Walt Disney News

Samuel French Inc. today announced that Bruce Lazarus has joined the company as Executive Director. Lazarus will oversee company strategy, marketing and business affairs.

January 25, 2013 would have been the 100th birthday of Witold Lutos?awski, one of the most influential musical minds of the 20th century. To celebrate this anniversary, Esa-Pekka Salonen - a fervid devotee and mentee of Lutos?awski - the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Sony Classical continue their long-established relationship by recording Lutos?awski's Symphony No. 1 live at Walt Disney Concert Hall this December.

In 2013, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will reach out to fans across the country through an exciting roster of uniquely magical Disney experiences.

Award-winning writer and director, Brett Truett, has teamed up with renowned artist and animator, Francisco Enciso, to create HELL ON EARTH - an animated rock opera series for mature audiences.

It may not be like getting a gift on every one of the 12 Days of Christmas, but for cabaret and musical theater lovers, the 4th Annual Urban Stages 'Winter Rhythms' series-presented over a dozen straight nights at the not-for-profit's Off-Broadway theatre on 259 West 39th Street-could be the closest thing to opening a daily present by the tree. From December 4-15, more than 80 singers and actors will perform in an eclectic mix of 22 shows (including three on Saturday and Sunday, 12/8 and 12/9), with all the proceeds from ticket sales dedicated to the Urban Stages 'On Tour Outreach Program.' Two years ago, Urban Stages Artistic Director Frances Hill brought in MAC and Bistro award-winning director, lyricist and producer Peter Napolitano to produce the Winter Rhythms program and broaden the scope of it's musical offerings. BroadwayWorld.com Cabaret Columnist Stephen Hanks recently caught up with the new Sol Hurok of Urban Stages to learn how he had helped Winter Rhythms evolve and get some insights into this year's program.

Abingdon Theatre Company, in an ongoing effort to recognize excellence in playwriting, established the Christopher Brian Wolk Award to be presented annually to an American writer of a full-length play not produced in New York City. The award is based upon the writer's demonstrated ability to reach a mature artistic vision using theatre. Playwright Rob Winn Anderson will receive the $1,000 cash award and a staged reading of his script The Tenth Son, directed by Jules Ochoa, at the award ceremony, December 10, starting at 7:00PM in the June Havoc Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, Midtown, Manhattan.

Spending time together as a family is precious and limited. This holiday season ABC's Emmy Award-winning talk show THE VIEW is offering a chance for four lucky viewers to win a Disney Parks Vacation in the "Family Time Together" contest announced live today, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26 (11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ET).

Gustavo Dudamel and his Simon Bolivar Orchestra's, the top orchestra of the renowned Youth and Children Orchestras and Choirs Program, known as "El Sistema", will tour for 5 North-American cities, performing 7 concerts pointed by Latin-American compositions.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition will open today 22 November at The Pavilion at Docklan

Dynamic conductor Gustavo Dudamel returns to the Kimmel Center to lead Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela in their Verizon Hall debut onWednesday, December 5 at 8 p.m. One of today's most uniquely gifted conductors, Gustavo Dudamel leads the elite group of musicians through Carlos Chavez's Sinfonia india, Julian Orbon's Tres versiones sinfonicas, and Richard Strauss' Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) Op. 64.

In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Great Russian Nutcracker, five hand-selected "Musical Wunderkind" in cities across the country open performances accompanying a Moscow Ballet ballerina with St Saens The Dying Swan.

Three passionate and powerful Latina vocalists - Ely Guerra, Eugenia Leon and Tania Libertad - join forces for La Llorona: The Rebel Spirit of Chavela Vargas, a one-of-a-kind acoustic tribute to Chavela Vargas, the celebrated social and musical rebel, and passionate interpreter of rancheras, boleros, and corridos.

Looking for a way to get into the holiday spirit? Check out this list of options that will surely put you in a festive frame of mind.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today that it will present 15 films in their original 70mm glory, featuring a mix of beloved classics and rarely screened gems, all at the Walter Reade Theater - one of the last remaining cinemas in the country equipped to screen 70mm prints.

Barneys New York and the Walt Disney Company launched the project of Events 2012 Holiday Electric in Barneys flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York.

The Colony Theatre previously announced that it has achieved the first goal of its emergency "Save the Colony" campaign by raising $49,000 in ten days so that it can open THE MORINI STRAD as scheduled tonight, November 17th. However, the award-winning theatre company still must raise $500,000 by year's end to continue serving the region.

Following his recent visit to Walt Disney Concert Hall with his Philharmonia Orchestra, LA Phil Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to lead the LA Phil in its celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the 20th century's pre-eminent composers, Witold Lutos?awski. The Lutos?awski Centenary includes two orchestral concerts and one Green Umbrella event with the LA Phil New Music Group between November 30 and December 9. The celebration begins with performances Friday and Saturday, November 30 and December 1, at 8 pm, as well as Sunday, December 2, at 2 pm, featuring the composer's Symphony No. 1, which will be recorded live to complete a Salonen/LA Phil cycle of the composer's four symphonies to be released on Sony Classical in January 2013. Also to be recorded is Fanfare for Los Angeles Philharmonic, a short piece for brass and percussion, written by Lutos?awski in celebration of the LA Phil's 75th anniversary season. This quintessential Salonen program pairs Lutos?awski with Beethoven, as he had done for his Beethoven Unbound festival in the 2004/05 season - this time with King Stephen Overture and Symphony No. 2.

Today in 2006, Mary Poppins opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre, where it is still running. Mary Poppins is a Walt Disney Theatrical musical based on the similarly titled series of children's books by P. L. Travers and the 1964 Disney film. It received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, winning for Best Scenic Design.