Belle Lyrics

(Belle is revealed. As the Narrator finishes the Prologue, the sun begins to rise and we see the silhouette of a small town.)

(A charming, provincial French village)

BELLE:
Little town, it's a quiet village
Ev'ry day like the one before
Little town full of little people
Waking up to say…

(Villagers enter and begin to bustle about their daily business.)

ARISTOCRATIC LADY:
Bonjour!

FISH MAN:
Bonjour!

EGG MAN:
Bonjour! 

SAUSAGE CURL GIRL:
Bonjour! 

BAKER:
Bonjour!

(The Baker carries a tray of rolls)

BELLE:
There goes the baker with his tray, like always
The same old bread and rolls to sell
Ev'ry morning just the same
Since the morning that we came
To this poor provincial town

BAKER:
Good Morning, Belle!

BELLE:
Good morning, Monsieur.

BAKER:
And where are you off to, today?

BELLE: 
The bookshop. I just finished the most wonderful story
About a beanstalk and an ogre and a -

(But he’s not interested. He yells over his shoulder to his wife.)

BAKER: 
That's nice. Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up! 

(Belle sighs…never mind. She continues on her way. Various townspeople talk about her as she passes.)

ARISTOCRATIC LADY / LADY WITH CANE:
Look there she goes that girl is strange, no question 
Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?

LADY WITH BABY / SAUSAGE CURL GIRL:
Never part of any crowd

CANDLE MAN / FISH MAN:
'Cause her head's up on some cloud

SOME VILLAGERS:
No denying she's a funny girl that Belle

HAT SELLER:
Bonjour!

SAUSAGE CURL GIRL:
Good day!

HAT SELLER:
How is your fam'ly?

MILKMAID:
Bonjour!

SHEPHERD BOY:
Good day!

MILKMAID:
How is your wife?

LADY WITH CANE:
I need six eggs!

ARISTOCRATIC LADY:
That's too expensive!

BELLE:
There must be more than this provincial life!

(Belle walks to the Book Shop. A kindly Bookseller turns around, pleased to see her.)

BOOKSELLER:
Ah, Belle.

BELLE:
Good morning, sir. I've come to return the book I borrowed.

BOOKSELLER:
Finished already?

BELLE:
Oh, I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new?

BOOKSELLER: 
(He chuckles.) Not since yesterday.

BELLE:
That's all right. I'll borrow . . . . this one!

BOOKSELLER: 
That one? But you've read it twice!

BELLE:
Well, it's my favorite! 
Far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise 

BOOKSELLER:
If you like it all that much, it's yours! 

BELLE:
But sir!

BOOKSELLER:
I insist.

BELLE:
Thank you. Thank you very much!

(She exits and continues through town.)

VILLAGERS:
Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar
I wonder if she's feeling well

ALL FEMALE VILLAGERS:
With a dreamy, far-off look

ALL MALE VILLAGERS:
And her nose stuck in a book

ALL VILLAGERS:
What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle

(Belle sits on a fountain, engrossed in her book.)

BELLE:
Oh, isn't this amazing?
It's my fav'rite part because --- you'll see
Here's where she meets Prince Charming
But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three!

ARISTOCRATIC LADY:
Now it's no wonder that her name means "Beauty"
Her looks have got no parallel

HATSELLER:
But behind that fair facade
I'm afraid she's rather odd

EGGMAN:
Very diff'rent from the rest of us

MORE VILLAGERS:
She's nothing like the rest of us

ALL VILLAGERS:
Yes, diff'rent from the rest of us is Belle!

(We hear a loud gunshot. Lefou rushes onstage, holding a gunnysack open toward the sky…ready to catch the fallen prey.)

LEFOU: 
I got it. I got it. I got…(duck drop) Wow! 

(A large duck drops onstage, missing the bag entirely. He quickly picks it up, drops it into the bag as Gaston enters. He carries a large smoking gun. Gaston is a very handsome, rude, narcissistic, egomaniacal hunter who is willing to go to any lengths to get what he wants. Lefou is his dim-witted hanger-on.)

LEFOU:
You didn't miss a shot, Gaston!
You're the greatest hunter in the whole world! 

GASTON:
I know.

LEFOU:
No beast alive stands a chance against you. --- 
And no girl, for that matter.

GASTON:
It's true, LeFou. And I've got my sights set on that one.

LEFOU:
The inventor's daughter?

GASTON:
She's the one - the lucky girl
I'm going to marry. 

LEFOU:
But she's -

GASTON:
The most beautiful girl in town.

LEFOU:
I know, but -

GASTON:
That makes her the best. 
(He grabs Lefou in a beefy hand and pulls him up nose-to-nose.)
And don't I deserve the best?

LEFOU:
Of course you do!

(Gaston drops Lefou and sings.)

GASTON:
Right from the moment when I met her, saw her
I said she's gorgeous and I fell
Here in town there's only she
Who is beautiful as me
So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle

(He strides across the stage toward Belle, crossing in front of three twittering Silly Girls. They swoon as he passes.)

SILLY GIRLS:
Look there he goes
Isn't he dreamy?
Monsieur Gaston
Oh he's so cute!
Be still my heart
I'm hardly breathing
He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute! 

(The stage comes alive as villagers crowd through the marketplace.)

LADY WITH BABIES:
Bonjour!

GASTON:
Pardon

BELLE:
Good day

LADY WITH CANE:
Mais oui!

ARISTOCRATIC LADY:
You call this bacon?

MILK MAID:
What lovely grapes!

BAKER:
Some cheese…

LADY WITH CANE:
Ten yards!

FISH MAN:
One pound

GASTON:
'Scuse me!

MALE VILLAGER:
I'll get the knife

GASTON:
Please let me through!

LADY WITH BABIES:
This bread -

SAUSAGE CURL GIRL:
Those fish -

LADY WITH BABIES:
It's stale!

SAUSAGE CURL GIRLS:
They smell!

ALL MALE VILLAGERS:
Madame's mistaken.



FEMALE VILLAGERS MALE VILLAGERS BELLE
Well, maybe so Good morning! There must
be more
than this
provincial
life!

ALL VILLAGERS: GASTON:
Oh, good morning! Just watch, 
I'm going to make Belle my wife!

ALL VILLAGERS:
Look there she goes
The girl is strange but special
A most peculiar mad'moiselle!

ALL FEMALE VILLAGERS:
It's a pity and a sin

ALL MALE VILLAGERS:
She doesn't quite fit in

ALL VILLAGERS:
'Cause she really is a funny girl
A beauty but a funny girl
She really is a funny girl
That Belle!

(Feeling their eyes on her, Belle whirls around and the townsfolk quickly go back to their activities. The Villagers exit. Belle heads for home. Gaston and Lefou are close behind Belle. Gaston runs around in front of her…striking a nonchalant pose.)