Walt Disney News

The Klezmatics - the first (and only) Jewish music group ever to win a Grammy - return to Walt Disney Concert Hall on Monday, December 19, at 8 PM to celebrate Hanukkah and the band's 25th anniversary.

The Fifth Third Bank Broadway Grand Rapids Series announced today that MARY POPPINS, playing DeVos Performance Hall February 22-26, 2012, will have a special Family Night during the Sunday, February 26 6:30pm performance.

Disney will introduce a little girl princess to its celebrated legacy of princess fairytales in an animated television movie and series, 'Sofia the First,' premiering in fall 2012 and spring 2013 respectively, on Disney Channel and Disney Junior channels around the world.

Ryan Adams, who recently made his Walt Disney Concert Hall debut on November 21 as part of See a Little Light: A Celebration of the Music and Legacy of Bob Mould, will return to the iconic venue to give a full solo concert performance on Friday, February 17, at 8 p.m.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic celebrates Pacific Standard Time with The Hollywood Sound, a program led by Thomas Wilkins, Thursday and Friday, December 8 and 9, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, December 11, at 2 p.m., at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Willie Nelson, American country singer-songwriter, actor and activist, makes his debut appearance at Walt Disney Concert Hall with a one-night-only Willie Nelson & Family concert on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 8 p.m. Lukas Nelson, Willie Nelson's son, opens the show.

Internationally acclaimed cellist Ralph Kirshbaum joins the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), conducted by Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, for Tchaikovsky's elegant Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33, on Saturday, December 10, 2011, 8 pm.

The orchestra's Los Angeles appearance is the final stop on its five-concert tour of California this month.

Edward Gero and Patrick Andrews star in Red at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, produced in association with Goodman Theatre.

Conductor Bernard Labadie returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall to lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic in three performances of an all-Mozart program, Friday, December 16, at 11 am, Saturday, December 17, at 8 pm, and Sunday, December 18, at 2 pm.

The Baltimore return of Disney's THE LION KING opens tonight, Friday, December 9 at 7:30 pm at the Hippodrome Theatre for a limited engagement of five weeks through Sunday, January 8, 2012.

Relativity Media announced today that legendary composer Alan Menken, known for his work on numerous Walt Disney films including his Oscar®-winning scores and songs from The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, will compose an original score for its upcoming spectacular reimagining of the classic Snow White fairy tale Mirror Mirror set to be released on March 16, 2012.

The beloved Holiday Sing-Along, hosted by jovial storyteller David Prather, returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall, Saturday, December 17, at 11:30 AM & 2:30 PM. Walt Disney Concert Hall Organ Conservator Philip Smith plays the Hall's famous pipe organ complemented by the glorious voices of the Angeles Chorale along with Bryan Pezzone on piano, Bryan Taylor on drums, and Merlyn Kelly on bass.

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh announced today that tickets for the long-awaited production of Mary Poppins are on sale.

Producers Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders have announced additional casting and the creative team for the new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's landmark musical EVITA, opening April 5, 2012 at the Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). Previews begin Monday, March 12, 2012. Joining the previously announced stars of EVITA - world renowned music artist Ricky Martin as Che, Olivier Award-winning Argentinean actress Elena Roger in her Broadway debut as Eva Peron and Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as Juan Peron - are Max Von Essen as Magaldi, Rachel Potter as the Mistress, and Christina DeCicco as the alternate/standby for Eva Peron. Alternate performances to be announced.

In Austin, MARY POPPINS will play April 10-15, 2012, Tuesday-Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.. Ticket prices start as low as $30. Beginning Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:00 a.m., tickets will be available at the at the Bass Concert Hall box office, all Texas Box Office Outlets, by phone at (512) 477-6060 or online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com/Austin.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic celebrates Pacific Standard Time with The Hollywood Sound, a program led by Thomas Wilkins, Thursday and Friday, December 8 and 9, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, December 11, at 2 p.m., at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

On January 6, 2012, PBS's Great Performances airs Herbie Hancock, Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil Celebrate Gershwin, a live recording of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Opening Night Gala and Concert with Music Director Gustavo Dudamel and Creative Chair for Jazz Herbie Hancock.

Powered by the kick-off of its 11th annual '25 Days of Christmas' programming extravaganza, ABC Family delivered its most-watched week of 2011 in Prime across all target demos: Total Viewers (2.2 million), Adults 18-34 (641,000), Women 18-34 (416,000), Adults 18-49 (1.1 million), Women 18-49 (669,000), Viewers 12-34 (883,000) and Females 12-34 (564,000). In fact, among Adults 18-34, this was the network's No. 2 week on record, behind only the year-ago week, which benefitted from an extra day of '25 Days of Christmas' programming.

Heralded as "the world's reigning male chorus" by New Yorker magazine, Chanticleer returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall Thursday, December 15, at 8:00 PM with A Chanticleer Christmas. Continuing their much-loved tradition, this captivating "orchestra of voices" brings the bright spirit of the season to Walt Disney Concert Hall in a radiant holiday program.