Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay for the 1991 Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast and its stage musical adaptation. She created the characters of Belle and Gaston and the love triangle between them and the Beast. Alan Menken composed the musical score for the animated film and six new songs for the stage musical. Howard Ashman wrote the lyrics for the animated film but passed away before its release, so Tim Rice wrote lyrics for the six new songs in the musical. The document discusses the technical challenges of translating the animated film into a live stage production, such as complex musical numbers, costumes that allow actors to perform, and special effects like the Beast's transformation.