Disney's next Broadway venture is....(updated with more info)- Page 5

[starlyricist]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 3:27pm

Although it is my understanding that Mary doesn't fly anymore (and Bert doesn't dance upside down anymore).

Sorry, a friend that recently saw it said that Bert didn't tap upside down and Mary didn't fly (and they didn't make any announcements of technical issues), so his assumption was they took it out. Glad to see it is still there! Maybe just technical issues that night!

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 3:58pm

I can picture the 11 o'clock number.

Dumbo puppet/horse thing is flying though the audience starting to sing "Ebony and Ivory"
Updated On: 3/5/10 at 03:58 PM

[kdowicked]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 4:07pm

My only question is why hasn't Disney made Hercules into a musical? Now THAT would be amazing!

[Trainwreck]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 4:54pm

byebyebaby12 - I think that the 11 o'clock number would be "Black or White" by Michael Jackson.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 5:18pm

Trainwreck- NO! If it is Ebony and Ivory then it is a double entendre. (the crows will be flying with him)

[Trainwreck]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 6:30pm

Haha! Got it. Good choice!

[romgitsean]

Posted: 3/6/10 at 1:09pm

I honestly couldn't see Hercules, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Sleeping Beauty or Aladdin working. I think Hunchback has the most potential, but Disney wants a show that will last years...and I couldn't see Hunchback lasting for years. I thought Little Mermaid would've lasted for years, actually, I really did, but they focused less on the quality of the material than the quality of the sets and costumes. I appreciate with Dumbo they are going to try to fix it up and make it something and really try something different, but it's just NOT that kind of show. If they're going to fix up something, I'd rather them fix up Bedknobs and Broomsticks or something. I could honestly see Poco or Newsies lasting for a long time.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/6/10 at 2:31pm

I have a feeling Besty was right when he said this all sounded like an April's Fool Joke. From what I understand, this is all Riedel joking.

[Biff AKA Levi]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 6:35am

I would KILL to write the book for ALADDIN. I think it would be AMAZING. There's so much room for:

1) Great sets
2) Great lights
3) Great love songs

And, like The Little Mermaid, it has a great act one closer: "A Whole New World".

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 7:29am

I'm rooting for Hunchback and Aladdin. I adored the HoND minishow at Disney World and adore the currently running Aladdin show at Disneyland. Both of those movies work REALLY well on stage, and hearing the HoND score performed live was chill-inducing at times.

Hercules had a musical as well, on the cruise ships. It was pretty quirky. Hercules was akin to Elvis, Hades did standup, Pain and Panic were female, and one of the Muses was a man. Still cute enough, though.



Hercules the Muse-ical Updated On: 3/7/10 at 07:29 AM

[Brick]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 12:48pm

ray-andallthatjazz86, I had the same thought. It sounds like a joke, even if it could be brilliant.

But why would someone who is so often accused of making up stories make up a story completely over a series of columns. It seems it would shred his already shaky credibility and take the column further away from gossip and into just plain satire.

[DeNada]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 1:17pm

Hunchback COULD happen again - although I suspect it's still only in negotiations, the head of Stage Entertainment in Holland announced that there would be a reworked production opening there in the next few years at a recent press conference. Given that Stage Ent absorbed what was left of Stella (the original German producers) I don't think it's impossible.

[Brick]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 2:06pm

Last I heard, HUNCHBACK was headed for TV, but then that stalled. Jason Moore was onboard to direct. Again, this was at least 2 years ago.

Although they have strong scores, I don't think POCAHONTAS, HUNCHBACK, or HERCULES have the widespread appeal to last years and return an investment. If THE LITTLE MERMAID, albeit with a ridiculous production, didn't last, I can't see these doing well.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 2:08pm

Another Disney musical.

Yeah, lets all just simply jump for f**kin' joy.

[kvnd]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 9:17pm

I was thinking with Hercules they could take the great gospel score Menken wrote and have him write more. With the sets and costumes, have it deconstructed to stylized Greek, just like Lion King with the African motif.

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 10:18pm

"And, like The Little Mermaid, it has a great act one closer: "A Whole New World"."

"A Whole New World" is a little late in the show to close act one, isn't it? "Prince Ali" seems a more logical choice...

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 4:43pm

I think "Prince Ali" is definitely a great Act I closer or Act II opener. The song comes almost exact at the half of the movie. I would think a "Friend Like Me" reprise as an act I closer, than the big spectacle of "Prince Ali" for an Act II opener.

[Will O'Donnell]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 8:00pm

So many better options (Aladdin, Hunchback)...WHY?!

I mean it could work, but I doubt it will.

[Biff AKA Levi]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 9:23pm

Who said the musical's book has to be same as the movie's screenplay?

They don't. Beauty and the Beast and Lion King's book don't follow the screenplay scene for scene. Why would Aladdin's? If Act 1 is about Aladdin pining over Jasmine, then it should end with them getting together.

[Disneyland Magic Man]

Posted: 3/9/10 at 3:30am

That's right... Act 1 will end with Kerry Butler as Jasmine performing the cut song "Call Me A Princess" as an S&M number while Aladdin eats her out.

The button will be Genie singing a tag of Friend Like Me.

"You ain't never had a friend like me!" followed by a big musical bump.

Disney has to appeal to the Spring Awakening crowd.


But in all seriousness... As someone who's talked to Peter Schneider (producer of The Lion King and Aida) about Hunchback, it's not going to happen in the US. Disney wants it squeeky clean like the film and Stephen Schwartz won't budge on the issue. Just like Newsies will probably never happen because Disney isn't willing to take the financial risk on something that flopped in movie theaters (despite it's cult following). They're also not willing to let someone else produce it and have it be successful.

I hate to say it, but they're probably actually considering Dumbo. Aladdin at California Adventure was originally billed as a Broadway musical and they flaunted the fact that talent was brought in from NY and LA to fill the cast. While it's been extremely popular at the park, it's a bad show. If it was going to make the move to Broadway, it would have happened before Mermaid or Tarzan. Snow White An Enchanting New Musical was pretty much prepped as a possible Broadway show bringing in director Eric Schaeffer and contracting a new score to make it sound like a Broadway musical (and because Disney doesn't own the songs or score to the original film). That was a piece of crap as well. Let's look at the following...

-Beauty and the Beast started as a popular show at the park and became one of the longest running shows on Broadway.
-The Lion King also started as a very popular at the park and is currently one of the longest running shows on Broadway.
-Tarzan ALSO started as a very popular show at the park... and we know how that turned out.
-The Little Mermaid ALSO started as a very popular show at the park, not to mention is renowned for being the pivotal film in the Disney Animated cannon to resurrect the genre... and we know how that turned out.

I just would not be surprised if now they're straying away from their "success in the park/success on Broadway" formula.

And before people bring up Poppins, that was Cameron Macintosh's love child from the get go. Disney only serves as a co-producer because you can't do Poppins without Disney and those Sherman Brothers songs. At least that's what Mr. Macintosh had to convince a disgruntled P.L. Travers on her death-bed.

[Disneyland Magic Man]

Posted: 3/9/10 at 3:30am

double post. Updated On: 3/9/10 at 03:30 AM

[choitoy]

Posted: 3/9/10 at 7:56am

I was wondering about this again after the Ridel post, and reading about all the things against it (one biggie being that Dumbo is mute in the movie).

I brought this up with my sister (who was the biggest Dumbo fan when she was little, and would not go to sleep until the Dumbo VHS tape was popped in, and I sometimes ended up watching it with her, but at that age, I thought the move was a lot longer than it is). She then proceeded to dredge up memories of that Disney channel show, "Dumbo's Circus". So naturally I had to look it up on the old YT website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attoEWTbhrs

God, it's soooo horrible (though I did watch it with her when I was younger). And unfortunately, this will be all I think about whenever a Dumbo musical is mentioned.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/9/10 at 10:56am

Who said the musical's book has to be same as the movie's screenplay?

Nobody. Hunchback had a different book in the German production, including the original ending rather than the animated happy ending.

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 3/9/10 at 12:20pm

"Beauty and the Beast and Lion King's book don't follow the screenplay scene for scene. Why would Aladdin's? If Act 1 is about Aladdin pining over Jasmine, then it should end with them getting together."

I know that, but that's like ending act one of "The Little Mermaid" with "Kiss the Girl" or "Beauty and the Beast" with the titular love song.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/9/10 at 12:35pm

Yeah I agree. You can't really end the act with "A Whole New World." It would seem like a happily-ever-after ending. You need some sort of unfinished business or drama at the end of the act for people to want to see the second act. If you're going to end the act with a ballad, it better be a big power ballad like in Beauty and the Beast and leave it unresolved. Aladdin transforming into Prince Ali (a la Little Mermaid/Lion King) makes much more sense theatrically.

~Steven
Updated On: 3/9/10 at 12:35 PM