The two lead roles for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast have simply been introduced and Box Hill resident Brendan Xavier will star alongside Shubshri Kandiah within the iconic production which may have its Australian premiere at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre next 12 months.

Brendan, a former scholar at Marian College Kenthurst, is presently performing in Frozen the Musical. Brisbane-based Shubshri is greatest recognized for her position as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin and is currently enjoying the title role in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

It’s the primary main role for Brendan who said: “I came upon that I won the position on my way to work and I had to just cease walking. My agent just mentioned you’ve booked the Beast …. It was most likely one of the best 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 results.

After school he studied a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Musical Theatre at the Australian Institute of Music. During his time there Brendan appeared in quite a few musicals, most notably taking half in Jack in Into the Woods directed by Tyran Parke.

Beauty And The Beast Brendan Xavier And Shubshri Kandiah Beauty And The BeastHis previous theatre credit include The Original Grease (Squabbalogic) as Danny Zuko and within the sixtieth Anniversary live performance of the Australian musical Lola Montez.

He has been performing in Disney’s Frozen for the previous two years and is at present 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 function an all-star team that includes authentic composer Alan Menken, lyricist Tim Rice, book author Linda Woolverton, scenic designer Stan Meyer, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward and lighting designer Natasha Katz. The group 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 stated: “The pleasure we felt in the audition room when Brendan and Shubshri performed for us was electrical. These two extraordinary young performers convey contemporary life to those iconic roles, and we’re thrilled that a whole new generation of Australian audiences may have the pleasure of witnessing their interpretation in this new production.”

Some of Australia’s most outstanding musical theatre performers and exciting fresh faces have also been assembled and will be introduced 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 third November 2022) through http://www.beautyandthebeastmusical.com.au.

The Australian premiere of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is supported by the NSW Government by way of its tourism and main events agency Destination NSW.