Thomas Schumacher News

Broadway's perfectly magical musical MARY POPPINS welcomed the West End's original 'Mary', Olivier Award winner Laura Michelle Kelly, and Tony® Award nominee Christian Borle (Broadway's Legally Blonde) on Monday, October 12th.

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher are pleased to announce full casting for the Houston engagement of MARY POPPINS.

Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar's FINDING NEMO took top honors in the category of Best Foreign Show in Argentina at the annual A.C.E. (Asociación de Cronistas del Espectáculo) Awards. The A.C.E. Award is the highest achievement award for theatre in Argentina. This was the first A.C.E. nomination and win for Disney On Ice in the twelve years that the productions have toured the country.

In the great tradition of multitalented stars, Broadway's newest diva Ashley Brown will make her solo record debut with her jazz vocal album, 'Speak Low'. Speak Low will be released nationwide on January 12, 2010 via Ghostlight Records and Sony distribution. Speak Low is the title track on a thoughtfully curated collection of American Songbook standards that also includes a sexy and imaginative medley of two great standards, 'Smile' and 'Make Someone Happy'. The album is filled with passionate, seductive interpretations of a wide range of songs covering jazz and Broadway standards. Speak Low is a collection of Ashley's personal favorites and will consist of new arrangements of such well known classics as 'My Funny Valentine', 'I'll Be Seeing You', 'My Only Love' and 'The Very Thought of You.'

The North American tour of MARY POPPINS opened in Houston on Friday, October 23 at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts to a rave review from Houston's top theatrical critic. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher, MARY POPPINS features original Broadway stars Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins) and Gavin Lee (Bert) reprising their roles as the world's most famous nanny and chimney sweep.

Producers Thomas Schumacher and Cameron Mackintosh announced today that tickets for the highly anticipated Australian premiere of MARY POPPINS are now on sale to the public at Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne. The show will officially open on July 29, 2010.

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher are pleased to announce full casting for the Houston engagement of MARY POPPINS.

Disney Theatrical Group and Marina Bay Sands®, together with BASE Entertainment, are proud to announce that the award-winning Broadway musical The Lion King will come to the Marina Bay Sands Theatre in September 2010. This extended engagement will join the seven other highly successful companies of The Lion King around the world in New York, London, Hamburg, Paris, Tokyo, Las Vegas and a US National Tour.

Disney's landmark musical event THE LION KING is pleased to welcome Aubrey Joseph as 'Young Simba' and Diamond White as 'Young Nala' to the company. Johnson and White made their Las Vegas debuts on Monday, October 19. Produced by Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions, THE LION KING is currently playing at Mandalay Bay Theatre.

TARZAN®, Disney's musical based on the stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the 1999 animated film, celebrated its first anniversary at the Theater Neue Flora last night with a special gala performance attended by the show's composer and international recording star, Phil Collins. The Hamburg production continues to be one of the most popular shows in Germany having played to more than 714,000 guests in its first phenomenally successful year.

Disney's THE LION KING celebrated its 10th Anniversary with a gala performance at London's Lyceum Theatre on Sunday 18th October 2009. Former cast members along with the show's award-winning creative team gathered with a host of celebrities and friends to celebrate 10 triumphant years in the West End.

Disney's THE LION KING will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with a gala performance at London's Lyceum Theatre on Sunday 18th October 2009. Former cast members along with the show's award-winning creative team will gather with a host of celebrities and friends to celebrate 10 triumphant years in the West End.

Broadway's perfectly magical musical MARY POPPINS welcomed the West End's original 'Mary', Olivier Award winner Laura Michelle Kelly, and Tony® Award nominee Christian Borle (Broadway's Legally Blonde) beginning Monday, October 12 at 7pm. Produced by Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh, MARY POPPINS will celebrate its three-year anniversary at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street) on Monday, November 16.

Disney's THE LION KING will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with a gala performance at London's Lyceum Theatre on Sunday 18th October 2009. Former cast members along with the show's award-winning creative team will gather with a host of celebrities and friends to celebrate 10 triumphant years in the West End.

Broadway's perfectly magical musical MARY POPPINS is pleased to welcome the West End's original ‘Mary', Olivier Award winner LAURA MICHELLE KELLY, and Tony® Award nominee CHRISTIAN BORLE (Broadway's Legally Blonde) beginning Monday, October 12 at 7pm. Produced by Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh, MARY POPPINS will celebrate its three-year anniversary at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street) on Monday, November 16.

Broadway's perfectly magical musical MARY POPPINS is pleased to welcome the West End's original ‘Mary', Olivier Award winner LAURA MICHELLE KELLY, and Tony® Award nominee CHRISTIAN BORLE (Broadway's Legally Blonde) beginning Monday, October 12 at 7pm. Produced by Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh, MARY POPPINS will celebrate its three-year anniversary at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street) on Monday, November 16.

Variety reports the news that Disney Theatrical Prods. hit a major theatrical licensee milestone, the company has now scored 20,000 licensees.

The Italian premiere engagement of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST debuts tonight in Milan at the Teatro Nazionale. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is presented by Stage Entertainment Ltd., Disney's licensed presenting partner in Europe.

Broadway's landmark musical THE LION KING has welcomed new cast members ALPHONSO ROMERO JONES II and Marquis Kofi Rodriguez ('Young Simba,) and SHEREEN PIMENTEL and SHANNON SKYE TAVAREZ ('Young Nala) to the company. Rodriguez and Pimentel made their Broadway debuts last night, September 29. Tavarez will make her Broadway debut tonight, September 30 and Jones will make his Broadway debut on tomorrow, October 1. Produced by Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions, THE LION KING officially opened on November 13, 1997 at the New Amsterdam Theatre. The production moved in its entirety, including all 52-cast members and the entire 24-member orchestra, from the New Amsterdam Theatre on June 4, 2006, and began performances nine days later at its current home, the Minskoff Theatre on June 13, 2006. The move followed the completion of custom renovations to accommodate the Tony Award-winning production.