Disney Theatrical Productions News

Disney's ALADDIN, which is set to fly onto the Great White Way at the New Amsterdam Theatre on March 20, ends its pre-Broadway engagement at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre today, Jan. 5, 2014. The production officially opened on Nov. 21, 2013.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents the national tour of Peter and the Starcatcher, the five-time Tony Award winning musical play written by Tony Award nominee Rick Elice and directed by Tony Award?winner Roger Rees and Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers, from January 28 to February 16, 2014 in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Press opening night is Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.

Newsies, the Tony Award-winning “critics' pick” Broadway musical smash announces a new campaign called “NEWSIES: Get Up and Go,” in support of Disney Magic of Healthy Living. The campaign will promote fun ways that kids can lead healthier lifestyles through dance, inspired by the show's Tony Award-winning choreography and music.

For the past week, BroadwayWorld has been counting down the final days of 2013 with video tributes to our 13 favorite musical moments of this year. Now that the ball has dropped and 2014 has officially arrived, we shift gears and look ahead to what is to come in 2014. Below, we count-up to the 14 theatrical events of 2014 that we are most excited for!

Gloria Steinem, acclaimed feminist author and activist, took her family to see the Tony Award®-winning smash-hit musical Newsies at the Nederlander Theatre (208 W 41st St.) on Friday night. Following the performance, Ms. Steinem went backstage and enthusiastically greeted actress Kara Lindsay, who plays trailblazing journalist Katherine Plumber, exclaiming, 'a fellow organizer!' The two chatted at length about the 1899 newsboy strike on which the musical is based and the real-life journalist, Nellie Bly, who inspired Lindsay's character.

Cast members from Newsies, the Tony Award® winning new American musical, will appear with Neil Patrick Harris in the opening number of the 2013 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. The original song, 'Are You Ready For Christmas?,' is staged by Newsies' Tony Award winning choreographer, Christopher Gattelli and written by David Javerbaum ('The Daily Show,' Cry-Baby) and Adam Schlesinger ('Fountains of Wayne,'Cry-Baby), who have previously penned tunes for Neil Patrick Harris' hosting turns on The Tony Awards and The Emmy Awards. The parade airs on ABC, beginning at 10:00am EST/ 9:00am C/P, on Christmas morning, Wednesday, December 25, 2013.

Broadway PR firm Polk & Co.'s founder and president, Matt Polk, has just announced that Tom D'Ambrosio, Wayne Wolfe, Frances White and Colgan McNeil will be joining the public relations, media strategies and social media firm. Beginning January 6, 2014, the four press agents, formerly of The Hartman Group, will join the existing company of five including press agents Jessica Johnson and Michelle Bergmann.

Disney's landmark musical event, The Lion King opens tonight in Sydney, Australia at the Capitol Theatre, with a record number of tickets already sold.

Yesterday, Angelina Jolie and her family took in a performance of The Lion King in Sydney, Australia. All six of her children attended the matinee. Angelina 'loved' the show and signed the autograph wall. Below, Check out a photo of Jolie backstage with the cast!

Variety reports that Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is in negotiations to helm Warner Bros. upcoming film adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's THE JUNGLE BOOK, with script from Steve Kloves (Harry Potter).

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, begins performances at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre on February 26th, 2014 for a March 20 opening. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award® and eight-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken(Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman(Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw(The Book of Mormon). Aladdin is currently playing a limited pre-Broadway engagement at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre through January 5th, 2014. The marquee just went up at the New Amsterdam Theatre and you can check it out below!

The five-time Tony Award-winning 'Peter and the Starcatcher' opens tonight, December 4, 2013, at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center.

Disney's landmark musical event, THE LION KING, played its 6,681st performance on Saturday evening, November 30th, surpassing the original Broadway production ofLes Miserables (6,680 performances) to become the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history.

The New Amsterdam Theatre box office opens for Aladdin today at 10:00am. Tickets are now available for purchase through AladdinTheMusical.com, by calling Ticketmaster's Disney on Broadway hotline at 866-870-2717, or in person at the New Amsterdam Theatre box office (214 W. 42nd Street). The New Amsterdam Theatre box office is open Monday through Saturday 10:00am - 8:00pm and Sunday 10:00am - 6:30pm.

The five-time Tony Award-winning "Peter and the Starcatcher" opens December 4, 2013, at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center (preview December 3). Written by Tony Award-nominee Rick Elice ("Jersey Boys," "The Addams Family") and directed by Tony Award-winner Roger Rees and Tony Award-nominee Alex Timbers ("Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"), "Peter and the Starcatcher" continues through January 12, 2014.

The Los Angeles return of Disney's THE LION KING opens tonight, Friday, November 22, 2013 at 8pm at the Hollywood Pantages for a limited eight-week engagement through January 12, 2014. Hollywood Pantages General Manager Martin Wiviott says "The Circle of Life is once again complete as THE LION KING returns to its Los Angeles home. From its initial debut here in 2000 until now, the excitement and enthusiasm for this spectacular stage production hasn't diminished, but has instead grown by leaps (of the gazelles) and bounds. All of us here at the Hollywood Pantages look forward to a holiday season full of good cheer and great theatre. Welcome home, Lion King!"

According to Deadline, the studio will release the sequel to Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND on May 27, 2016, and the Jon Favreau-helmed JUNGLE BOOK live-action adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's novel on Oct. 9, 2015.

Due to popular demand - and just in time for the holidays, Disney's Aladdin is releasing additional seats for performances between December 17 through January 5. The additional seats will go on sale Monday November 25 at 9AM.

DISNEY'S THE LION KING as prideful as ever