Disney Theatrical Productions News

Welcome to BWW's exclusive talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH Richard Ridge. Follow Richard as he visits the theater's best and brightest in their dressing rooms, on their stages and favorite hang outs to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. In the special interview below, 2014 Tony nominee Casey Nicholaw chats about all things Aladdin, reviews his long career as a performer, director, and choreographer, and so much more . Check out the full interview below!

Casting has been announced for the Washington, D.C. engagement of Disney's The Lion King. The stage production returns to the Kennedy Center from June 17 to August 17, 2014. The press opening night is Saturday, June 21, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. The show's nine-week premiere engagement in 2008 played a sold-out run in the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Disney's Aladdin, the new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, opened to critical acclaim on March 20th, 2014 at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre and has received 2014 Best Musical nominations from the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards. Just last night, Meredith Vieira stopped by to check out the new musical and you can check out a photo of her with the cast backstage below!

Disney's Aladdin, the new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, opened to critical acclaim on March 20th, 2014 at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre and is nominated for five 2014 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. USA Todayraves, “Pure GENIE-US! Aladdin delivers a rush that will surprise you.” New York Magazine calls it “Musical comedy wish-fulfillment!” while The New York Times hails the show as “Fabulous… Extravagant!”

Brigham Young University's a capella group Vocal Point pulled together 85 student performers and crew members to stage a showstopping, stripped down one-shot tribute to NEWSIES - and they undoubtedly succeeded.. Check it out below!

Rosie O'Donnell, one of Broadway's biggest supporters, went to see the Tony Award-winning smash-hit musical Newsies at the Nederlander Theatre (208 W 41st St.) this weekend. Following the performance, Ms. O'Donnell went backstage to meet the cast, later tweeting, 'LOVED IT SO MUCH - amazing talent on that stage!' Below, check out a photo of O'Donnell backstage with NEWSIES cast member Jack Scott!

Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award winner Whoopi Goldberg attended last night's performance of Broadway's new smash musical comedy Aladdin at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Following the performance, Goldberg went backstage to visit with Tony nominee James Monroe Iglehart (Genie), who was near tears at meeting one of his idols, and the cast. She lavished praise on his performance, calling it, 'the meaning of 'sensational!' Check out a look back at her visit below!

Today we continue our Tonys coverage with Casey, a nominee for Best Choreography for Aladdin, who chats about the evolution of the musical, what it means to him to have two hit shows on Broadway, and more. Check out what he had to say below!

Today we continue our Tonys coverage with Chad Beguelin, a double nominee for Best Score and Best Book of a Musical for Aladdin, who chats about how the show has evolved since its out-of-town tryout, why he shares his nominations with the whole team, and more. Check out what he had to say below!

The 80th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon is being held this afternoon, May 16, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, where winners will be announced for Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award. This year's event, which began at noon, is hosted by Broadway veteran Jesse Tyler Ferguson. BroadwayWorld is updating the winners live! Check back in to find out who took home the big awards!

"Sing On Through Tomorrow" is a musical revue featuring the songs of Australian composer/lyricist and actor, Matthew Robinson. This South Australian Premiere features local cabaret and music theatre performers Megan Doherty, Mark Stefanoff, David Salter and Casmira Cullen with musical direction by Emma Knights.

Music theatre practitioners from around the world will gather at Sheridan College June 24-26, 2014 for Song, Stage and Screen IX an international conference of papers, talks and practical demonstrations designed to bring together leaders to discuss music theatre. To celebrate the conference theme, 'The Art of Collaboration in Musical Theatre', The Theory of Relativity by Drama Desk Award nominated writers Neil Bartram and Brian Hill will have a one-time, live performance upon the opening of the conference featuring a global virtual choir.

Today we continue our Tonys coverage with James Monroe Iglehart, a nominee for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Aladdin, who chats about how he cried like a little girl on nominations morning, what it's like stopping the show every night, and more. Check out what he had to say below!

Segerstrom Center for the Arts has been awarded a $100,000 grant from Disney to help bring the Disney Musicals in Schools program to Orange County. The Center was one of only two arts organizations in the nation and the only one in California selected this year to collaborate with Disney Musicals in Schools. The program is an outreach initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Group to create ongoing theater programs in local elementary schools. The Center will select four Orange County public elementary schools to participate in 2014. The grant funds two years of programming ? four schools will be selected this year, and another four next year. The after-school programs are completely free to participating schools. Disney Musicals in Schools helps to keep the arts in schools and utilizes the unique world of musical theater to build positive relationships between students, faculty, staff, parents and the community. Students work in teams to develop or restore self-confidence, strengthen communication and collaboration skills all while learning and enjoying the process of creating a Disney musical theater production.

The Toronto return of Disney's THE LION KING began performances on Wednesday April 30 and officially opens tonight, Thursday, May 1 at the Princess of Wales Theatre, where it will play a limited seven-week engagement through Sunday June 15. The award-winning musical premiered in Toronto in April 2000 at the Princess of Wales Theatre, where it played 1,560 performances through January 2004 and returned in 2011 for an eight-week sold-out engagement.

The Actors Fund's annual gala yesterday raised a record-breaking $1.6 million, as a sold-out audience at the New Amsterdam Theatre witnessed stars of 20 years of Disney on Broadway in highlights from the producing powerhouse's history of award-winning shows. The evening honored the creative collaborators and staff members of Disney Theatrical Productions as they celebrate 20 years on Broadway. Formed in 1994 and operating under the direction of president and producer Thomas Schumacher, Disney received the Medal of Honor, the highest award given by the 132-year old non-profit human services organization. In addition, Fund CEO Joseph P. Benincasa received The Fund's honor for 25 years of service to the creative community.

The University of Connecticut announces a new online graduate certificate in Arts Administration beginning in the fall semester, 2014. For information about the certificate and new online classes in arts administration, visit artsadmin.uconn.edu or contact Frank Mack, Associate Professor, Arts Administration at 860-486-1210. Arts Administration is new program within the Drama Department of the School of Fine Arts and the certificate is being offered through UConn's eCampus.

The North American tour of Disney's THE LION KING celebrated 12 triumphant years on the road on Sunday, April 27 in Atlanta. Since launching in April 2002 in Denver, CO, THE LION KING North American touring productions have played nearly 7,000 performances during 135 engagements in 77 cities. The record-breaking tours have been seen by more than 15 million theatergoers and grossed over $1 billion to date.

Disney Theatrical Productions and BMO Harris Bank Broadway at the Marcus Center and Broadway Across America-Milwaukee series announced today that tickets for the long-awaited return engagement of Disney's THE LION KING will go on sale to the public on Sunday, June 15 at 9:00 am in-person at the Marcus Center Box Office only. Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets will go on sale at 12:00 pm. Milwaukee's most eagerly awaited return will once again leap onto the Milwaukee Theatre stage on Wednesday, November 11 for a limited engagement of four weeks through Sunday, December 7. The opening night is Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 pm at the Milwaukee Theatre. The show's five-week premiere engagement in 2008 played a sold-out run at the Milwaukee Theatre.

Co-Hosts Judith Light and Christopher Sieber announced the nominations for the 2014 Drama League Awards, including Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The 2014 Drama League Nomination announcement begins the month of celebrations leading up to the 80th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway) on Friday, May 16, 2014 at noon hosted by Broadway veteran Jesse Tyler Ferguson.