I'd just like to mention that yes some Disney films would be awful on stage but some would be fantastic. Just to name a few: Pocahontas, Mulan and tangled and I wouldn't mind frozen.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
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I'd personally love to see them bring one of the old movies like Sleeping Beauty to the stage. Having some of the songs and then adding a lush score could make a great classic.
"Was uns befreit, das muss stärker sein als wir es sind." -Tanz der Vampire
"I'd personally love to see them bring one of the old movies like Sleeping Beauty to the stage. Having some of the songs and then adding a lush score could make a great classic."
I can't think of any composer that I would want to hear adding additional material to Tchaikovsky.
The Great Mouse Detective! I can't imagine that's anywhere high on the priority list, but man, it would be fantastic. Such good dialogue, and a few musical numbers that would play wonderfully on stage.
I've said this before, "Pete's Dragon". It's has a wonderful Oscar nominated score. I would give Julie Taymor and the War Horse creators seed money to see who could come up with the best "Elliott". But Disney apparently has no interest in the musical as they just shot a non-musical remake with Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford in the Mickey Rooney part and a CGI dragon.
Thanks to a magical spell, a girl falls asleep. Years pass while the thicket thickens. A handsome prince finds her and wakes her up.
Unfortunately Sleeping Beauty has no plot that thickens. It is thin enough as an 80-minute animated film; how would they expand it to a 2-hour Broadway musical?
Maybe the fairy godmothers could be musicalized as the Andrews Sisters. Still no plot, but the songs might be fun.
"Thanks to a magical spell, a girl falls asleep. Years pass while the thicket thickens. A handsome prince finds her and wakes her up. Unfortunately Sleeping Beauty has no plot that thickens. It is thin enough as an 80-minute animated film; how would they expand it to a 2-hour Broadway musical? Maybe the fairy godmothers could be musicalized as the Andrews Sisters. Still no plot, but the songs might be fun."
I'm sure if they got a good writing team, they could find some way to expand the original movie and story and make it work. Maybe use the movie and songs as a starting ground and then build up from there?
"Was uns befreit, das muss stärker sein als wir es sind." -Tanz der Vampire
Hercules would probably work well it can easily be made into a huge splashy show with a Cheynne Jackson or Nick Adams. The songs are already fantastic. Through in an awesome greek chorus who can wow the audience and some crazy special effects and sets and you have yourself a blockbuster musical.
I saw inside out and I was thinking that that could easily be translated to the stage.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
Am I the only one who thinks Tangled would make a great Broadway Musical? I think the costumes and the sets would be great, and the scene "I See The Light" translated to stage would be visually beautiful. Also, I could see Taylor Louderman as Rapunzel.
I think Taylor Louderman should be on top of disneys list for the role of Anna in frozen and maybe having morgan James as Elsa wouldn't hurt either.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
Mr Boogedy, and Bride of Boogedy could combine to make a great campy musical. It could probably be done cheaply, or Disney could throw some money at it and add some great special effects.
If Alice in Wonderland, not Tim Burton's version, were to be done I'm hoping it would be like this. Though this wonderfully talented woman can't sing like used to, she would be the perfect Alice since she has one of the loveliest accents I have ever heard. Ah how I miss the Golden Days of televesion.
""Thanks to a magical spell, a girl falls asleep. Years pass while the thicket thickens. A handsome prince finds her and wakes her up. Unfortunately Sleeping Beauty has no plot that thickens. It is thin enough as an 80-minute animated film; how would they expand it to a 2-hour Broadway musical? Maybe the fairy godmothers could be musicalized as the Andrews Sisters. Still no plot, but the songs might be fun."
I'm sure if they got a good writing team, they could find some way to expand the original movie and story and make it work. Maybe use the movie and songs as a starting ground and then build up from there?"
If the team is that good, let them adapt a better story. Maybe one where the heroine doesn't spend most of the show asleep.
Just off the top of my head, expand on Aurora's life with the fairies. Make the audience really care about about the romance between Phillip and Aurora. Aurora could have an "I Want" song - or maybe she is content with her three fairies. End act one with her pricking herself and falling asleep.
Act two could be built on Phillip lamenting his lost lover and how he saves her. Aurora could have a ballet interlude (a classic "Dream Ballet"!).
The entire show should be made to feel beautifully classic - built on the Rodgers and Hammerstein mold. I think it could be fantastic if they didn't try to "update" it or make a weird subplot about a revolution.
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir
"""Thanks to a magical spell, a girl falls asleep. Years pass while the thicket thickens. A handsome prince finds her and wakes her up. Unfortunately Sleeping Beauty has no plot that thickens. It is thin enough as an 80-minute animated film; how would they expand it to a 2-hour Broadway musical? Maybe the fairy godmothers could be musicalized as the Andrews Sisters. Still no plot, but the songs might be fun."
I'm sure if they got a good writing team, they could find some way to expand the original movie and story and make it work. Maybe use the movie and songs as a starting ground and then build up from there?" If the team is that good, let them adapt a better story. Maybe one where the heroine doesn't spend most of the show asleep."
In the not well-received but very successful film, 'Maleficent', they updated it by having the Princess be asleep for literally around five to seven minutes. It was also revealed that she was narrating the film and despite sleeping for a short time amount of time she still said "for I was the one they called 'Sleeping Beauty'".
"I can't think of any composer that I would want to hear adding additional material to Tchaikovsky."
All you need is a great lyricist and musical director to make new songs. Adapt more music from the ballet - maybe expand on it a little a la Preludes. That would make the score sound a little more cohesive than bringing a new composer in. Also, there are songs that got cut before the finalized version of the film, which is less than 90 minutes.
The problem is Disney loves to pander, and they would want to add a funny song for Maleficent. That delineates from what the film is - a beautiful classic that took extra measures to look like a picture book. The show would need to be done in a classic (1950s) style that fits the tone of the film. If done poorly, we could end up with another "Little Mermaid" - a good score that doesn't form a cohesive whole ("She's In Love", "Positoovity" and "I Want the Good Times Back" are good songs but they sound nothing like the film).
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir