'Beauty & the Beast' onstage at Bass Concert Hall

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Beneath the frightening exterior lies a soft heart and kind man -- or so goes the story line of the classic tale, "Beauty and the Beast."

Beneath the wig and makeup is the man who embodies the role in Disney's Broadway production of the award-winning musical -- Dane Agostinis. A native of Tampa, he is in Austin this week at Bass Concert Hall for a five-day stint and seven shows which includes weekend matinees.

"Beast" has a few connections to well-known celebrities, but it's his family he talked about recently in an interview before he did a television appearance.

Agostinis, 28, is the product of a professional soccer-playing father who, along with his mother, supported and fostered his interest in acting as a high school and college student. His onstage presence as "Beast" is something his father has yet to see, but is rallying family and friends to attend when the show is in Montreal in April.

"I think he's got about 40 people now planning to come!" Agostinis said.

In the meantime, Agostinis' older brother, Ryan -- who is serving a third deployment with an Army Reserve unit now in Afghanistan -- got to see "Beauty and the Beast" when he was home on leave, and was thrilled with his younger brother's performance.

"My brother sent me a text during a break in the show -- that based on what he wrote -- I knew how much he liked it," Agostinis said, smiling. He noted that Ryan's tours have also taken him to Iraq, and he said how proud he is of his soldier brother -- lives that took different paths, but a pair of siblings who remain close.

The transformation from Dane to Beast is something Agostinis has taken into his own hands. He has learned to apply all the hair and makeup himself, and he does it before each performance. What used to take about 1 1/2 hours for someone else to do, Agostinis has trimmed down to a 45-minute process -- which means he doesn't have to get to the theatre quite as early.

As for rubbing elbows with celebrities, Agostinis' first professional part after graduation from the Tisch School of Arts was in "Debbie Does Dallas" in 2006 -- in a role he took over in Lake Tahoe from Adam Lambert -- the runner-up in Season 8 of American Idol in 2009.

"It was before he was on 'American Idol,'" Agostinis said. "He left to go do 'Wicked.' We roomed together for a week while he taught me the part."

Agostinis' debut in "Beauty and the Beast" was in March in Los Angeles. Seated in the audience were actor Tom Cruise, his wife Katie Holmes, along with their daughter, Suri.

"They came backstage after the show and told me how much they liked it," Agostinis said. "Tom had never seen 'Beauty and the Beast' before -- not the movie, not the play. He told me I would 'always be Beast' in his mind."

Agostinis has another opportunity to appear before others who love him, back home in Tampa. His 10-year high school reunion coincides with the show's run in Tampa. He said plans are in the works for some of his classmates to attend the performance while they gather to reminisce.

Show information

The Austin run opens at Bass Concert Hall Wednesday at 8 p.m. The 32-cast-member musical runs through Sunday.

Show times weeknights are 8 p.m. Saturday's times are 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday night shows are at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Ticket prices start at $25, are available online , via phone at 512-477-6060 or at the Bass Concert Hall box office on The University of Texas campus.

Watch the attached video to learn more about the show and what to expect!