I recently watched 'Aladdin' at the New Amsterdam theater which replaced 'Marry Poppins.' So I've been wondering if replacing Poppins with Aladdin a good choice? Is Aladdin better than Mary Poppins? Also, why do you think Disney ended Mary's run?
Mary Poppins is the second best Disney musical in my opinion (aside from Beauty and the Beast). I was very sad to see it go. Truly a magical and fantastic show.
I thought it was a good idea, I got to see Aladdin on Broadway last June and loved it! It's also great that MTI recently released the licensing rights to Mary Poppins, for schools/local theatres all over the country to perform!
But with that being said, is it really fair to be comparing two different shows with different intentions just because they came from the same company? One thing I will say is that unlike Mary Poppins, Aladdin was actually nominated for Best Book of a Musical.
Their mistake was moving LION KING out which was beautiful in that space and is ugly in the Minskoff.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
I think it should have taken over the Minskoff and The Lion King return at the New Amsterdam. Should it have replaced MP of course not MP was a much better show much better made and produced.
I think it should have taken over the Minskoff and The Lion King return at the New Amsterdam. Should it have replaced MP of course not MP was a much better show much better made and produced.
The New Amsterdam is Disney's space for premiering new works, not keep one show there forever, so it makes sense that they would move the Lion King for Mary Poppins and close Mary Poppins for Aladdin. I think once Frozen comes along (not for a while probably) they will move Aladdin out and either transfer it or close it, but Hunchback is most definitely moving in to a different house than the New Amsterdam because Hunchback is supposed to be more intimate.
"The New Amsterdam is Disney's space for premiering new works, not keep one show there forever"
People have said this on here before, but is that a new thing? It doesn't seem like they have done it in the past that much. Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan, Newsies, Peter and the Starcatcher, Aida, etc., all were in other houses.
Well Disney hadn't purchased The New Amsterdam when Beauty opened, but they renovated it just in time for Lion King, which was there next big thing, and the next big thing to hit the stage after that was Poppins. So I guess you could say they have reserved it for their bigger title shows. And kudos to them for that. It is a shame that they closed Poppins though. I imagine Frozen would probably play the Theatre too.
Lion King moving to the Minskoff was a win win situation for both Disney and Nederlander because it meant the Minskoff which had its fair share of flops would finally have a hit and for Disney they could increase the gross potential of The Lion King as the Minskoff has no balcony plus freeing the New Amsterdam for a new show
Yeah, it was certainly not a 'mistake' and a part of why the Lion King is the highest grossing Broadway show of all time. However, when people say 'mistake' I think they mean they don't like it :).
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Also, Mary Poppins was not solely a Disney show . . . there was a very unique relationship with Cameron Mackintosh. So, having a show the wholly produced might have been a better deal for them.