Set in the world of auto racing, Cars follows Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) a hotshot rookie race car driven to succeed. He discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town's offbeat characters - including Sally (a snazzy 2002 Porsche voiced by Bonnie Hunt), Doc Hudson (a 1951 Hudson Hornet with a mysterious past, voiced by Paul Newman), and Mater (a rusty but trusty tow truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) - who help him realize that there are more important things than trophies, fame and sponsorship.

In addition to Wilson, Hunt, Newman and Larry, the movie's all-star voice cast also includes Cheech Marin, George Carlin, Richard Petty, Michael Keaton, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger, Michael Wallis, Paul Dooley and Jenifer Lewis.

Check out the new pics at IGN at this LINK

The late move allowed the stock to move above a trading range that had held it for the past couple weeks. Disney, which rallied early in the month, reached its highest level since 2001.

George Aguel, senior vice president for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, has been honored by "Black Meetings & Tourism" magazine with its 2006 APEX Award for distinguished service.

The award was presented during the recent Travel Professionals of Color conference in Las Vegas.

Previous award recipients include Kweisi Mfume, former president and CEO of the NAACP; talk show host Tom Joyner; and William Norman, former president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association.

He has been inducted into the Convention Industry Council Hall of Leaders and was ranked by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International as one of the most extraordinary sales and marketing minds in the hospitality industry.

Aguel has also been designated a Fellow by the American Society of Association Executives and has been repeatedly recognized as one of the 25 most influential people in the industry.

He is also a recipient of the Don Quijote award from the Orlando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Orlando Hispanic Business Initiative Fund.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) that operates the company's theme parks. It is based in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., where Walt Disney World is located.

The water-borne journey originally debuted on April 22, 1964, at the New York World's Fair, but it was its move to an elaborate new home at Disneyland that firmly cemented its place in pop culture and created, literally, an unforgettable theme song (much to the chagrin of many).

Although it was a hit with visitors to the fair, "it's a small world" did not gain widespread fame as a must-see Disney experience until after Walt Disney himself presided over its official opening ceremonies at Disneyland on May 28, 1966. The attraction's new address in Fantasyland provided a platform where millions of guests from around the world would be annually introduced to its visual charms and catchy title tune (by the Academy Award-winning songwriting team of Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman).

The new Disneyland version of the attraction, with its 900-foot long gleaming white, blue and gold façade, a fanciful 30-foot high chiming glockenspiel clock tower and over 300 singing and dancing Audio-Animatronics performers, became an instant favorite with park guests from around the globe. Through initial merchandise tie-ins (toys, records, music boxes, etc.) and the sheer popularity of its new incarnation, the attraction's theme song became an international sensation (performed by everyone from top-name performers to local school and church choirs), so much so that today it is purported to be one of the most performed and recognized songs in the world.

"Disneyland was the springboard for making our little tune a phenomenal hit," said songwriter Richard M. Sherman whose current projects include successful stage adaptations of his musicals "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and "Mary Poppins," soon to debut on Broadway. "The song was originally written as a slow ballad and a prayer for peace and in 1966 the world was in a bad state of affairs so I think the song sparked and resonated even more . . . highlighting that we're all together in this world and we're more alike than we are different."

Due to its popularity at Disneyland, "it's a small world" has been duplicated with similar success at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida (1971), Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan (1983) and Disneyland Paris Resort in France (1992), ensuring that during every minute of the day its happy anthem is playing somewhere on the planet. Since 1966 more than 100 million people have enjoyed the four different versions of the attraction around the world, resulting in numerous Internet articles citing its title tune as one of the greatest "earworms" (songs or melodies you just can't get out of your head) of all-time.

Inside the attraction the song and melody are repeatedly featured within a soundtrack loop. The loop is played, on average, 1200 times a day during a 16-hour operating day at each Disney Park. It is estimated that the song and melody are therefore played over 4,800 times around the world during any 24-hour period!

The song and attraction have even taken on a holiday motif through the years. On November 27, 1997, Disneyland unveiled "it's a small world holiday," a spectacular seasonal make-over of the attraction (exclusive to Disneyland) that celebrates the winter holidays around the world. Each year the attraction's famous façade is adorned with hundreds of thousands of holiday lights while the interior and its cast of international children receive a festive overlay. Even the familiar "it's a small world" soundtrack gets into the holiday spirit as the attraction's famed song becomes part of a medley featuring "Jingle Bells" and "Deck the Halls."

"Of the many great songs and scores created by the Sherman Brothers, for such classic films as 'Poppins,' 'The Jungle Book,' and 'The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' to name a few, none have the gravitas of international fame as 'it's a small world," stated Jeff Kurtti, co-author of the book "Walt's Time: From Before to Beyond" (a biography of the Sherman Brothers). "From its start as a song for UNICEF at the New York World's Fair to a hit tune synonymous with Disneyland and the Disney parks, the song has become both a beloved and parodied pop culture song staple."

A mainstay of childhood music education, the song has become both cherished and derided. Disney itself has even parodied the song. In the hit 1994 animated feature "The Lion King," the villain, Scar, requests to be serenaded with a bouncy tune to improve his bad mood. His lackey Zazu begins to sing "It's a Small World (After All)," prompting Scar to shout in apparent agony, "No, No! ANYTHING but that!" The song is also playfully poked fun at during the madcap "MuppetVision 3D" attraction at Disney Parks in California and Florida.

"The song's perpetual cheery disposition may be grating on some nerves but there's no denying it's a catchy tune," adds Sherman, with a wink (who confides as an aside that his home doorbell also plays the first few bars of the song). "If this were the only song my brother Bob and I ever wrote we would be most grateful songwriters – to have your song play virtually every minute of the day around the world with a message of peace, childhood hope, understanding between peoples and joy – I don't think it gets any better than that!"

Disney officials will donate $500,000 tonight to a charity organized by actor Paul Newman.

Newman portrays the voice of a character in the new Disney/Pixar animated movie "Cars," which will have its world premiere at Lowe's Motor Speedway tonight. About 30,000 people are expected to be at the premiere.

Newman will receive a check for Association of Hole in the Wall Gang Camps.

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, in collaboration with its associated camps in the United States and abroad, provides children with cancer and other serious illnesses and conditions a camping experience.

Newman, 81, spoke Wednesday about the program during a news conference at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps helps more than 1,000 children each summer, offering children a free camp to enjoy.

"We've had parents who would come back and say, 'This is not the same child I left here,' " Newman said. "We had no idea what a life changing experience this would be for these kids."

During the news conference, Newman spoke about several topics, from his racing career, to working in the movie, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," to the popularity of NASCAR.

"It's become popular because it's a hell of a sport, and I think people can identify very quickly with the cars," Newman said. "I'm a very competitive person and I always have been and it's hard to be competitive about something as amorphous as acting. But you can be competitive on the track."

While talking about racing, a reporter asked Newman what his credo might be.

"It is useless to put on the brakes when you're upside down," Newman replied, drawing chuckles from the reporters.

Newman also spoke of his marriage to actress Joanne Woodward, whom he married in 1958.

One reporter asked Newman if he could tell them the secret of a successful marriage.

"Impossible," he said. "There's a lot of baloney you can put out there for the record, but I don't have any idea if it holds water. I guess a sense of humor."

Another reporter mentioned Newman's success as an actor, with more than 60 years in the business, and his racing career, which included a win in the Daytona Rolex 24-hour in 1995.

That's when the reporter said it didn't seem as if Newman had any flaws. Newman just smiled.

"Ask my wife," he said. "Just look under the carpet. A lot of murky stuff."

With Newman at the track, other celebrities from the "Cars" movie were at Lowe's Motor Speedway this week, giving media interviews.

Among them were Cheech Marin, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, John Ratzenberger and Richard Petty.

During the interviews, the actors talked about everything from the first car they had, to their personal lives to future projects.

Cheech Marin

Before he had finished ducking into the room, Cheech Marin was greeting reporters with a broad smile, asking, "How are we doing boys and girls?"

And when he sat down at the table for his questions, he watched as reporters placed their MP3 and tape recorders on the table before him.

Marin didn't miss the chance to crack a joke.

"Please place your offerings," he said. "I shall judge the best one."

Marin was on hand to talk about his role as the 1959 Impala lowrider named Ramone.

During the interview, reporters asked Marin about his plans, including work with Tommy Chong, with whom he acted in "Up in Smoke" in 1978.

"The problem is, I'm perfect and Tommy is crazy," Marin said. "I'm sure that it's the same problem for him."

Marin has also worked closely with director, Robert Rodriguez.

The two have worked together for the movies, "From Dusk Till Dawn," "Desperado" and "Once Upon a Time in Mexico."

Rodriguez's next project is a segment called "Terror Planet" for the anthology movie "Grindhouse."

In typical fashion, Marin made a joke when he was asked about working with Rodriguez on the movie.

"He hasn't called me yet," he said. "Maybe he lost my number."

Larry the Cable Guy

The first car Larry the Cable Guy owned was a 1969 Formula Firebird.

"I had it for about seven days and the cops came and got it," he said. "I got arrested."

He then broke into a smile and talked about how he actually got the car from his sister.

But was that the real story? When people sit down with Larry the Cable Guy, it's hard to tell where the character ends and the real stories begin.

He said he got the deal for the voice of the tow truck character Mater in "Cars" when director John Lasseter heard about 200 voices and none of them seemed right.

Then he was watching a DVD that featured Larry the Cable Guy.

He said Lasseter told him, "The first voice on there was yours. And when I heard it I was like, 'That's the tow truck.' "

Larry continued, twisting things back to a joke, saying, "They sweetened the deal and said, 'We're going to pay you $300.' And I was on it!"

He talked about how "Cars" should attract a good crowd, because it goes for a different target audience than usual.

"They'll go see it just because its got some NASCAR guys in it," he said. "Not only that, Larry the Cable Guy is in it!"

A NASCAR fan himself, Larry spoke about some of the people he roots for, including former driver Dick Trickle as well as current Nextel Cup driver Michael Waltrip.

Larry met Waltrip after a comedy routine at a Charlotte club and the two hung out for a bit.

"He's a better NASCAR driver than a street driver," Larry said.

Larry admits he's earned his fame, but he tries not to let it go to his head.

"I like to be able to walk on my back porch and smell fresh cut hay," he said. "I like doing what I do and it's fun, but at the end of the day I'm the same person I've always been."

Bonnie Hunt

Bonnie Hunt portrays a 2002 Porsche 911 named Sally Carrera in the film "Cars," but her first ride was a far cry from something so nice.

"I had a 1975 Ford Grenada with Bondo on the side and a hole between the gas and the brake and it cost $400 and I had to pay $100 a month," she said. "I actually sold it to another kid the neighborhood."

She said she sold it for about $20 when she was done with it.

"Literally to just get it off my hands," she said.

This is Hunt's third outing with Pixar and she said she's always amazed at what the artists come up with for the movies, especially the early sketches.

"These drawings to them are simple drawings, but to me it's a Picasso," she said.

Hunt said she'll continue working with Pixar as long as they'll have her coming back.

"When you're at Pixar, for me, I'm inspired, I'm included, I'm a collaborator, a student," she said. "It's what you dream show biz would be."

John Ratzenberger

An adventurer, John Ratzenberger is known for his role as Cliff Clavin on "Cheers" and as the host of "Made in America" which had Ratzenberger travel to factories in towns throughout the country.

During his adventures he's met quite a few characters.

"I know a guy who made a carburetor out of a soup can because he didn't have the money for the parts," he said.

That was just one character he met in his travels. And he met even more in Toad Suck, Ark., while on a motorcycle trip from New York to Las Vegas.

He was traveling along the road when he spotted the sign for the community.

"I've got to go explore who this is," Ratzenberger remembers thinking to himself as he pulled into town.

While there he stopped in an Italian restaurant, where his meal came as a bit of a surprise to Ratzenberger.

"It turned out be one of the best Italian meals I've ever eaten," he said.

Ratzenberger did have one wish about going to Toad Suck though:

"I would have loved to have been at the town meeting where they named the town."

Richard Petty

Richard Petty's role in NASCAR has made him known as The King by many race fans.

In "Cars," Petty plays the voice of the legendary car, The King.

"I don't know if it'll make you a stock car fan, but it might get your curiosity up," he said. "It's not a bad selling point for our deal, but I don't know if it's a big selling point. So much of the movie is not about the racing part of it."

Petty said the heart of the movie is about middle America life.

But for many at the speedway, the question was how has NASCAR gone from being a sport to being a major entertainment industry?

"It's gotten to be show biz now," Petty said. "You've got a new crowd people in the country looking for something different. I think I miss just the pure racing part of it. They want more entertainment out of races."

Petty talked about how racing has changed so much that drivers now go to classes to learn how to speak properly and sometimes they even get sent to anger management classes.

He said the "Cars" movie is a good metaphor for racing and one that drivers could pay attention to.

Especially when it comes to the character of Lightning McQueen, who is left in middle America and is trying to make it to the big race to compete for the Piston Cup.

"After being hung out there a while, he realizes there's more to the world then being a winner," Petty said. "You can be a winner without a checkered flag."

Theme park operator Euro Disney reported a tripling in its net loss in the first half of its fiscal year to 101.8 million euros (126 million dollars) from the same period a year earlier.

The company attributed the result in the six months to March 31 to the fact that Easter this year came after the reporting period. It also pointed to a 58.9-million-euro restructuring gain in the year-earlier figures.

Sales fell 1.4 per cent to 467.4 million euros, but theme park attendance and hotel occupancy have since recovered to prior-year levels following a "strong" Easter period, the company said.

"Due to a strong Easter vacation period in April, our results to date reflect stable revenues and good cost containment," Karl Holz, Euro Disney chairman, said in a statement.

"The local Ile de France traffic, including visitation from the Paris tourist market, has been challenging at certain times this year, possibly impacted by social unrest during key periods," he said.

France was rocked by violence in depressed suburbs around Paris and other cities last November when youths burned thousands of cars to protest joblessness and alleged police mistreatment.

Student and trade union groups then took to the streets in March and early April to denounce a controversial youth employment bill, which the government eventually withdrew. Several of the gatherings ended in violent clashes between police and small pockets of demonstrators.

Holz said that with the April 8 opening of the Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast attraction, the company is working to attract more local visitors to the park -- located east of Paris -- in the critical summer season, while continuing to target increased visitation from all of its markets.

Buena Vista Television, the television distribution division of The Walt Disney Company, has sold "Desperate Housewives" to the Fox-owned MyNetworkTV-affiliated stations for a weekend syndication run.

The one-hour, Emmy winning "Housewives," a crucial piece of ABC's ratings turnaround strategy since it premiered in 2004, will run on the MyTV stations under a two-year deal beginning fall 2008.

As has been the case with most deals in recent years for hour-long off-network weekly series, the stations will not pay a license fee to carry the show's syndicated run. Instead, the advertising time in each show will be divided up between stations and the distributor, with the local stations getting seven minutes per hour to sell locally and Buena Vista getting seven minutes to sell nationally.

Dennis Swanson, president of Fox Stations Group, said he expects "Housewives" serial dramedy style to pair well with Fox's new MyNetworkTV schedule, which kicks off this fall with serialized romance dramas in prime time Monday through Friday.

"It fits consistently in both programming philosophy and promotability with everything we envision for MyNetworkTV," Mr. Swanson said in an interview. "It's 'My Desperate Housewives.' It fits, it's a recognized brand, and it belongs to us in syndication."

A comedic weekend hour launching in fall 2008 may serve MyTV and Buena Vista well, since there are currently no off-network series scheduled to move to syndication that season because of a dearth of viable sitcoms currently airing in broadcast.

The syndication deal for "Housewives" follows a pact Buena Vista made in April with Disney- and Hearst-owned Lifetime Television, which will begin airing the show on a weekly basis starting in August.

In the latest -- and perhaps final -- act of reconciliation in the former war between the Southern Baptist Convention and the Walt Disney empire, First Baptist Church of Orlando leaders baptized more than 100 people May 21 in a Disney World lake.

According to a May 22 Orlando Sentinel story, hundreds of congregants gathered to watch the white-robed baptism candidates in their act of obedience to Christ's command. The service was held on the shores of a lake at one of several resorts in the massive Disney World complex. The ages of those baptized ranged from seven to 88 years old.

The baptisms came at the end of a fading boycott that started in the 1990s, when SBC leaders criticized then-Disney chairman Michael Eisner for instituting gay-friendly products and company policies. SBC members also decried perceived sexual licentiousness in some Disney movies.

Eisner has since left the company, and the SBC formally terminated the boycott in 2005, although small pockets of the anti-Disney sentiment remain.

Jim Henry, the former pastor of the Orlando congregation and a former SBC president, opposed the boycott even while he led the denomination that began it. David Uth, Henry's successor at the church, said he also opposed the action. An assistant pastor suggested the Disney World baptism to Uth, telling reporters, "I'm sure the Lord gave me the idea."

Uth agreed.

"I thought [the boycott] was a mistake," Uth told the Sentinel. "I thought it was wrong; I'm not a big boycott person."

Although Disney officials have said the boycott did not have a noticeable impact on the company's bottom line, they have since worked to endear themselves to a more conservative audience. Disney employed a marketing company to reach out to evangelical Christians during the 2005 release of "The Chronicles of Narnia" movie, based on the first of C.S. Lewis' popular series of children's novels. The series is often interpreted as Christian allegory.

SBC representatives did not immediately return an Associated Baptist Press reporter's phone messages requesting comment on the baptisms.

Promotions include:

• Energizer hosts a sweepstakes that awards 300 grand-prize Mattel Fisher-Price cars. One hundred first-prize winners get a Fisher-Price Fast Talkin' McQueen toy and 100 second-prize winners receive a Fisher-Price Super Tow Mater. Entry is on a promotional web site. The sweeps runs April 14 through Sept. 30. Energizer is also offering a collectible Cars launcher in-pack. Shelf trays support.
  
• Kellogg Co. is offering Cars street signs with two UPCs and $2.99 for shipping and handling. Floorstands communicating the promotion support. An account-specific overlay at Ahold USA's Stop & Shop offers a free Cars toy to frequent-shopper cardholders who purchase four Kellogg products.
  
• Kimberly Clark's Huggies hosts a "Tune Up with Cars" sweeps awarding a grand-prize 2006 Chrysler Town & Country Minivan. Fifty first-prize winners receive the movie's soundtrack. Entry is on the brand's web site. The sweeps runs through July 31, and earned a feature in the May 10 circular of Albertsons' Jewel-Osco.
  
• Georgia-Pacific hosts an instant-win game awarding tickets to the movie. Game codes are provided in-pack and entered on a promotional web site. Participating brands include Sparkle and Angel Soft. The game runs through Aug. 1.

The movie is set to hit theaters on June 9.

Young heroes everywhere can now join their favorite crime-fighting cheerleader, Kim Possible, on her fight to save the world! Disney Online today announced the launch of Kim Possible: Legend of the Monkey's Eye, a new downloadable PC game based on Disney Channel's original Emmy-winning animated television series. The 3D-action game is available for download at www.disneygamedownloads.com beginning today.

"Kim Possible continues to be a top-rated show among young girls and we're very excited to add a game that captures her 'cheerleader by day, crime-fighter by night' spirit to Disney Game Downloads," said Steve Parkis, vice president of Premium Products, Disney Online. "Kim Possible: Legend of the Monkey's Eye, allows players to step into Kim's world and experience everything they love about the TV show and more."

One of Disney's newest and most popular characters, Kim Possible is a typical teenage girl who regularly embarks on exciting adventures to save the world while maintaining honor roll grades and her position as cheerleading captain. Kim Possible: Legend of the Monkey's Eye allows fans to join Kim and her friends, Ron Stoppable and Wade Load, in battles against the evil villain, Monkey Fist, including three epic boss battles. Players kick, punch, and jump their way through six different levels in three unique locations to crush Monkey Fist's attempt at world domination. Players use power-ups and special gadgets to gain strength, defeat enemies and secure access to new areas.

Disney Game Downloads presents a broad lineup of fun and exciting downloadable games for kids of all ages. The magic of Disney meets the excitement of online entertainment with these high-quality games that let kids experience amazing game play with their favorite classic Disney characters.

Kim Possible: Legend of the Monkey's Eye is recommended for ages 6 and up and is available at www.disneygamedownloads.com for $19.95. A free trial is also available on the site offering fans access to the game for thirty minutes.

Kids of all ages can now join the worldwide puzzle craze alongside popular classic Disney characters with two new downloadable PC games co-created by The Walt Disney Company's Disney Online and Buena Vista Games. Disney's Disoku Apprentice and Disney's Disoku Master, two new games based on the worldwide number puzzle craze, offer players a huge selection of puzzles, different grid sizes and skill levels, as well as un-lockable exclusive character screensavers and other cool features. Both are available for download beginning today at www.disneygamedownloads.com and www.disneysgamecafe.com.

"Disney Game Downloads and Disney's Game Café offers a wide range of premium entertainment for players of all ages," said Steve Parkis, vice president of Premium Products, Disney Online. "Our new Disoku games combine the most exciting and challenging puzzle features with Disney characters fans know and love."

Featuring beloved Disney Characters from 12 animated classics including Aladdin, Peter Pan, and Snow White, Disney's Disoku Apprentice lets everyone from puzzle-solving beginners to avid players join their favorite Disney friends for endless puzzle fun. With 300,000 mind-boggling puzzles to choose from, Disoku Apprentice features three skill levels and grid sizes offering fun for grown-ups and kids of all ages. Players can save and print out their favorite puzzles or prove themselves as the ultimate Disoku pro by solving enough puzzles to unlock one of 12 screensavers that feature Disney characters. Populate your grid with cool Disney Characters or use numbers to solve your puzzles!

Disney's Disoku Master combines the popular number puzzle sensation with notorious Disney Villains. Players choose from two different grid sizes and three skill levels, and can personalize their puzzle theme from a selection of 12 different wicked Disney Villains such as Cruella De Vil, Captain Hook and Ursula. With 200,000 challenging grids, experienced puzzle solvers will be able to conquer enough puzzles to unlock 12 Disney Villain themed screensavers and can save and print out their favorite puzzles.

Disney Game Downloads presents a broad lineup of fun and exciting downloadable games for kids of all ages. The magic of Disney meets the excitement of online entertainment with these high-quality games that let kids experience amazing gameplay with their favorite classic Disney characters.

Disoku Apprentice (recommended for ages 8 and up) and Disoku Master (for ages 12 and up) are available at www.disneygamedownloads.com for $19.99 each. Free trials of both games are also available on the site offering fans unlimited access to the game for thirty minutes.

Sarah Litzsinger, who recently played the title role in the 25th anniversary tour of Evita, will return to the Broadway company of Beauty and the Beast this month.

Litzsinger will again assume the role of Belle beginning May 30. The singing actress replaces Ashley Brown, who will play her final performance May 28. Brown has just been cast in the title role of the forthcoming Disney/Cameron Mackintosh musical Mary Poppins.

Sarah Litzsinger has the distinction of being Broadway's longest-running Belle, and her other Broadway credits include Amour, Les Misérables, Oliver! and Marilyn, An American Fable. Her theatrical credits also include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Last Five Years and tick, tick . . . BOOM!. Litzsinger has been seen on screen in "Law and Order Criminal Intent,” "Ed," "Strangers With Candy” and "Knots."

Beauty and the Beast, which plays the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, currently stars Steve Blanchard as the Beast, Ashley Brown as Belle, Grant Norman as Gaston, Jacob Young as Lumiere, Jeanne Lehman as Mrs. Potts, Christopher Duva as Cogsworth, Jamie Ross as Maurice, Meredith Inglesby as Babette, Gina Ferrall as Madame de la Grande Bouche and Aldrin Gonzalez as Lefou. Trevor Braun and Alexander Scheitinger alternate in the role of the young Chip.

The musical, according to press notes, is "the classic love story of Belle, a young woman in a small, provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a prince trapped in a spell placed on him by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and to be loved, the spell will be broken and he will be transformed back to his former self. But time is running out, and if the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he will be doomed for all eternity."

Featuring a score by Alan Menken, Tim Rice and the late Howard Ashman, Beauty and the Beast boasts a book by the author of the original screenplay, Linda Woolverton; the musical was directed by Robert Jess Roth.

Tickets may be purchased at the theatre's box office (205 W. 46th Street) or by calling (212) 307-4747. For more information, visit Walt Disney Theatricals on-line at www.disneyonbroadway.com.

Hanuman, India's biggest animation blockbuster is being showcased in an episodic mini-series format on Disney Channel at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The animated feature about the legendary money god Hanuman, whose values spell victory of good over evil, is rooted in Indian culture yet has universal appeal. The title has won laurels as the most captivating Indian animation film with just the right balance of music, drama, visual appeal and everything that Indian audiences can't get enough of.

Commenting on the success of the new series, Nachiket Pantvaidya, Director Programming and Production, Walt Disney Television-International India, says, "Showcasing great local content is an important pillar of our localization strategy. Hanuman boasts of a truly superlative story with splendid animation featuring an Indian superhero from mythological tales that every Indian kid has been brought up on. We are extremely excited to bring Hanuman as a mini-series for the first time ever on Indian Television screens exclusively for Disney Channel viewers. The title is an inspirational yet action packed treat that contemporary Indian kids can enjoy with their parents. Showcasing the title as episodes on Disney Channel will propel our strong local content offerings to the next level."

For the record nore, Hanuman was born to Anjani, a female Apsara and Vayu the Wind God. He was blessed with supreme intelligence, strength and divine powers. As a baby, Hanuman was quite naughty and used his powers to pester the saints living in the nearby forest. Once when he was hungry he leapt to catch the sun thinking it was a fruit. On the insistence of Vayu, Indra and the other God's came together to bless baby Hanuman with immortal life. Blessed with divine powers Hanuman grew up to be strong and mighty. No harm could befall him from any weaponry, fire and water. He could overcome death and above all he could transform his body to turn into the smallest or largest forms of life. He helped Lord Ram and Laxman in their search for Sita. He also used his super powers to help Lord Ram and Laxman defeat Ravan and secure the release of Sita. Seeing his devotion and love towards him, Lord Ram blessed Hanuman with the boon of immortality.

Elton John's planned sitcom has hit a dead end at ABC.

"Him & Us," which was on ABC's radar, wasn't included on the network's fall schedule, which was announced last week.

And it now appears to be a goner before it ever got off the ground.

The show, about a gay rock star and his entourage, was supposed to star Anthony Head, of British TV hit "Little Britain" and U.S. hit "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and former "Sex and the City" gal Kim Cattrall, who'd play the rock star's manager.