolling. My agent just stated you've booked the Beast …. It was probably probably the greatest moments of my life.”
Brendan graduated from Marian College in 2014 and was on the Board of Studies NSW Distinguished Achievers List due to his music outcomes.
After college he studied a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Musical Theatre at the Australian Institute of Music. During his time there Brendan appeared in numerous musicals, most notably enjoying Jack in Into the Woods directed by Tyran Parke.
Beauty And The Beast Brendan Xavier And Shubshri Kandiah Beauty And The BeastHis earlier theatre credits include The Original Grease (Squabbalogic) as Danny Zuko and within the sixtieth Anniversary concert of the Australian musical Lola Montez.
He has been performing in Disney’s Frozen for the previous two years and is presently in Perth.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is being staged by the producers of Frozen, Aladdin, The Lion King and Mary Poppins and makes its Australian premiere at the Capitol Theatre in June 2023.
Directed and choreographed by Olivier Award nominee Matt West, the reimagined stage present will feature an all-star staff that features original composer Alan Menken, lyricist Tim Rice, e-book writer Linda Woolverton, scenic designer Stan Meyer, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward and lighting designer Natasha Katz. The staff collectively acquired five Tony® nominations and a win for Hould-Ward’s costume design, when Disney first debuted Beauty and the Beast on Broadway 28 years ago.
Director and choreographer Matt West said: “The excitement we felt within the audition room when Brendan and Shubshri carried out for us was electric. These two extraordinary young performers bring contemporary life to those iconic roles, and we are thrilled that a complete new generation of Australian audiences could have the pleasure of witnessing their interpretation in this new production.”
Some of Australia’s most outstanding musical theatre performers and exciting contemporary faces have also been assembled and might be announced at a later date including the roles of Lumiere, Gaston, Cogsworth, Mrs Potts, Le Fou, Maurice, Babette and Madame.
General public tickets went on sale this week (Thursday 3rd November 2022) via www.beautyandthebeastmusical.com.au.
The Australian premiere of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and main events agency Destination NSW.