Disney Theatrical Group News

DISNEY MUSICALS IN SCHOOLS, through its five-year partnership with Wharton Center, selected six schools to participate in a 17-week musical theatre residency. This program is a remarkable outreach initiative that develops sustainable musical theatre programs in under-resourced, public elementary schools by staging their first school musical.

Five Broadway shows of the past and three of the present all have one man in common... Thomas Schumacher. As the president and producer of Disney Theatrical Group, Schumacher has quickly become one of the most influential voices on Broadway, overseeing the development, creation, and execution of all Disney live entertainment around the globe.

Omaha Performing Arts and Disney Theatrical Group are proud to offer a sensory friendly performance of Disney's The Lion King Saturday, April 25, 2020 at 2:00 PM at Omaha's Orpheum Theater. Performed in a supportive and judgment-free environment, this show will provide the opportunity for families and friends with children or adults affected by autism and other sensory issues to enjoy the shared experience of live theatre. 

A pioneer of thought leadership in music and the arts, Music Academy of the West has announced he winners of its third annual Alumni Enterprise Awards. Over $70,000 in cash prizes will be shared among eight alumni, funding four winning projects and two Innovation Awards.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) will present the workshop How to Write a Musical That Works Part Two: Conflicts & Obstacles on Sunday February 23, 2020 from 10am to 6pm at Studios 150, 150 W. 46th Street, 7th floor, NYC. Submission deadline is Wednesday 2/12. E-mail TRUStaff1@gmail.com or register online at https://truonline.org/events/feedback-workshop2-2020/.

As BroadwayWorld reported in July, Music Theatre International will release an expanded library of new licensed titles in partnership with Disney Theatrical Group.  Moana JR., released on January 23, is now available for pre-perusal below!

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has announced the four new schools that have been selected to participate in the 2019 a?" 2020 Disney Musicals in Schools program. The program is an initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Productions to create sustainable theater programs in under-resourced elementary schools. The four schools are a part of Allegheny County and include: Pittsburgh Dilworth PreK-5, Evergreen Elementary School, Pittsburgh Faison K-5, and Turner Intermediate School.

The Drama League (Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Director Bevin Ross) announced today the acting company for the 36th annual DirectorFest, the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. Directorfest will take place January 10 - February 4, 2020 at various locations around NYC: The New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street), The Drama League Theater Center (32 Avenue of the Americas), LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (31-10 Thomson Avenue), and Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street). For festival details and tickets, visit directorfest.org or call (212) 244-9494 x102.

The highly-anticipated return engagement of Sir Patrick Stewart's acclaimed oneman version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL to benefit City Harvest and Ars Nova will play for two nights only, December 11 and December 13, at Theater 511 (511 West 54th Street). Two tickets per benefit performance will now be offered for $25 to TodayTix Lottery winners.

Center Theatre Group has announced the four new schools that have been selected to participate in the 2019-2020 Disney Musicals in Schools program. The program is an initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Group to create sustainable theatre programs in under-resourced elementary schools. The four schools are a part of Los Angeles County. The four schools include: Dr. Owen Lloyd Knox Elementary (LAUSD), Eastman Avenue Elementary (LAUSD), Euclid Avenue Elementary (LAUSD) and San Gabriel Avenue Elementary (LAUSD).

The Drama League announced today the 2020 line-up of DirectorFest: The 36th Annual Directors Festival, the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. For its 36th year, the festival will include six fully-staged productions, a showcase concert of a new musical, a town hall, and conversations with directors including 2017 Tony Award Winner Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), 2014 Tony Award Winner and 2010 Drama League Founders Award for Excellence in Directing Kenny Leon (A Soldier's Play), and Intimacy Director Claire Warden (HBO's Mrs. Fletcher).

The Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) is pleased to announce the five Providence public elementary schools that have been selected to participate in the 2019 - 2020 Disney Musicals in Schools program. The program is an initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Group to create sustainable theater programs in public elementary schools. The five schools include:  

Serino Coyne, one of Broadway and entertainment's leading advertising and marketing agency, today announced that Matt Upshaw, currently a managing director at the agency, has been named Chief Executive Officer.

How To Write a Musical that Works (Part 1: The World and the Want) will take place on Sunday October 27, 2019 from 10am to 6pm at Studios 353, 353 W. 48th Street, Studio 1 (2nd floor), NYC. For application as a writable PDF: https://truonline.org/events/2019-feedback-workshop-1/ and emailTRUPlaySubmissions@gmail.com - submission fee is $10 for TRU members, $20 for non-members. Submission deadline is Monday, October 14, 2019. The lab encourages directors and producers to attend and observe the presentations and feedback. The Observer fee is $55 for the full day.

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma was awarded a grant from Disney to bring the Disney Musicals in Schools program to Oklahoma City Public Schools. The program, in its second year at Lyric, is a free initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Productions to create sustainable theater programs in under-resourced elementary schools. Lyric Theatre will select five area public elementary schools to participate during the 2019-2020 school year.

In 2017, Center Theatre Group was awarded a grant from Disney to bring the Disney Musicals in Schools program to the Los Angeles area. The program is an initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Productions to create sustainable theatre programs in under-resourced elementary schools. Center Theatre Group will select four area public elementary schools to participate in this year's program. Previous recipients have included Breed Street Elementary (LAUSD), Cantara Street School (LAUSD), Harrison Elementary (LAUSD), Hope Street Elementary (LAUSD), Humphreys Avenue Elementary (LAUSD), La Ballona Elementary (Culver City Unified School District), Ritter Elementary (LAUSD), Saturn Street Elementary (LAUSD), Tulsa Street Elementary (LAUSD) and Wild Rose School of Creative Arts (Monrovia Unified School District). 

Walnut Street Theatre is now accepting applications from Philadelphia public elementary schools to participate in the Disney Musicals in Schools program. The Walnut was awarded a grant in 2018 from Disney to bring the Disney Musicals in Schools program to the Philadelphia area.

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts announces the four Palm Beach County public elementary schools that have been selected to participate in its 2019-2020 Disney Musicals in Schools program.

Today's top stories: Get a first listen to The Prince of Egypt in an all new video, read about the new Disney shows soon available for licensing, and more!

In partnership with Disney Theatrical Group, Music Theatre International plans to release an expanded library of new licensed titles. Frozen KIDS (September 2019), Moana JR. (January 2020), Newsies JR. (September 2020), and Finding Nemo JR. (January 2021), based on Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar films, will soon be available for licensing in the United States.