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Credit: Inside the MagicChurch of the Rock has done it again. They’ve crucified yet another Disney character to retell the story of Jesus’s resurrection!
Now famous for its parody Easter Plays, this Canadian church is well aware of its online virality. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the church offers live streams and replays of its weekly Sunday service and annual musicals, made famous by YouTuber Jenny Nicholson’s 2022 video, “The Church Play Cinematic Universe.”
Each year, Church of the Rock performs a parody retelling of the Easter story based on a popular film. They’ve previously parodied Disney-owned IPs such as the original Star Wars trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Lion King (1994), Toy Story (1995), and The Avengers (2012). In each parody musical, a character is “crucified” and resurrected alongside a jukebox of popular music, sometimes with altered lyrics to fit the Biblical message.
This year, Church of the Rock live-streamed Beauty and the Beaster, a parody of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (1991). But to many viewers’ surprise, the church chose to crucify and resurrect Princess Belle instead of Princess Adam (The Beast), who actually dies and comes back to life in the original animated film and its 2017 live-action remake.
Daniel Lusk (@LuskMagic) shared clips from the pivotal moment in the musical on TikTok:
@luskmagic Beauty and the Beast or Beauty and the Beaster play Easter 2023 #Easter #churchoftherock #beautyandthebeaster #beautyandthebeast
The first clip does not show the actual crucifixion, but the moments afterward when Cogsworth, Lumiere, and other characters reflect on Gaston’s rash decision to kill Belle in search of the Beast. Mrs. Potts appears to sing “Free Bird.”
After the clip went viral, Lusk uploaded the moment Gaston busts through a door blocked by Belle, killing her:
@luskmagic Replying to @luskmagic
Belle assures her new friends that she’ll see them in Heaven… except for Cogsworth. But of course, she comes back to life by the end of the play to complete the parallels to the Easter story.
Unfortunately, Beauty and the Beaster isn’t available in full on-demand – though dedicated fans can check the church’s live schedule for a rerun of the performance.
Have you ever watched a Church of the Rock Easter play? Share your favorite memories with Inside the Magic in the comments.