Live at the New Am

[Sauja]

Posted: 7/22/21 at 2:32pm

Anyone catch last night's concert? I'm not sure how interested I am in catching it so am curious about any thoughts. And a setlist (or as much as one remembers).

[veronicamae]

Posted: 7/22/21 at 3:30pm

Tonight is actually the first concert for the public (unless there was a secret one?). I'll be there!

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 7/22/21 at 3:43pm

I'm going on Sunday and I'm really excited.

I've seen snippets on social media of the quartet of Disney Broadway folks performing what I presume is a similar set from their Disney World concerts and I'm sure it's going to be wonderful. 

The New Amsterdam was one of the last Broadway theaters I was in the day before shutdown (I saw the matinee of Aladdin on March 11th 2020) and I'm sure to be a little emotional being back there. 

[Sauja]

Posted: 7/22/21 at 4:27pm

veronicamae said: "Tonight is actually the first concert for the public (unless there was a secret one?). I'll be there!"

Oops! Then I hope to hear tomorrow, I suppose. :)

[Danasi]

Posted: 7/22/21 at 8:07pm

ClumsyDude15 said: "I'm going on Sunday and I'm really excited.

I've seen snippets on social media of the quartet of Disney Broadway folks performing what I presume is a similar set from their Disney World concerts and I'm sure it's going to be wonderful.

The New Amsterdam was one of the last Broadway theaters I was in the day before shutdown (I saw the matinee of Aladdin on March 11th 2020) and I'm sure to be a little emotional being back there."

We're going on Sunday too. I'm looking forward to it. Though I'm curious to what people think as who see it before

[veronicamae]

Posted: 7/23/21 at 12:37am

I'm home! It was super fun. There were 2-4 songs from each of these shows (the order might be a little wrong...) and...idk I guess I'll put show details behind a spoiler thing as a courtesy! (good grief using the spoiler tool is way too complicated....it literally will not unspool for me so lmk if it doesn't work/you want more info)

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Order might be a little off:


Hercules
Aida
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
Tarzan
The Little Mermaid

Mary Poppins
Newsies
Freaky Friday
Aladdin
Frozen


In attendance were many members of the Disney on Broadway family. Notably, James Monroe Iglehart was called out/up by Michael James Scott and gave us a verse of "Friend Like Me" from the audience. Heidi Blickenstaff was also very enthusiastic about Ashley Brown's performance of what I assume was Heidi's big ballad from Freaky Friday. 

There was also a very emotional moment during "For the First Time in Forever" - Ashley Brown sang the lines about "there'll be actual real live people...there'll be magic, there'll be light" and the audience audibly reacted, everyone connecting with what those words meant in that setting and for the industry. I actually burst into tears in that moment.  

 

I think it ran just over two hours, and it had a normal-length intermission. Concessions were sold. No Playbills of any kind were used.

Happy to answer any questions about COVID-type stuff, etc, too. They did check my proof and ID closely, my e-ticket was scanned w/o contact. Masks optional, more were wearing than weren't, but only by like 60/40. I didn't and did not feel at all unsafe. There weren't empty seats between groups, at least not in the orchestra, which was probably 80% full. It felt like a very normal night at a Broadway theater.

Updated On: 7/23/21 at 12:37 AM

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 7/23/21 at 7:41am

It is astonishing to me that Disney owns some of the most gorgeous music, the Hunchback score, and does absolutely nothing to celebrate it. Freaky Friday and Hercules we’re not on broadway and neither was Hunchback, but the first two are on the list and the latter is not. Yes, they recorded an album, but that was the least that should’ve been done for that glorious music.

[Danasi]

Posted: 7/23/21 at 10:13am

veronicamae said: "I'm home! It was super fun. There were 2-4 songs from each of these shows (the order might be a little wrong...) and...idk I guess I'll put show details behind a spoiler thing as a courtesy! (good grief using the spoiler tool is way too complicated....it literally will not unspool for me so lmk if it doesn't work/you want more info)

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Order might be a little off:


Hercules
Aida
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
Tarzan
The Little Mermaid
Newsies
Freaky Friday
Aladdin
Frozen


In attendance were many members of the Disney on Broadway family. Notably, James Monroe Iglehart was called out/up by Michael James Scott and gave us a verse of "Friend Like Me" from the audience. Heidi Blickenstaff was also very enthusiastic about Ashley Brown's performance of what I assume was Heidi's big ballad from Freaky Friday.

There was also a very emotional moment during "For the First Time in Forever" - Ashley Brown sang the lines about "there'll be actual real live people...there'll be magic, there'll be light" and the audience audibly reacted, everyone connecting with what those words meant in that setting and for the industry. I actually burst into tearsin that moment.

 

I think it ran just over two hours, and it had a normal-length intermission. Concessions were sold. No Playbills of any kind were used.

Happy to answer any questions about COVID-type stuff, etc, too. They did check my proof and ID closely, my e-ticket was scanned w/o contact. Masks optional, more were wearing than weren't, but only by like 60/40. I didn't and did not feel at all unsafe. There weren't empty seats between groups, at least not in the orchestra, which was probably 80% full. It felt like a very normal night at a Broadway theater."

Thanks for the info!  I think a lot of what I'm looking forward to is like you said, having a normal night in the theatre (plus I grew up on Disney songs, so that's a bonus).  It will be interesting to see if Ashely Brown reacts the same to that line on Sunday, I'm sure those of us in the audience will

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 7/26/21 at 6:40pm

Yesterday was absolutely magical and rather emotional for me as this was my first time back in a Broadway theater since March 11th 2020. I had been to the matinee of Aladdin that day, so it was surreal being back in the New Amsterdam (where the understudy board from March 11th was still up as I walked into the lobby) over a year later. 

As VeronicaMae mentioned, each show was represented with between 2 to 4 selections from each show (the exception being Mary Poppins which Act Two opened with Supercal.. and Ashley doing the original choreography). 

I was very emotional from the moment the lights came down and there were some emotional moments for many during the show. Ashley was rather emotional during her number from Freaky Friday as her daughter was seeing her on Broadway for the first time and the previously mentioned moment from For The First Time in Forever was emotional and got a rousing reaction from the audience. 

The quartet of Disney on Broadway alumni were absolutely incredible and I got chills so many times during the show. Everyone got to shine brightly thorough the entire show and the four of them have such great chemistry together and were just having a ball. 

I never got to see Ashley Brown as Belle (or Mary Poppins) but I'd always wanted to hear her sing A Change In Me live and what a moment it was. I know she's very content with concerts as it makes being there as a mom easier, but my god, we need her back in a show some day soon. That voice is stunning. 

I had not seen Josh Strickland on stage since Tarzan and I had forgotten what a voice he has. He slayed every number he had - my personal favorites being My Strongest Suit and Santa Fe. He's another one who needs to find himself back on Broadway some day soon. 

Kissy Simmons was Nala when I saw Lion King back in 2004 and I don't know too much about her other than her involvement in Lion King, but she was fabulous vocally and just a joy to watch. Her singing Shadowlands and Easy As Life gave me chills and I loved her duet on Watch What Happens with Ashley.  

Michael James Scott is just everything and the kitchen sink when he's on stage and always seems to be having the best time. I love his voice and I can't wait to see him back on the New Amsterdam stage when Aladdin reopens. 

I feel like VeronicaMae covered a lot of the Covid things, but it was incredibly easy of a process. I showed my ID and my vaccination card and went right in with no trouble whatsoever. I won the lottery and was in the balcony where most people didn't wear masks, but I kept mine on the entire time. 

The entire afternoon was just delightful and I would love to see Disney tour this type of concert similar to what they're doing with the Disney Princess concert (formerly Broadway Princess Party) with rotating casts of Disney on Broadway alumni. 

After seeing the concert yesterday, I was inspired to do the Double the Magic deal Disney on Broadway has going to get 1 ticket to Lion King and 1 ticket to Aladdin. So much Disney magic, so little time. 

 

Updated On: 7/26/21 at 06:40 PM