The lighter side: Actor enjoying his stage story as candle counterpart in Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast'

Actor Michael Haller, who plays candlestick Lumiere in Disney's popular Broadway national tour of "Beauty and the Beast," has found his arms get plenty of exercise during every performance.

"My character is actually not a candlestick, but a candelabra, which is why my costume not only includes the large candle on my head but also candles for each of my hands," said 23-year-old Haller, who opens tonight in a six-week run of the musical through Aug. 7 at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago.

"And so all during most of the show when I'm on stage, I have to keep my arms and hands held high in the air."

Haller, who is originally from New York, said he's gotten used to all of the stretching and straining while playing the wax-dripping, flickering fellow he's loved since he first watched the 1991 Walt Disney big-screen film version that starred Robby Benson as the voice of the Beast, Paige O'Hara as Belle and the legendary vocal tones of Angela Lansbury as cook-transformed-into-teapot Mrs. Potts.

This stage story was first unveiled on Broadway in 1994 with the Academy Award-winning score and music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, along with additional songs with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. Featuring songs like the title tune and "Be Our Guest," the stage sensation has played to more than 35 million people worldwide in 21 countries.

As for Haller, he joined the cast and tour in April, just about a year after this new tour was first originally relaunched.

"I can still remember the first time I stepped on stage in my costume for my first performance in the role," he said.

"It was on April Fools' Day, on Friday, April 1, and we were in Appleton, Wis. Before I joined this cast, I had been touring in another national Broadway tour as Chad, the lead in 'All Shook Up.' "

Doing "Beauty and Beast" has been even more exciting for Haller because of the many younger audience members who love the classic fairy tale about Belle, the young, educated woman in a tiny town from the past, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped by a spell placed by an enchantress.

He said as the story unfolds, audiences of all ages watch with wide eyes as they await to see if the Beast can learn to love and be loved so the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self.

Of course, as time runs out, the Beast faces not learning his lesson soon enough, but also the fearful possibility that he and his entire household will be doomed for all eternity.

In the role of butler transformed into the smooth-talking, enchanted and well-lit Lumiere, Haller gets to continue the tradition first started in the original film when the character was voiced by the late, great Jerry Orbach.

"When I joined this cast, they were also adding others to the tour to step in for the characters of Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth the Clock," Haller said.

"Since these three characters are such good friends on stage, it makes sense that they wanted to train all of us for our new roles at the same time."

As for how long the tour will run, Haller, whose busy acting career has him "burning the candle at both ends," says the musical is already booked for dates through July 2012.