Good news for Broadway houses around the country: The "Beauty and the Beast" tour that's coming your way is a winner, a tight, handsome show with at least one spectacular dance number and a knockout voice.

This new tour, which is getting its start at the Providence Performing Arts Center this week, is a complete redesign of the last version to come through town, with a nifty set that changes color with the mood of the piece. The whole stage is framed with twisting vines and leaves that can look upbeat and bright or dark and foreboding.

I can't say the big fight scene between the Beast and Gaston the hunter was any improvement over the original. The lights went out when Gaston met his fate, leaving it up to the imagination, which is kind of a cop-out.

But otherwise this is a terrific production that is all about telling the touching story of the prince who is cursed to live like an animal until he can fall in love and earn love in return.

"Beauty in the Beast" is unusual among Disney productions in that the heroine, Belle, is a very independent woman, someone who is repulsed by Gaston's brutish ways, who stands her ground and demands respect from the Beast. Belle is a misfit in the small town where she lives with her eccentric father the inventor. After getting lost in the forest, he stumbles upon the castle of the Beast, who was cursed by a sorceress. The Beast holds him prisoner until Belle shows up and asks to trade places with her father.

Thus begins the sometimes contentious relationship between Belle and the Beast, which is another nice wrinkle to the piece. Love here is hard-fought, not like Cinderella who falls overnight for her prince.

Director Rob Roth did a nice job of pulling all this together for a smooth, fluid show, with some clever touches. When Belle and her father venture into the forest they are attacked by leaping wolves that are actually life-size puppets operated by two people dressed in black so they appear invisible. The effect was wonderful.

Roth did a nice job too, showing us that the enchanted staff of the castle is still human but are fast becoming teapots and candlesticks, while the Beast looks for love. These are well chiseled characters, real people who have histories and dreams. Mrs. Potts, the cook, can't wait to see her son, Chip, who has been turned into a cracked tea cup, once again run about the castle.

As for the singing, that was very solid with one outstanding voice, that of baritone Nathaniel Hackmann as narcissistic Gaston. Hackmann has had a lot of opera experience, and it showed. This is a glorious voice, rich and true. And he was great in drawing the character of Gaston, strutting about flexing his muscles and punching out his sidekick, Lefou.

Liz Shivener, as Belle, has some pitch problems early on in the show, but sang beautifully in her second-act ballad "A Change in Me."
And Justin Glaser as the Beast did a nice job with "If I Can't Love Her," which closes out the first act.

In other roles, Sabina Petra made an endearing Mrs. Potts and Keith Kirkwood and Merritt David Janes worked together nicely as Cogsworth and Lumiere, the two architects for the scheme to get the Beast to fall for Belle. And I loved the way Janes inched into the song "Be Our Guest," which turned out to be an extravagant dance number with popping champagne bottles that spewed confetti into the audience.

For this show, Roth rounded up the creative team from the original Broadway run, and it made a difference. For there are no loose ends in this show, no slow spots, just musical theater that sparkles.

"Beauty and the Beast" runs through Sunday at the Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St., Providence. Tickets are $63-$36. Call (401) 421-2787 or log on to www.ppacri.org.