Walt Disney Theatrical
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Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, informally known as Walt Disney Theatrical, is the stageplay and musical production arm of The Walt Disney Company. It advertises as Disney on Broadway in New York City, and Disney on Stage in London and Melbourne.
The company has gained a presitigious reputation within the industry for creating professional and popular (both critically and financially) performances, starting with the acclaimed Beauty and the Beast in 1995 and most recently with Mary Poppins in 2004. The company is lead by Thomas Schumacher, and forms a part of one of the four units of The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Studio Entertainment.
Animation adaptations
The show began previews in New York City in March of 1994 and officially opened at the Palace Theatre (where it is still performing) in April. The musical was the first Broadway adaptation by Disney, adapted from the movie by Linda Woolverton and with music and lyrics by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Several new songs were written for the Broadway musical, including Home, a ballad sung by 'Belle which quickly became the signature song of the musical. It has had a continuous run and is still performing, now at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The show is now the district's sixth-longest running performance.
It has been performed in London, Toronto, Kyoto, Hamburg, Rome, Sydney and is also currently on tour around the USA. A production is also currently touring the UK although this is produced by UK Productions rather than Disney. The show is currently touring through the Netherlands too. This production is co-produced by Joop van den Ende'sStage Entertainment. The production has new sets and costumes. Also, the narrator was a woman. It's Martine Bijl. She translated the show in Dutch. Thomas Schumacher, head of Walt Disney Theatrical, was enthusiastic about this version of the show.
The purpose built Lion King theater in Hamburg
The show debuted in Minneapolis in July 1997, before becoming a runaway hit and moving permanently to Disney's restored New Amsterdam Theater in New York City in October. The show uses a range of theatrical techniques, and is not a conventional musical, yet is probably the most popular production Disney Theatrical have ever conceived and one of the most loved productions in the world. It has consistently been one of the highest grossing musicals on Broadway every week, always performing to nearly-sold out audiences. The production won the Tony Award for Best Musical at the 1997 Tony Awards.
Its popularity has spawned several additional open-ended performances around the world, including in London, Hamburg and Scheveningen in Europe, Melbourne, Tokyo, and Nagoya in
Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame
The show was adapted from the animated flim The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It premiered in Berlin, Germany in 1999. This was adapted into a darker, more gothic musical production, re-written and directed by James Lapine and produced by the Walt Disney Theatrical branch, in Berlin, Germany. Considered to be a great boost for tourists in Germany, the musical Der Glöckner von Notre Dame (translated in English as The Bellringer of Notre Dame) was very successful and played from 1999 to 2002, before closing. A cast recording was also recorded in German. More recently, Bellringer has been scheduled for a live action TV film on ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney, for which Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken have composed a new song.
The show is adapted from the classic movie of the same name, and debuted on Broadway on May 10, 2006 at the Richard Rogers Theater. The show was heavily publicized with Phil Collins and the lead actors promoting the new musical on several media shows including The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Live with Regis and Kelly.
In 2007 the show will have it's debut in Europe in The Netherlands as the successor of The Lion King in Scheveningen. A Broadway musical never arrived in the Netherlands so soon after Broadway's premiere. Phil Collins was a special guest at the 2006 Johnny Kraaijkamp Musical Awards. There he announced the news that Tarzan was coming to the Netherlands.
The Little Mermaid
The show is currently being re-worked and adapted from the memorable movie of the same name. The Broadway debut is anticipated to be 2007 at the earliest, but most likely 2008. So far, the only cast member from the original movie confirmed to star in the Broadway adaptation is Pat Carroll, the voice of Ursula, who will perform the voice of the Ursula puppet.Live action adaptations
The show was co-produced by Disney Theatrical and Cameron Mackintosh, who had apparently been given her blessing by author Pamela Travers. Featuring new additional songs by George Stiles & Anthony Drewe, and scenes from the books. It is currently running at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. It will open on Broadway on October 14, 2006 in the New Amsterdam Theater.
Original productions
Loosely based on the opera by Giuseppe Verdi, it tells the story of a Nubian slave who falls in love with an Egyptian captian. It was written by Elton John and Tim Rice, and was met with wide critical acclaim. It debuted in 2000 on Broadway, before finishing in 2004 to start an international tour.
Debuting in November 2004, the show brings together sixty classic Disney songs from 1930 right up to 2004. They are weaved together loosely by a storyline which is set in a recording studio with young (and old) performers using the songs to help with their lives.Spellbound
Based on the 2002 documentary of the same name, it takes place at the Scripps National Spelling Bee and is set to debut in 2006.
This show will no longer be brought to Broadway, due to many previous circumstances.
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