Howard Ashman News

The laughs are plentiful, the songs are bright and jazzy and there's not an actor dressed as an animal or inanimate object in sight .

Today we are celebrating the many marvelous musicals that have been produced by Disney on Broadway over the last two decades, with a special focus on the two most popular properties of the moment - Broadway's ALADDIN and mega-hit movie musical FROZEN.

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, opens on Broadway tonight, March 20th, 2014, at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati celebrates its 90th birthday with a world premiere, an educational rock-and-roll spectacular - featuring one of Cincinnati's favorite bands on stage - plus two Disney favorites. The 2014-2015 season includes:

They're at it again! Hop on a magic carpet ride with the writers of MURDER FOR TWO and escape to a whole new world as they play you one of the songs they definitely wrote from the new Broadway show ALADDIN. Watch below!

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, opens on Broadway tonight, March 20th, 2014, at the New Amsterdam Theatre, after beginning performances on February 26th, 2014. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award® and eight-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken(Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winnerTim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winnerCasey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). BroadwayWorld brings you highlights of the cast in action below!

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, opens tomorrow night, March 20th. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). Scroll down to learn more about the full company, plus watch interviews with the cast!

Laughter is coming from the stage floor when Bristol Riverside Theatre presents Neil Simon's sidesplitting comedy Laughter on the 23rd Floor today, March 18-April 13. Directed by Keith Baker, the ensemble cast features K.O. Delmarcelle, David Edwards, Bruce Graham, Benjamin Lloyd, Megan McDermott, Jason Silverman, and Carl N. Wallnau.

Casey Nicholaw, the Tony Award-winning director and choreographer of Disney's ALADDIN, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, is featured in the April 2014 issue of Vanity Fair. Renowned photographer Max Abadian shot Nicholaw along with ALADDIN's beautiful ladies Tia Altinay, Daisy Hobbs, Nikki Long, Rhea Patterson, Khori Michelle Petinaud, Ariel Reid, and Marisha Wallace. Check out a behind-the-scenes look at the photo shoot below!

From the magical romances of ALADDIN and THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY to the perils of showbiz in CABARET, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY and ACT ONE; from the gripping physicality of ROCKY to the revolutionary tune of LES MISERABLES and the friendship and loss of OF MICE AND MEN, this season runs the gamut when it comes to captivating tales. BroadwayWorld has rounded up this season's musical adaptations and the plays, books and films that inspired them. Scroll down for the list, and be sure to let us know your favorites!

It's one of my all time favorite shows so naturally I'm a little picky about it. I mean, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's "Little Shop of Horrors" is one of those near perfect musicals. Great story, great characters, super fun music, it's got it all. But just as the plant in the show feeds on blood, so does the show, metaphorically speaking of blood as being the grit, funk, soul and attitudes of 1960's doo-wop and B-horror movies. And while there's a ton of talent and great voices on the stage of the current joint production from ACT and The 5th Avenue Theatre, there's also a shocking lack of that "blood" from the production.

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, began performances at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre on February 26th, 2014 for a March 20 opening. In anticipation of the big Broadway opening, we're getting acquainted with the company. In the video below, meet composer Alan Menken!

"Depression is just status quo" for the residents of Skid Row, until flower shop clerk Seymour Krelborn discovers a strange and unusual plant of unknown origin. Written by the award-winning team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast), this rock musical is a classic deal-with-the-devil tale with a horrifically horticultural twist.

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, is currently in previews at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre, prior to opening on March 20th. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award® and eight-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). In the video below, go behind the scenes of the Broadway sitzprobe with the cast!

NETworks production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast , the award-winning worldwide smash hit Broadway musical, is returning to Fox Cities Performing Arts Center April 11-13 for five performances only.

Brandon O'Neill, currently starring in Disney's Aladdin on Broadway as one of the title character's sidekicks Kassim, will perform the national anthem tonight when the New York Knicks take on the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. Tip off is at 7:30pm.

Academy Award-winning actor and screenwriter Matt Damon recently revealed a heretofore unknown passion for not only karaoke, but a certain animated movie musical mermaid he particularly enjoys paying tribute to in doing so - none other than the classic Oscar-winning score for THE LITTLE MERMAID, penned by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.

The original Broadway cast recording of the brand new stage edition of Disney's classic animated movie musical ALADDIN is now available for pre-order according to a new listing on the official site.

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, begins performances at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre tomorrow, Wednesday, February 26th, 2014, prior to opening on March 20th. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award® and eight-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). BroadwayWorld brings you new photos of the cast in action below!