Ann Hould-Ward won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design for the original Broadway Beauty and the Beast musical.
Hould-Ward designed the costumes for the stage production that opened in 1994. Her work had to translate the animated film's instantly recognizable characters into garments that could be worn by live performers night after night, including the Beast, Belle, Gaston and the enchanted household objects.
The production used elaborate costumes and theatrical transformations to make characters such as Mrs. Potts, Lumière and Cogsworth recognizable onstage. Hould-Ward's design earned her the 1994 Tony Award for Best Costume Design.
The award is sometimes confused with the Tony for Best Musical, which Beauty and the Beast did not win. The costume honor recognized a specific design achievement, while the show's broader success was reflected in its long Broadway run and international productions.