It was the Velveteen Rabbit who learned that it’s love that makes you real, but his quiet message was overshadowed when Disney took on “Beauty and the Beast,” and its similar message.

In the classic fairy tale-turned Disney animated film-turned mega-Broadway hit, the Beast learns that only by loving and being loved will he become real. Or a real prince again.

Ovation! Musical Theatre of Bainbridge Island is presenting the beloved musical as its summer production, opening July 14 at Bainbridge High School, directed by Ron Milton.

“Beauty and the Beast” is perfect for the musical theater company, which is known for its big productions, lavish costuming and excellent vocal talent.

“We chose to produce ‘Beauty and the Beast’ because it is a heart-warming show with a universal message and beautiful music,” Milton said. “It’s suitable for audiences of all ages and provides challenging performance opportunities for a talented cast.”

Playing the lead role of Belle is Ovation’s music director, Corrina Lapid-Munter. She has performed lead roles in “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Something’s Afoot,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” “The Sound of Music,” “Pirates of Penzance” and many others.

Last year she performed in “Sweeney Todd” at Seattle’s Fifth Avenue Theatre.

The Beast is played by a newcomer to musical theater, Joseph Fountain. A former Army Ranger platoon leader and police officer since 1990, Fountain said he was encouraged to try out for the musical by his daughters Ariel and Adrienne who told him, “Daddy, you should be the Beast!”

Fountain describes himself as a “shower singer and self-proclaimed ham,” and feels “amazingly fortunate” to have been cast as a principal character.

The requisite bad guy, village goon Gaston, is played by Royce Napolitino, who last appeared on the Ovation! stage as the swashbuckling Pirate King in “The Pirates on Penzance” in 2004.

Napolitino has a degree in vocal performance from the University of Idaho and has performed with the Seattle Symphony Chorale and several area musical theater productions.

As the Disney version of the story goes, Belle is a beautiful, book-reading village girl whose father is captured and imprisoned by the Beast, who is actually a selfish prince under a spell.

The Beast must learn to love and be loved in return before the last petal falls from the rose given to him by the enchantress who cast the spell, or he will remain a hideous beast forever.

Belle learns of her father’s capture and goes to the castle, where the Beast agrees to set her father free if she will take his place. She consents, and their love slowly begins to bloom.

Several other enchanted members of the household conspire to help the romance along: the candelabra Lumiere, played by Jim Welch; the teapot Mrs. Potts, played by Marijane Milton; the clock Cogsworth, played by Robert Craighead; and Chip, a teacup, played by Amelia Rose Brummel.

The musical is based on the animated Disney film and the characters resemble their animated counterparts as closely as possible. This makes costuming a challenge, especially for an amateur group without the luxury of a Disney-sized budget.

Barbara Klingberg has once again taken on the costuming task, assisted by Kathy Doll and other volunteer seamstresses. Klingberg and crew have outfitted Ovation! casts for “The Music Man” and “A Christmas Carol.”

“The show includes villagers as well as enchanted objects of all shapes and sizes,” Klingberg said. “It’s a tremendous artistic challenge and great fun.”

An architect when she’s not designing costumes, Klingberg said designing the human clocks, wardrobes (the closet kind), teapots and dishes was exciting. “We even have an enchanted birdcage in our palace,” she said.

The stunning visuals are a backdrop to the songs with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, from “Be Our Guest” and “Tale As Old As Time” to the romantic “Beauty and the Beast.”

For this production Jack Weber will conduct an orchestra of local musicians. Maribeth Hinderer is in charge of choreography.

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” opens July 14 and runs through July 30 at Bainbridge High School LGI Room. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays, with a 3 p.m show July 29 as well.

Tickets are $22 adults; $19 seniors (55 and older), students (13-18), and military; $16 age 12 and younger, available at Winslow Drug on Bainbridge Island, Mills Music in Poulsbo and online at www.ovationmtb.com.