With the success of the 3-D release of “The Lion King,” it’s no wonder a new version “Beauty and the Beast” arrives in theaters this weekend. The classic 1991 film was the first animated feature to be nominated for Best Picture and took home two Oscars for its beautiful soundtrack. More than two decades after its original release, “Beauty and the Beast” remains a timeless film that can be enjoyed by parents and children alike.

I hadn’t seen the original “Beast” in more than a decade, but the movie remains as wondrous as ever. “Beast” tells the story of a unique and beautiful woman named Belle (Paige O’ Hara), who lives in a small town with her eccentric father (Rex Everhart). She’s considered weird by the townspeople who look down at her tendency to read books and a father who spends his days inventing new contraptions. When her father is imprisoned by a monstrous beast (Robby Benson), Belle switches places with her dad and moves into a castle with the beast.

The beast, however, is more complex than she originally presumed. He previously was a good-looking man who had a curse placed upon him when he denied an ugly woman entry into his home because of her looks. Eventually, Belle and the beast start falling in love despite his outwardly appearance.

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It has been almost one year since I began writing here at the Big Blogs of Breitbart.com.  When it all began, I was motivated by the events that brought down Sacramento Music Theatre executive Scott Eckern.  Ironically, his story, which inspired this new avocation also served as a real-life lesson in the new political world we inhabit.  You see, Mr. Eckern was forced to resign his position because it was discovered that he donated money to the anti-same sex marriage Prop. 8 campaign.  Knowing that, I would have been a fool to put my name on the things I’ve written here.  So, “Stage Right” was born.

Since then, I have been fortunate enough to have free-reign on all things theatre at Big Hollywood (gently guided by the collective wisdom of Andrew Breitbart and John Nolte) and I’ve had a fantastic time writing about the industry, about the non-profit world… even about my favorite shows.  But now, things have changed just a bit.

It started with Patrick Courrielche’s now famous expose’ on the NEA Conference Call.  Just like the Scott Eckern story, what bothered me most at the time was the media and especially the left-leaning theatre writers’ attack on Patrick.   Instead of showing any level of skepticism over the appropriateness of staff members of the NEA and the White House coordinating discussions with artists about how they can help move the President’s agenda by creating works of art in favor of specific issues, Patrick was attacked and libeled for the sin of telling the truth and bringing the subject to light.

Next came the media’s reaction to James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles’ blockbuster series of videos exposing the corruption at ACORN offices from sea to shining sea.  Again, the venom and outrage is directed at the messenger while the message gets rationalized and obfuscated.  This story raised my ire to such a degree that I began posting at Big Government. (more…)