NEW YORK, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- "Beauty and the Beast," which enthralled audiences for more than 13 years, ends its run on New York's Broadway this summer.
The sixth-longest running show goes dark on July 29 in time to make room for another spunky Disney heroine, "The Little Mermaid," scheduled to arrive for the 2007 Christmas season, the New York Daily News said Thursday.
By the time the animated film-based musical closes, it will have played 5,464 performances and 46 previews, surpassing musicals such as "42nd Street," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Hello, Dolly!"
"The Little Mermaid," which opens Dec. 6, tells the story of Ariel, a young mermaid who yearns to be human. Previews begin Nov. 3. The show has a book by Tony Award-winning Doug Wright.
"The Little Mermaid" will be the third Disney musical to open on Broadway in 18 months. "Tarzan" arrived last May, and "Mary Poppins" opened in November. A fourth, "The Lion King," has been on Broadway since November 1997.
