Thomas Schumacher News

The Broadway community mourns the loss of multiple Tony Award® winning producer Margo Lion, who died on January 24, 2020 at age 75. To commemorate her life and work, the Committee of Theatre Owners will dim the lights of the Jujamcyn Theatres (the Al Hirschfeld, August Wilson, Eugene O'Neill, St. James, and Walter Kerr Theatres) where Ms. Lion often collaborated and worked; as well as the American Airlines, Bernard Jacobs, Helen Hayes, Neil Simon, New Amsterdam, Lincoln Center, Lyric Theatre, and Samuel J. Friedmans; in New York for one minute on Saturday, February 29 at exactly 7:45pm.

Today, Segerstrom Center for the Arts is pleased to announce its 2020 FREE Disney Musicals in Schools student share performance, hosted by Kayla Cyphers, who stars as Nala in The North American Tour of Disney's The Lion King. On Wednesday, March 11 at 5:00pm, 200 elementary school students from Arthur F. Corey Elementary (Buena Park), Garfield Elementary (Santa Ana), Frank Vessels Elementary (Cypress), and Sycamore Elementary (Orange) will sing and dance their way through scenes from Disney's The Jungle Book KIDS and Aladdin KIDS in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Disney Musicals in Schools is designed to help Orange County public elementary schools create sustainable musical theater programs.

As it approaches its second anniversary on Broadway, Frozen will welcome a trio of new stars joining the company tonight, Tuesday, February 18, 2020. McKenzie Kurtz makes her Broadway debut starring as Anna, Ciara Renée (Pippin, Big Fish, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) stars as Elsa, and Ryan McCartan (Wicked; Heathers: The Musical; Disney Channel's “Liv & Maddie”) joins the cast as Hans, replacing Patti Murin, Caissie Levy, and Joe Carroll, respectively.

As it approaches its much-anticipated Australian premiere in Sydney in July, Frozen is thrilled to announce the two exceptional performers that have been cast in the lead roles of Elsa and Anna.

Vivent Health (formerly AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin) and Members of the National Touring Company of The Lion King will present THE LION SINGS TONIGHT, a ONE NIGHT ONLY Cabaret to benefit Vivent Health and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The event will take place on Monday, February 24 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center's Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, 121 E State St at 7:00PM.

Disney's Aladdin has announced new principal cast members ahead of the company's sixth anniversary. Ainsley Melham, star of the original Australian production of Aladdin, will return to the title role on Broadway in March. The exact date will be announced in the near future. Melham previously played the role on Broadway in 2019. Rodney Ingram will re-join the Broadway company to play the role starting Monday, February 17th until Melham's return. Marina Pires (On Your Feet! National Tour) will make her Broadway debut as Jasmine.

Theatre fans need not travel all the way to New York City to get a taste of Broadway. Though the Big Apple boasts perhaps the freshest productions and greatest talents in the world, many of the most successful shows on Broadway will eventually hit the road- bringing and equally magical (though sometimes slightly updated) version of their production to cities across the country.

We're heading to the Pridelands to get a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney's smash hit musical The Lion King brings the iconic character of Rafiki to life eight times a week with a peek inside the makeup transformation of Broadway cast member Tshidi Manye. Check it out with the video!

Disney's The Lion King will leap onto the Marcus Performing Arts Center stage this Wednesday, February 5 for a four-week engagement through March 1. The Lion King is part of the Johnson Financial Group Broadway at the Marcus Center and Broadway Across America-Milwaukee series.

A new North American tour of Elton John and Tim Rice's Tony-winning Broadway smash Aida will premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse, February 4 a?' March 7, 2021.

a?oegrown-isha?? star Yara Shahidi visited The Lion King on Saturday and stopped backstage to have some fun with Nala (Adrienne Walker) and Simba (Bradley Gibson).

Tony Awards Administration Committee met today for the second time this season and confirmed the eligibility status of eleven Broadway productions for the 2020 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards. The Tony Awards Administration Committee will meet a total of four times throughout the 2019-2020 season to decide the eligibility for the 74th Annual Tony Awards.

Michael McElroy and Broadway Inspirational Voices have announced an evening like no other! BIV's 'Silver Anniversary Gala Concert & Live Auction', honoring Disney Theatrical Productions for their commitment to diversity, will be jam packed with stellar performances, entertaining stories, and more heart than imaginable.

Casting has been announced for the Greenville engagement of Disney's Aladdin. The hit Broadway musical will begin performances in Greenville at the Peace Center on Wednesday, Feb. 12 for a limited, two-week engagement through Sunday, Feb. 23.

'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' stars Joshua Bassett and Olivia Rodrigo performed at the Junior Theater Festival Atlanta this past weekend. Over 6,500 musical theater kids attended to watch Olivia and Joshua perform!

Disney Theatrical Productions President & Producer Thomas Schumacher announced this weekend at the Junior Theatre Festival in Atlanta, GA that Michael James Scott, an Aladdin original cast member, will be returning to Broadway on Friday, February 28th at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

Casting has been announced for the Seattle engagement of Disney's Frozen. From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony Award®-nominated Best Musical, will play an exclusive four-week premiere engagement at The Paramount Theatre beginning Friday, February 7, with performances playing through Sunday, March 1 at 1pm. Opening night is set for Saturday, February 8 at 8pm.

We're heading to the Pridelands to get a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney's smash hit musical The Lion King brings one of its animals, the giraffe, to life eight times a week with the help of four of the show's cast member, Ray Mercer. Check it out with the video!

The Walt Disney Company UK today announced that Nick Afoa will be joining the touring production of THE LION KING from 30 April. Afoa is currently starring in the role in London's West End, where he has performed as Simba for three years after making his stage debut in the Australian production of THE LION KING in 2013.

Arendelle will soon welcome new royalty! BroadwayWorld has just learned that Ciara Renée, McKenzie Kurtz and Ryan McCartan will soon join the cast of Broadway's Frozen as Elsa, Anna, and Hans. All three will play their first performance on February 18. They take over the roles from original company members Caissie Levy and Patti Murin and Joe Carroll.