In a “tale as old as time,” Disney’s Beauty and the Beast returns to Chicago after over 10 years.
The story follows a cursed prince who is desperate to find true love after being transformed into a Beast by a witch. He lives in a castle surrounded by his servants, who were changed into household objects by the scorned witch under the same spell. A smart and beautiful Belle lives in a nearby town and eventually meets the Beast to assist in breaking the curse before time runs out.
The 1991 animated feature premiered on Broadway as a musical in 1994 and is still the 10th longest-running show in the industry’s history. The popular musical won a Tony for Best Costume Design and was turned into a live-action film in 2017.
Dane Agostinis was interviewed for Windy City Times in 2011 for playing Beast and Stephen Mark Lukas is portraying his nemesis Gaston in the current production.
Gaston is French for guest, stranger or foreigner and this villain has an obsession with Belle like no other. His arrogance and bravado make him an interesting fictional character to watch in the musical adapted from Walt Disney Pictures’ animated film.
Out and proud performer Lukas previously played Gaston regionally at the Paper Mill Playhouse in 2019 before joining the tour. He took Funny Girl and The Book of Mormon on the road before his current traveling stint. This dynamic talent also has television credits on his resume, most recently with CBS’s Elsbeth, FBI: Most Wanted and the CW’s Gossip Girl.
On the day of his arrival in Chicago, Stephen talked to Windy City Times about his unforgettable version of Gaston and what makes his queer heart flutter in real life these days.
Windy City Times: Is Chicago the first stop on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast tour?
Stephen Mark Lukas: Yes. Chicago is the official opening for the show after being in tech and previews in Schenectady, New York.
WCT: Start by talking about your background.
SML: I grew up in Kennebunkport, Maine, where I did regional theater. I went to boarding school in Exeter, New Hampshire. They had an excellent music program there, and that’s when I learned how to really sing in choir.
I went to NYU Tisch School of the Arts and have stayed in New York ever since. I had my Broadway debut right out of college in The Book of Mormon. Recently, I did the revival of Funny Girl on Broadway, then played Nick Arnstein on the tour of Funny Girl. Now I am on this tour for Beauty and the Beast.
WCT: You have been working ever since you were in school?
SML: Yes, I have been fortunate to be on tour. There were some gaps in the middle though, where I did regional theater.
WCT: Did you always feel musical theater was your calling?
SML: Yeah, my parents took me to see Broadway shows in New York when I was very young. I just fell in love with it.
WCT: Did you ever consider not coming out of the closet in your career?
SML: There were discussions about it early on. When I graduated from college, I was with a big agency and things were just beginning to change concerning people coming out. I was asked how open I wanted to be about my sexuality. This was the beginning of social media and what could be shown on there. It was a conversation the whole industry was having at the time.
I felt some pressure early on not to be quite so public, but that receded as I cut my teeth and began playing big roles in musicals.
WCT: Haven’t you been with your partner, Brian Letendre, for 11 years?
SML: Yes, and we are getting married this August.
WCT: Congratulations! How are you planning a wedding and being on tour at the same time?
SML: It’s a lot, but I will take a little time off for the wedding, of course. We will go on our honeymoon after the tour.
WCT: How did you know Gaston was the role for you?
SML: It’s a role I have done before at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2019. I get to play the villain and everyone seems to love to hate him. It’s fun to play an iconic character.
This play has gone in a new direction while being revamped and reimagined. After working so long in the business, I wanted to do things a little differently with Gaston. The team was really excited about changing things up and some of the scenes have been rewritten. The “Gaston” number is humongous now and has been expanded.
Coming into it, I felt I could put a different spin on it. It’s 2025 and culture has changed in the world with gender dynamics. This is a fresh take and it’s been fun to put it all together.
WCT: Do you feel Gaston is closeted?
SML: No, he’s not. He loves women but loves himself more. Linda Woolverton, who wrote the book for the musical and the original feature film, based this character on men that she knew.
We all know someone like this and especially in the gay dating world, we have a person like this. [laughs] He’s the guy who has mirrors everywhere in his house so he can look at himself.
These days, with social media, we all can fall into that narcissistic trap. If not ourselves, we see it in others. That’s why the character tickles so many people and pokes fun at the world through that lens.
The narcissist archetype is present in a lot of fiction. It is something we can laugh at and roll our eyes at today.
WCT: I read up on gay lyricist Howard Ashman, who died from AIDS complications and used the Beast as a metaphor for his sadness while writing the lyrics.
SML: One of the best things about this production is getting to work with some of the original creative team members. They are coming back to the material after 30 years and exploring it in ways they couldn’t at the time.
One of the things they have changed is to make Gaston more likable and charming. There’s a reason that everyone in the town follows him and looks up to him. We see his true colors by the end of the show, but that is something we are seeing in our society right now with people who have a huge following. They might not be the best person for the job or the position they are in.
WCT: Gaston is quite charismatic, isn’t he?
SML: Yes, and confident. He thinks he has everything he needs, but as the show goes on, the audience sees the darker side of him.
WCT: During the massive dance sequence of “Gaston,” has anything gone wrong?
SML: It’s an enormous number. We have an incredible ensemble, and they work so hard. There are a lot of people who have to come together to make it work. The choreography backstage is almost as complex as the choreography onstage. It’s going well so far, but it’s a big number for everyone involved.
WCT: Harry Francis plays your loyal follower, LeFou. Does he have a dance background?
SML: Yes. He’s a phenomenal dancer and wonderful performer. He has a big dance break during “Gaston” where he gets to cut loose. He brings a very exciting physicality to the role.
WCT: It’s been a long time since audiences have seen Beauty and the Beast onstage in Chicago. How has it changed?
SML: It’s a new show, but it has everything they will expect from the original with an element of Disney magic. It’s exactly what the world needs right now.
WCT: You have been in classic musicals like Oklahoma! and Camelot. What is your favorite musical of all time?
SML: I love performing Rodgers and Hammerstein, which is what I have mostly done in my career. My favorite show of all time is Into the Woods, and I have not done it yet.
WCT: I could imagine you singing “Agony” from the show. How was playing a fire marshal on the television show Elsbeth?
SML: It was fantastic and the atmosphere on set was wonderful. You never know with procedurals as a guest because they often crank them out very quickly in a day or two.
Carrie Preston set the tone there. She was so warm and welcoming. It was a ball, and we had so much fun.
WCT: She came to Chicago’s Human Rights Campaign gala in 2017 to take home an Ally for Equality Award.
SML: She loves theater and we had great conversations on the set.
WCT: How was working with Lea Michele in Funny Girl?
SML: She was incredible and that whole show was a whirlwind experience. It was one of the first shows to come back after the pandemic. I played Nick Arnstein for a month towards the end of the run. Lea was gracious and kind to everyone. The first time I went on, she really took me by the hand and it felt like our show, even though she was the box office draw. We told the story together and it is a highlight of my career.
WCT: Have you performed in Chicago before?
SML: Yes. I played Elder Price in Chicago in the winter of 2012 through 2013. It was a gift to do that show in its infancy. It was such a big hit, and we were the company to bring it to Chicago. I am excited to be back!