Walt Disney News

The ABC Television Network announced highlights of its upcoming May sweeps programming, featuring the premieres of new drama series "Black Box," returning drama series "Motive," and the season premiere of "The Bachelorette."

The soundtrack to Disney's FROZEN continues its epic journey, earning its biggest sales week thus far and holding at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the non-consecutive 11th week

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) announces the participation of world-renowned architect, Frank Gehry, in its November 2014 exploration of the life and career of Pierre Boulez, the revolutionary composer, conductor and curator whose 89th birthday was March 26, 2014.

Eight remarkable artists and philanthropists will be hooded and handed their degrees in person when The Juilliard School confers honorary doctorates during its 109th Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 23, 2014 at 11 AM in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center (Broadway at 65th Street, NYC).

Soho Rep presents the world premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's An Octoroon, directed by Soho Rep. Artistic Director Sarah Benson. The production, tonight, April 23, through May 18, concludes a banner New York season for the celebrated playwright, whose Appropriate made its New York premiere February 25-April 6 at Signature Theatre.

The Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC) opens the doors of Walt Disney Concert Hall to the public on Friday, May 2, 2014, 11 am and 1 pm, for two free concerts culminating the Chorale's highly regarded High School Choir Festival, which this year features the world premiere of Es Tu Tiempo composed for the Festival's 25th anniversary by 2011 MacArthur Fellowship recipient Francisco Nuñez, artistic director of the Young Peoples Choir of New York City who is acclaimed for seamlessly fusing a wide gamut of cultural and musical idioms. The 11 am performance features a concert by the professional Los Angeles Master Chorale Chamber Singers under the direction of Associate Conductor Lesley Leighton. At 1 pm, one of the largest high school choir festivals in the nation showcases the remarkable vocal talents of nearly 1,000 students from 28 Southland high schools in a massive chorus conducted by LAMC Music Director Grant Gershon. The afternoon concert also includes three songs performed by the prestigious 80-voice Festival Honor Choir, comprised of students from the participating high schools who were nominated by their teachers.

The Hollywood Arts Council's 28th Annual Charlie Awards Luncheon, benefiting the Council's arts programs for underserved children in the community, will be held on April 25, 2014. Emceed by ABC7 Television's George Pennacchio, the luncheon will take place in the Blossom Room in the Hollywoof Roosevelt Hotel. Arrivals will happen between 11:15am and 12:00noon, at which time the event begins.

The Walt Disney Company recently announced a unique new endeavor via the release of a teaser trailer for a new music compilation titled DCONSTRUCTED, which will feature EDM renditions of a vast assortment of Disney classics crafted by many of the world's top DJs, and the collection is out today.

Disney's hit animated film FROZEN is now the highest internationally grossing film of all time.

According to Deadline, Disney's Frozen is officially the highest grossing animated film, not just in the United Stated but internationally. The number for international markets currently reads $729.3 million and the number is at $400 million for domestic markets. Frozen is also now the no. 6 highest grossing film ever.

Guests at the all-new Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration, a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel, can enjoy a terrific music line up at Epcot's 2014 Sounds Like Summer concert series featuring tribute bands performing concerts at American Gardens Theatre in Epcot World Showcase.

A new musical theatre composer -- '21 years old'? No, it's not a typo: in fact there are three of them in the got musical program for May 6 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, an evening of highlights of this year's season of development at the New Musicals Initiative and the Academy For New Musical Theatre. Actually, they're 21, 22 and 23 years old and they're the winners of the New Voices Project at ANMT, sponsored in part by Walt Disney Imagineering.

World-revered virtuosa Midori returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall in a recital program, Wednesday, April 23, at 8 pm. She is accompanied by pianist Özgur Aydin in a program of wide-ranging repertoire for violin and piano. The recital opens with Debussy's Sonata in G minor, followed by Shostakovich's Sonata, Op. 134; after intermission, it continues with Beethoven's Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96, and closes with Schubert's Rondo in B minor, D. 895.

A Spoonful? It's rather more than that - 90 years more! But if you're feeling exhausted by the long haul from January 1 to April 18 for a day off work, A Spoonful of Sherman (back at St James Theatre Studio until 22 April) will certainly help the medicine to go down.

The WBT is celebrating 40 years of Broadway Musicals & Fine Dining! For this momentous occasion, Mary Poppins is flying onto their stage! The cherished 1964 Disney film has been re-imagined into a spectacular new musical. The show has been created, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and Downton Abbey creator, Julian Fellowes. Based on the stories of P. L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film, and featuring original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, book by Julian Fellowes, and new songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, MARY POPPINS will be directed and choreographed at Westchester Broadway Theatre by Richard Stafford, with musical direction by Leo Carusone. The show runs May 8 - July 27, 2014, and BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at star Lauren Blackman as Mary Poppins below!

Beginning tomorrow, April 18, guests at Disney Parks on both coasts will be able to enjoy an exclusive sneak peek at Walt Disney Studios' “Maleficent,” which opens in theaters May 30.

The world's most beloved nanny and the world's most notorious vampire join a fine crew of stoners, gamblers and talking mice in the FAC's exciting 2014-15 theatre season lineup.

Broadway veteran Rachel Potter has just announced that a solo country album is in the works, and supporters can help to make the project a reality through PledgeMuisc. She writes: 'I have partnered with PledgeMusic to make my new album, 'Not So Black and White.' And now - I am asking you to partner with us, too! I am an independent artist, which means, I don't have a record label to pay for the expenses of making an album. But these days, you don't need a record label! We can be our own label, and YOU can be the CEO. All the songs, the producer, and the studio are ready to go - we just need your help! Please help me make this album, and together we can make a difference in country music.' Click here to donate to the cause!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: ACT ONE opens on Broadway tonight, and THE WILD PARTY plays in concert at 54 Below!

Walt Disney Records has released 'Let It Go: The Complete Set', a 'three disc set' featuring fifty tracks consisting of official, international versions of the Academy-Award winning song