A beautiful young woman forsakes her own happiness to spare her father from the horrid beast holding him prisoner. The loving daughter convinces the monster to free her father, only to discover that she is now trapped in the beast's castle -- forever.

Almost everyone is familiar with the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. For centuries, parents have shared the timeless story with their children for entertainment and as a source of an important lesson; beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

On Sunday, the Philadelphia-based production company American Family Theater will bring the story to life in front of a sold-out audience in Eisenhower Auditorium. Cast members will take time after the performance to greet the audience and sign autographs.

At a price of $3 for students and $5 for general admission, 2,210 tickets went on sale last May. The tickets sold out about two or three weeks ago, said Rick Feingold, the Center for the Performing Arts' marketing manager, adding that sales exceeded expectations.

"The primary buyers are families," Feingold said. "A big portion of these are subscription tickets."

Subscribers to the Wide-eyed Wonders series, Susan Glenn said she and her 5-year-old daughter are anxiously awaiting the show.

"It's something we can do together," Glenn said. "She's very excited about it. This was the one performance in the series that sparked interest in my little one."

Peter Zimmerman, children's series programmer for the center, said recognition of the title played a huge part in sales.

"It was the popularity of the name Beauty and the Beast," Zimmerman said.

The play is part of the center's Wide-eyed Wonders" series, which focuses on providing Centre County's young audience with family-oriented entertainment. The center tries to offer the children something they would not see in another medium, Zimmerman said.

Many children have seen the animated version of Beauty and the Beast, and now they can experience a fully costumed theater production, he added.

This is not the only production in the series that has done well. Songwriter Tom Chapin also sold out last semester.

Zimmerman attributed the sales to the connection between the center and the community.

"I think people trust us to bring in quality productions," he said.

Although the series is geared toward children, ticket sales are not exclusive to families. A segment of the audience is comprised of University students and retired citizens, Zimmerman said.