Walt Disney News

As part of its continuing commitment to nurture new American musicals, The ASCAP Foundation is seeking new musicals for the annual ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Workshop in New York. Serving once more as artistic director for the workshop is Academy Award and Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz, whose credits include the hit Broadway shows Wicked, Godspell and Pippin, the Walt Disney films Enchanted, Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Dreamworks' film The Prince of Egypt. The workshop will take place March 27th and 28th and April 1st and 2nd, 2013 at 7:00pm sharp.

Domani il tanto atteso debutto di FANTASMI A ROMA, UNA FAVOLA MUSICALE nel magico scenario dell'Aula Magna dell'Università 'La Sapienza' di Roma. Per stemperare l'attesa vi proponiamo l'intervista fatta a Carlo Reali (Il Principe Annibale) durante l'incisione del Cast Album presso i Forward Studios di Grottaferrata (RM).

Disney Interactive today unveiled its most ambitious gaming initiative ever, Disney Infinity. This all new game platform unlocks the freedom to create stories and play experiences starring beloved characters from The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Studios. Disney Infinity allows players to both experience original adventures in some of their favorite Disney and Pixar worlds and to build their own worlds using the power of their imagination.

Renée Fleming and Susan Graham, two of the world's most foremost stars of opera, join together at Walt Disney Concert Hall for a recital of French duets, Saturday, January 19, at 8 pm. Accompanied by pianist Bradley Moore, the two powerhouse vocalists take the audience on a comprehensive survey of French song literature from the 19th century, featuring eight composers ranging from the arch-Romantic Hector Berlioz to the late-century Reynaldo Hahn and André Messager, and including rarely performed French duet literature from Debussy and Fauré. This LA Phil Colburn Celebrity Recital event is presented in partnership with the LA Opera.

According to the LA Times, Walt Disney studios has canceled their plan to release THE LITTLE MERMAID in 3-D this September. This decision arrives after poor box office performances for the 3-D re-releases of several other Disney films.

AT&T U-verse, the fastest growing television service provider in the country*, and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) today announced a comprehensive long-term distribution agreement

It's 'Disney Time' at WHEEL OF FORTUNE as the fun of America's Favorite Game Show and the magic of Disney come together in the game show's 30th season for a fully-integrated multiplatform collaboration including a week of shows and a sweepstakes for at-home viewers.

Focus on Peter Eötvös, a mini-residency in which the Hungarian composer is participating, features two LA Phil-hosted programs at Walt Disney Concert Hall - a Green Umbrella series concert, tonight, January 15, at 8 pm, and an LA Phil concert featuring renowned violinist Midori, Friday, January 18, at 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, January 19 and 20, at 2 pm.

One of the country's most prestigious musical institutions, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music comes to New York City in January for a tour -- spanning four concerts in four venues -- that includes performances by the Oberlin Faculty Jazz Ensemble, Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble with International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Oberlin College Choir, Oberlin Baroque and the Oberlin Orchestra.

Glen Cove, N.Y. resident Frederick Stroppel, author of nine collections of full-length plays and one-acts, many of which have been performed in New York and internationally, has chosen Long Island's Bare Bones Theater Company for the world premiere of Dead of Night, an evening of two one-act plays of macabre humor and suspense. There will be eight performances, beginning on Friday, February 1, and continuing through February 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15 and 16, 2013, at 57 Main Street in Northport, NY.

The 2012/13 Jazz Series at Walt Disney Concert Hall begins on February 9, 2013.

Memphis 'most eagerly awaited stage production Mary Poppins will arrive at The Orpheum Theatre Tuesday, February 5th and will run through Sunday, February 10th.

Disney XD, Marvel Entertainment, First Book and ABC Owned Television Stations have teamed up to champion children's literacy through the 'Reading With: Marvel Comics Close-Up' initiative, it was announced today by David Levine, Vice President and General Manager, Disney XD Worldwide, and Jeph Loeb, Marvel's Executive Vice President - Head of Television. A Saturday, January 12 event at the Burbank Public Library will showcase the initiative designed to encourage reading and includes the donation of more than 210,000 books to several communities across the country. The initiative also features a series of Disney XD interstitials, 'Marvel Comics Close-Up,' hosted by Marvel's Chief Creative Officer, Joe Quesada, and teen actor Dylan Riley Snyder ('Kickin' It') beginning Monday, January 21, during the second season premiere of 'Ultimate Spider-Man' on Disney XD. Further encouraging kids to read, new and classic Marvel Comics stories will be available at disneyxd.com/comics.

Focus on Peter Eotvos, a mini-residency in which the Hungarian composer is participating, features two LA Phil-hosted programs at Walt Disney Concert Hall - a Green Umbrella series concert, Tuesday, January 15, at 8 pm, and an LA Phil concert featuring renowned violinist Midori, Friday, January 18, at 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, January 19 and 20, at 2 pm.

In celebration of its 60th Anniversary release, Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre is thrilled to present Walt Disney's animated classic 'Peter Pan' along with a never before seen episode of Disney Junior's 'Jake and the Never Land Pirates' today, January 11- February 7 2013, it was announced by Lylle Breier, senior vice president of worldwide special events for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Nominations for the 85th Academy Awards were announced this morning by the show's host, Seth MacFarlane, and actress Emma Stone. Lincoln and Life of Pi led the pack of this year's contenders. Below is a list of ACADEMY AWARD nominations by picture

After playing the role of Bert for over two years on the North American tour of Mary Poppins, with a stint on Broadway in Summer 2010, Nicolas Dromard returns to the New Amsterdam Theatre, beginning performances tonight, January 9. Check out the video below of various cast members from MARY POPPINS and EVITA wishing him a Happy 'Bertday!'

In celebration of its 60th Anniversary release, Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre is thrilled to present Walt Disney's animated classic 'Peter Pan' along with a never before seen episode of Disney Junior's 'Jake and the Never Land Pirates' January 11- February 7 2013, it was announced by Lylle Breier, senior vice president of worldwide special events for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

The Los Angeles Master Chorale captures the shared human experience with a pairing of Brahms' sublime Ein Deutsches Requiem and the West Coast premiere of The World in Flower, Peter Lieberson's lyrical and moving message of tolerance written in memory of his wife and muse, famed mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, with whom the Chorale performed Adam's El Niño in Los Angeles and New York.

Internationally-acclaimed conductor Vassily Sinaisky returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall to lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic in three evening performances, tonight through Saturday, January 10 - 12, at 8 pm. The program includes Liadov's Eight Russian Folk Songs, Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 and Holst's The Planets, which has served as great inspiration for many composers of science fiction and fantasy film scores. Leonidas Kavakos, The Strad's "violinist of violinists," plays Prokofiev's concerto, which was the composer's last Western commission.