Walt Disney News

Starting tonight, July 10, Marvel Entertainment and ESPN Films are premiering '1 of 1 - Origins,' the short film series that gives viewers a unique look at some of the world's most successful athletes

The highly anticipated U.S. premiere of Angelique Kidjo and Philip Glass's orchestral collaboration, Ife: Three Yoruba Songs for Orchestra, is set to take place tonight, July 10 with the San Francisco Symphony at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall, conducted by Edwin Outwater. A short excerpt of the work's world premiere with the Luxembourg Philharmonic may be found here, and a clip of Glass discussing the work on the eve of its premiere may be found here. Tickets and full information on the program, which also includes selections from Kidjo's recent orchestral album, Sings (out now on 429 Records and winning raves around the world) may be found here.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Beaches,' 'Kinky Boots' and 'Gotta Dance' show how a pre-Broadway tryout is done, while 'Fancy Nancy,' 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Pinocchio' go for a younger demographic. Meanwhile, Ravinia, Grant Park and Three Oaks (MI) do summer concerts, and The Music Theatre Company announces its own surprise demise.

Haven Academy of the Arts, through a generous donation from Adrian and Betsy Gonzalez, will present the South Bay premiere of Mary Poppins tonight, July 9-11. LA Dodger Gonzalez' generosity is a unique example of sports and arts partnering together to better the future of our youth.

Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP), a non?profit professional theatre company in Buffalo NY is excited to announce two new members to its Ensemble class; Director and Dramaturg, Katie Mallinson and Technical Director, Lou Iannone.

Walt Disney Pictures has released the trails for THE FINEST HOURS, starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck , Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz and Eric Bana. The film hits theaters on January 29, 2016.

CARLSBAD, Calif., July 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ Upper Deck announced today the launch of UD Gallery, a new portfolio of premium, limited edition posters that feature all original artworks of fan favorite comic and movie characters.

The acclaimed Days and Nights Festival, founded and curated by Philip Glass, returns for its fifth edition September 24–27 with four days of performances in Big Sur and Monterey, CA.

The John W. Engeman Theater announces the cast and creative team for THE COTTAGE. THE COTTAGE is brought to you by the Engeman official Main Stage Sponsor - North Shore LIJ Health System, and Show Sponsor - Lewis Johs Avallones Aviles, LLP Counsellors at Law. Performances begin on Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 8:00pm and run through September 6, 2015.

Starting Friday, July 10, Marvel Entertainment and ESPN Films are premiering '1 of 1 - Origins,' the short film series that gives viewers a unique look at some of the world's most successful athletes

When the all-male musical foursome Well-Strung released their new video 'Chelsea's Mom' on YouTube just over a week ago, the resulting chain of events was something that not even the most powerful entertainment moguls could have engineered, let alone an indie pop-classical singing string quartet.

Devon Staples, who portrayed a range of Disney characters including BEAUTY AND THE BEAST's Gaston at Orlando's Walt Disney World, died in a horrific fireworks accident during a backyard celebration in Maine on July 4th.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Hero Ventures has announced that The Marvel Experience: The World's First Hyper-Reality Tour will suspend its 2015 Summer Tour following its current engagement in Philadelphia, which ends on July 5. The planned engagements in Chicago, New York, and St. Louis will be rescheduled.

The show is leaving its Manhattan studio for the first time in its history to broadcast from the 20th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Broadway performer, Julie Pappas Smith, a North Shore native, returns to the Marblehead School of Ballet (MSB) in Marblehead, Massachusetts this summer to teach two master classes, floor-barre and musical theatre jazz.  Originally from Swampscott, Massachusetts, Pappas Smith began her professional training at MSB. 

Haven Academy of the Arts, through a generous donation from Adrian and Betsy Gonzalez, will present the South Bay premiere of Mary Poppins July 9-11. LA Dodger Gonzalez' generosity is a unique example of sports and arts partnering together to better the future of our youth.

Artistic Director Hal Brooks has announced that the 21st Season of the Cape Cod Theatre Project will feature staged readings of new work by Lucas Hnath, Laura Jacqmin, Kevin Armento, and actor-turned-playwright Ryan King. The 2015 Season, the fourth under Mr. Brooks' leadership, runs weekends from today, July 2 through July 25, 2015 in Falmouth, MA.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) in association with The Foolish Company presents Foolerie a Shakespearean Musical Comedy with book, music, and lyrics by Santino DeAngelo. Tralen Doler directs a cast of nine, including Geoff Belliston, Ryan Breslin* (Bway: Newsies, Book of Mormon), Diego Diaz, Ian Fairlee*, Ian Knauer* (Bway: Mamma Mia!, By Jeeves, State Fair), Patrick Massey, Olivia Polci, Chandler Reeves, and Patrick Richwood (Film: 'Pretty Woman,' 'Armageddon,' 'Runaway Bride'). Foolerie is being staged at PTC Performance Space, 555 West 42nd Street (bet. 10th & 11th Avenues) in NYC for five performances from Wednesday, July 22 through Monday, July 27, 2015. *Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

Walter McBride was given exclusive access to a rehearsal in New York and we have some wonderful pictures to share with you as we enter this 4th of July Weekend.