Linda Woolverton Discusses Her Role in Creating Belle for Disney's Beauty and the Beast Ahead of Boston Tour

Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay for Disney's 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast, an adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's fairy tale. The film was Disney's first animated feature written by a woman and the first animated film nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards. It featured music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman.

In the late 1980s, Woolverton, then a screenwriter in her mid-30s specializing in Saturday morning cartoons such as My Little Pony 'n Friends and Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers, was hired for the project. She flew on Roy Disney's private jet to Disney World to attend a screening of The Little Mermaid.

Executives believed the Broadway-musical approach used in The Little Mermaid could apply to Beauty and the Beast, and Woolverton noted that the screening confirmed the musical format's suitability.

aimed to create a heroine different from previous Disney princesses like Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora.

She drew from her upbringing in an intellectually rigorous household without television, focusing on books. The resulting character, Belle, is depicted as a smart, curious brunette interested in the world beyond her village. Belle's story involves sacrificing herself to save her father, becoming a prisoner in a castle with enchanted objects, and interacting with the Beast.

Woolverton collaborated with Ashman via fax to develop the script and lyrics. The narrative portrays Belle as a proactive figure who stands up to the Beast.

“We conjured this Disney protagonist who wasn’t a passive victim. Who was a proactive young woman with a brain, who you would believe would stand up to the Beast.”

The 1991 film led to a Broadway musical in 1994, with Woolverton adapting her screenplay into the book's format and receiving a Tony nomination. The production ran for 13 years and was Disney's first Broadway show, followed by ongoing Disney productions on Broadway.

Nearly 20 years after its closure, a new North American tour began in summer 2025. The tour reunites Woolverton and members of the original creative team. It will perform in Boston at the Citizens Opera House from April 14 through May 2, 2025. Susan Egan, who originated the role of Belle on Broadway, described the character as an intellectual and outcast upon first reading the script in the early 1990s.

The film's animation, score, and lyrics contributed to its recognition. The tour provides an opportunity for audiences to experience the stage version of the story. Performances are scheduled as part of the broader North American itinerary.