Disney Theatrical Productions News

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club has just announced a special theatrical performance,Broadway and Beyond. Thomas Schumacher, president and producer, Disney Theatrical Productions will host a musical journey into Disney's history on Broadway and beyond at the D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. The performance features an all-star line-up, including Heidi Blickenstaff (THE LITTLE MERMAID), Ashley Brown (MARY POPPINS and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), Merle Dandridge (TARZAN and AIDA), Josh Strickland (TARZAN) and Alton Fitzgerald White (THE LION KING), who sing beloved songs from the award-winning musicals they starred in as well as classic tunes from the Disney on Broadway catalogue.

The Tulsa return of Disney's THE LION KING opens tonight, Thursday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for a limited engagement of five weeks through Sunday, July 7. In Tulsa, THE LION KING will play Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday* evenings at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Saturday matinees at 2:00 p.m., Sunday matinees at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. with additional performances on Monday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, July 5 at 1:00 p.m. *There will be no performances on Thursday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. "Thus far sales have been strong, but there are still great seats available" said Ed Payton, Chief Executive Officer, Celebrity Attractions. The show's six-week premiere engagement in 2006 played a sold-out run at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

Newsies, the hit Tony Award-winning 'critics' pick,' will celebrate 500 performances on Broadway at 8:00p.m. on Saturday, June 8 at the Nederlander Theatre (208 W 41st St.).

Cortland Repertory Theatre kicks off their 42nd season at the Little York Pavilion in Preble with the theatre's premiere production of Agatha Christie's mystery, The Unexpected Guest. Performances will run from tonight, June 5th - 15th with evening performances at 7:30 PM. Matinees are available on June 7th, 9th and 12th at 2:00 PM. Tickets may be purchased by calling 800-427-6160 or at the CRT Box Office's new location at 24 Port Watson Street in Cortland. Tickets are also available for sale 24 hours a day through the CRT website at www.cortlandrep.org.

Disney's THE LION KING celebrated its second sold-out engagement in Nashville, which concluded on Sunday, June 2 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. The triumphant four-week return grossed over $5.3 million at the box office and entertained more than 73,000 patrons during 32 performances. The show's six-week premiere engagement in 2006 played a sold-out run at TPAC.

The Tony-nominated stars of the Broadway musical Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA -- Laura Osnes (Cinderella) and Santino Fontana (the Prince) --will host the 5th Annual National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) on Monday, July 1 at the Minskoff Theater on Broadway. Student winners from 31 regional awards will compete in the national event for the Jimmy Awards, named after Broadway theater owner and producer James M. ("Jimmy") Nederlander.

According to rumors and other reports by whatsonstage.com, producers of Disney's NEWSIES may be getting closer to finding a home in the West End late 2013 or early 2014. According to reporst, Disney is 'trying to secure either the Piccadilly or the Savoy theatres' for Spring 2014. A venue may be announced as early as next week.

Cortland Repertory Theatre kicks off their 42nd season at the Little York Pavilion in Preble with the theatre's premiere production of Agatha Christie's mystery, The Unexpected Guest. Performances will run from June 5th - 15th with evening performances at 7:30 PM. Matinees are available on June 7th, 9th and 12th at 2:00 PM. Tickets may be purchased by calling 800-427-6160 or at the CRT Box Office's new location at 24 Port Watson Street in Cortland. Tickets are also available for sale 24 hours a day through the CRT website at www.cortlandrep.org.

Disney Theatrical Productions confirmed in January that Aladdin, a new musical based on the Academy Award winning animated film, will play its pre-Broadway engagement at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre(formerly the Canon) November 13, 2013 to January 12, 2014 and will open at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre in 2014. The show will feature music by Alan Menken; lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin with a book by Beguelin. Casey Nicholaw will direct and choreograph. The first teaser trailer for the Broadway-bound show has just debuted - check it out below!

Elvis Costello and Diana Krall seized the day on Sunday, May 20, at the hit Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, NEWSIES. Following the performance, the couple visited with the cast backstage. Check out a photo below!

Broadway's landmark musical event THE LION KING, the fifth longest-running show in Broadway history, is pleased to welcome BUYI ZAMA as Rafiki, beginning performances with tomorrow's matinee, Saturday, May 18.

Producer and President of Disney Theatrical Productions, Thomas Schumacher and Stage Entertainment France, today announced that they will continue their ongoing producing partnership with the premiere of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which will make its debut in Paris, France on October 24th, 2013 at the Mogador Theatre, marking the first time the production will be performed in French.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) will present itsfourteenth annual All-City Musical, AIDA to crown the District's 2012-13 series of All-City Arts Programming. The production features the talents of over fifty CMSD students from across the District and will take place on the stage of the Ohio Theatre at PlayhouseSquare,May 31 - June 2, 2013. Tony Sias, Director of Arts Education for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, co-directs the production with Kimberly Brown. Aida, which features music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, is based on the book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang. It was originally directed on Broadway by Robert Falls and originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions. The CMSD All-City Musical production is produced through special arrangement with Music Theater International (www.mtishows.com).

Disney's THE LION KING is celebrating its second sold-out engagement in the Fox Cities, which concluded on Sunday, May 5 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. The triumphant four-week return grossed over $4.7 million at the ticket office and entertained more than 61,000 patrons during 32 performances. The award-winning musical's six-week Wisconsin premiere engagement in 2007 played a sold-out run at the Fox Cities P.A.C.

Disney's THE LION KING celebrated its second sold-out engagement in the Fox Cities, which concluded on Sunday, May 5 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. The triumphant four-week return grossed over $4.7 million at the ticket office and entertained more than 61,000 patrons during 32 performances. The award-winning musical's six-week Wisconsin premiere engagement in 2007 played a sold-out run at the Fox Cities P.A.C.

Bayou City Theatrics is continuing their inaugural season with Houston's first locally produced professional staging of Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA. The musical, with a book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, was originally produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Productions, and ran on there from March 23, 2000 to September 5, 2004 for a total of 1,852 performances. The successes of the Broadway production lead to two national tours. The 2002-2003 equity tour served as a duplicate of the Broadway staging; however, David Henry Hwang revised the book for the 2006-2007 non-equity second national tour, creating a show that was a bit darker by removing some of the campy comedy from the character of Amneris. Having seen both tours, it seems that the version licensed by Music Theatre International is the same book used by the Broadway version.

I must say that there was plenty of Disney magic in this visual extravaganza and it delighted my inner-child ever so much.

The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) has announced that its 5th annual talent showcase will take place on Monday, July 1, 2013 at 7:30pm at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre (200 W 45th St). At this 'Super Bowl' of amateur musical theater, student winners of awards competitions that take place across the United States will perform songs exclusively from the musical theater canon in the quest to win the coveted title of Best Performance by an Actress or Best Performance by an Actor and a Jimmy Award, named for legendary Broadway producer/theater owner James M. Nederlander, in recognition of his generous support of young artists.