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SOUND OFF Special Edition: 10 Totally Awesome Features Of Disney Musical Projects - FROZEN, BEAUTY, TANGLED, Etc.

By: Apr. 08, 2015
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What a renaissance - again! Although the period beginning with the unexpected mega-hit status of THE LITTLE MERMAID in 1989 through to the doubleheader of POCAHANTAS in 1995 and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME in 1996 and ending with MULAN in 1997 is considered by House Of Mouse super-fans and many entertainment enthusiasts as the official Disney Renaissance era - meaning the company once again came to major prominence as a direct result of its animated musicals on which it originally made its name - it very much looks as if an entirely new type of Disney rebirth is in the process of occurring at the moment, spurred on by the wildly impressive worldwide success of the esteemed company's biggest hit animated feature to date, the highly theatrical and Broadway pedigreed FROZEN. Of course, in any way matching an era which in addition to MERMAID, POCAHANTAS, HUNCHBACK and MULAN shepherded BEAUTY & THE BEAST, ALADDIN and THE LION KING from inspiration to actuality would be a high order, if not outright impossible, yet it seems that the recent, current and upcoming spate of ingenuously timed and expertly devised projects that Disney possesses could put them in that stratospheric level of uber entity once again in the industry - and in the hearts and minds of millions around the world, as well.

Yes, indeed, it would be difficult to design a more ideal kick-off to a whole new time at the top of the heap than a company's most lucrative and ubiquitous property, as FROZEN unquestionably is, so we all wait impatiently as Disney sets the stage for what is next - although this past winter's major movie musical presentation of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's daring, complex and surprisingly adult Tony Award-winning fairy tale examination INTO THE WOODS starring Meryl Streep and directed by Rob Marshall was undoubtedly a step in the right direction, with an impressive 200+ million worldwide gross and critical salvos to prove it. What's next could be even greater, though - and engender more attention than anything else in Disney's history. And, what variety!

1. FROZEN Onstage. The Broadway background is rich - newly minted Oscar winners Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson Lopez are already famed for their musical theatre abilities, so expanding the score for a full-out stage musical is relatively simple to envision, though finding a visionary director along the lines of THE LION KING's Julie Taymor to realize the snow-flecked universe in a theatrical milieu will be the true coup. And, who to play Elsa and belt the song of the 2014, "Let It Go"?

2. A brand new live action BEAUTY & THE BEAST. The first animated film to ever receive a Best Picture nomination, the Tony Award-winning stage musical version of the Disney Renaissance classic is currently in pre-production with a shoot set to begin under the direction of CHICAGO and DREAMGIRLS's own Bill Condon in a few short weeks, boasting a cast led by Emma Watson, Emma Thompson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad and even Tony Award champ Audra McDonald herself. Should it be a FROZEN-level hit, one can imagine some of the other animation-made-real theatrical properties Disney lays claim to coming after it. What possibilities! But, first, BEAUTY.

3. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME... on Broadway? Following a rapturously received tryout at the La Jolla Playhouse, Disney's stage version of HUNCHBACK finally hit the East Coast earlier this year in a grand and gothic production showcasing a lovingly honed production overseen by acclaimed Disney and Broadway songwriters Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, recently wrapping up its run at the Paper Mill Playhouse last weekend. Could Broadway possibly be next?

4. TANGLED: THE MUSICAL. Set to debut later this year on the international Disney Cruise Ship line, it was revealed last week that the recent riff on the familiar story of Rapunzel and her dashing if dim prince is coming to life, complete with a handful of brand new tunes by the original team of Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. If the cruise ship version is a hit, anything is possible for where the powers that be could bring the show after that - and Rapunzel has shown her popularity to a new age group thanks to INTO THE WOODS, too, lest we forget.

5. THE JUNGLE BOOK. Although still an entire year away from being released, the star-studded reboot of the familiar Disney property based on Rudyard Kipling's iconic adventure classic is already building in buzz thanks to the incredible cast of vocal talent that accomplished director Jon Favreau has assembled to go along with brand new songs by original songwriter Robert Sherman - Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyong'o, Giancarlo Esposito and Christopher Walken among them. The bare necessities will be back in vogue all too soon.

6. ALADDIN on Broadway. Doing the perceivably impossible yet again, Disney managed to conjure up a magical stage version of the modern classic about a street kid, a genie and a princess to Tony Award-winning glory in 2013, complete with the flying carpet everybody eagerly anticipated and a showstopping production number of epic proportions in "A Friend Like Me" - earning James Monroe Iglehart a Tony Award for his efforts, too. A whole new world awaits as an entire new generation has a chance to experience ALADDIN in a fresh, innovative and incredibly exhilarating new fashion, all live onstage. Wishes granted.

7. MULAN: THE LIVE ACTION MUSICAL. At its very earliest stage of development right now, the gender-bending true story of a passionate princess and her risky decision to defend her country - as a man, no less - is being prepped for the cinematic treatment as a feature film with live actors as opposed to its animated origins. The score by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel already features some memorably strong moments with two surefire ready-made hits in "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" and "Reflection", so when the time is right the story is sure to sing onscreen again, this time it will be with real people in the roles, just as we all likely secretly hoped it someday would. Will audiences flock to it like the original? We will have to wait and see, but MULAN is in training and embarking on boot camp at this very moment according to recent reports.

8. NEWSIES onstage and on tour. The one that everybody thought would never actually come to fruition, the stage adaptation of 1992 financial flop cult movie musical NEWSIES took Broadway by storm 20 years later - earning Alan Menken his very first Best Score statuette for his considerable efforts, no less - and, now, the story of a plucky and inspiring gaggle of spirited newspaper boys on strike in the Big Apple during the Depression is winning the hearts of the entire country in a hit tour. Seize the day is the message of the show, after all - and Disney did, with a surprise hit to prove it.

9. AIDA turns 15. The first Disney musical to take the Tony Award for Best Score, Elton John and Tim Rice's original musical written expressly for the stage in 2000 just arrived at its 15th anniversary, making it a more than merely likely candidate for a revival some season soon. But, where? On Broadway? On the big screen? Additionally, the rock musical has never managed to make its way to the West End, either, which makes it an ideal entry for a mainstage debut across the pond in the future, as well - hopefully sooner rather than later. It's written in the stars.

10. THE LION KING becomes the most successful box office champion in Broadway history. Usurping the assumedly impossible-to-top record of international mega-hit THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the multi-Tony Award-winning stage version of THE LION KING is now the world's most successful entertainment, having amassed $6.2 billion thus far - and that doesn't even factor in CD or poster sales, let alone the $400+ million grossing film upon which it is based. How much more will it rack up when all is said, done and all the tickets are tallied? Time will tell - but, the proof is in the pudding that Disney is at the very top echelon of the entertainment industry right now.

With all these marvelous Disney musical projects in development, be sure to continue to stay tuned to BroadwayWorld for all the various updates about each and every one as they approach their unveiling.

Photo Credits: Disney


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