No Shame in this post....Disney Theatrical Future Production

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:15pm

So here it is. First I'd like to say hey to everyone on the boards. I havent post in about 6 months and it seriously feels like a lifetime..So it's nice to be back in good company.

And to clear up the title of the post is because normally when the "crazy thinkers" on here have an idea they're SO afraid it will be shot down by the nay-sayers (and people with nothing better to do than just rain on parades) that they often say things like "Please don't kill me for this" or they make their posts and then say "*Ducks for cover*)


I've been doing A LOT of thinking in the last few weeks about what show I would like to see done on Broadway (New or Revival). It seems like most of my favorites have been done in about the last 10 years or so, and as much as I'd like to see some more revivals go up, I think more than ever I'm excited to post about one show (a new musical) that I'm dieing to see performed.

Now, mind you, I havent done the research as to if they are already in talks for doing this as a stage show, etc. And I'm sure there are PLENNNNNNNNNNNNNNTY of nay-sayers out there who will moan and bitch about what I have to say.

I really do believe that done RIGHT, Pocohantas (as done by Disney Theatricals) could seriously be one of their best shows.
I suppoe the reason I didn't post about this before is because I really wanted to think it through and here's what I came up with...

First of all, the show would be much like 1776, a very male dominant cast (which is rare to see on Broadway). I enjoy shows where the men to women ratio is uneven (it breaks up the "traditional Broadway chorus"). Second, I believe that Pocohantas has the most gorgeous underscore ever written for a Disney ANIMATED film. I would love to hear live orchestrations for this show. Technically (and technical theatre, that is) I think the show could be VERY exciting; executing such feats as the Storm scene in the beginning, Grandmother Willow's Tree, etc.

The show also (carrying from the film of course) would have several beautiful SONGS and I'm sure much like Mary Poppins, Tarzan, Lion King, etc, that several NEW songs would be added for a Broadway Production.

I would also like to think that casting would allow for many new faces never seen on Broadway. With shows today, dominantly of white cast members, it is VERY refreshing to see such shows as The Wiz, and The Color Purple for examples. But how many shows from the past have had Native American cast members (as the majority)? None to my knowledge....

Maybe it's because I haven't seen it yet, but I do have a very uneasy feeling about TARZAN being on a Broadway Stage. I just feel like it may be a little pre-mature if you will. But I suppose in it's defense...Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King weren't too old before their stage productions hit the Great White Way. Foiled!

I was so moved one day by the thought of it, that on a free saturday, I used PowerPoint and several hours of work to create the last scene of the show which I had transposed for what I would like to see done on the stage. Now, mind you it's not great and I can invision it more properly in my mind, but I'll even go so far as to say that if you have a good imagination and are even somewhat technical-theatrically minded and would like to see it, send me your email and i'll reply back with it (just make sure you have Microsoft Powerpoint (XP)

Glad to be back folks! Let me know if any of you are doing theatre in the South East!

[Katurian2]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:22pm

First of all- I mean no personal offense with the following post. But- really. No. Pocahontas has to be one of the worst movies ever made. If you don't agree with that- you can obviously see that is it the most historially innaccurate. My American Philisophical Studies class gets their biggest laughs over wathing this movie, and the show would probably be an even bigger source of humor. No. No. No. Please- let us teach out children some real history for once. If you like that subject- I suggest a musical of "The Mission" talk about a great movie.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:28pm

I enjoy the film and the music is amazing. However - no. I don't think it'd work at all. It reeks theme park show - not Broadway.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:29pm

Barring the inaccuracy of the show, I agree that it could work for the stage in a very beautiful, artistic way. But even so, like Katurian said, it's so historically wrong that it would be a shame to keep giving that impression to the younger kids upon which the movie was geared. Granted, Broadway shows have a different audience, but even so -- it's like lying through another venue. One was enough. :P

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:39pm

Interesting how everyone always jumps on the historical inaccuracies of Pocahontas and John Smith and everything, and completely ignore the homosexual, inter-species relationship depicted in the movie.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:43pm

I think the Pocahontas story is a terrific one (particularly when Pocahontas returns to England to become "civilized) and would lend itself very nicely to a Broadway musical.

Just not geared toward kids, and not involving Stephen Schwartz or Disney.

Disney seems to have an extreme knack for dumbing things down and ruining them in exchange for visual excitement. Or, what they think is visually impressive. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was visually impressive at the Palace, THE LION KING has it's moments, and TARZAN contans about 2 minutes of visual bravura.

I would like to see a musical about the story of Pocahontas - but not based off the disney film.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:50pm

You wrote a lovely post, and I have no qualms about admitting that I actually cried at the end of POCAHONTAS. I think a lot of the film is lovely, and would be grandly theatrical on stage.

But no, a Broadway production will not happen. Disney was shocked at the backlash against the film: from historical purists and Native American leaders. That of course didn't keep them from doing special edition dvds and animated sequals, they are corporate Disney after all.

But they would be crazy to try this on Broadway. Particularly after the disaster in the making that is TARZAN. How would they cast it for one? Where are the Native American singers and dancers going to come from? How would they possibly sway critics, when the film was one of the worst received of their newer animated "classics." What is the marketing angle? Who is the audience for this? Its awfully adult to appeal to small children.

I think we will probably see a musical of LADY AND THE TRAMP before we see POCAHONTAS on Broadway.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:51pm

I also would love to possibly see a musical about Pocahontas. Not done by Disney. Or anywhere near Disney. One that is historically accurate, and shows events as they truely occured. Where Pocahontas isn't a twin of a fashion model, and John Smith doesn't have Mel Gibson's voice, and we see the colony for the failure it truely was.

Updated On: 9/15/06 at 08:51 PM

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:56pm

Well, I agree Munk...

I would like to see the story told and yes, I wish it were done historically correct in the disney film. But the real reason I think it would be amazing is for the Score from the movie. I'm sure new writers could do a lovely job. But I guess it's hard for me to imagine it being done without Colors of the Wind and Just Around The River Bend...

And I figured there would be ones to comment on how it wouldnt work because it of it's historical innaccuracies...And I realize it's like apples and oranges...and it may just be Disney putting their spin on it...but think about what they did with SEVERAL of the Brothers Grimm Stories...I don't remember seeing the step sisters cutting off parts of their feet to fit the slipper...

So the thing is...I guess if Disney WERE'NT to produce it and it wasn't correct in the historical sense, THEN I would have a hard time with the show. But I mean, think about Disney and who they are geared towards....I don't think Pocahantas as a Broadway show would be projected for College Professors and Students majoring American Philisophical Studies...

But let me ask you this Katurian2...does your class also get a good laugh about how We (as Americans and descendants of the origionals) came in a told the Natives to get out of our way?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:57pm

One of the worst movies ever made? You must have seen only good movies in your lifetime. What a ridiculous statement.


With that out of the way, I was surprised it was excluded from even being nominated for AFI's Best Movie Musicals list, esepecially when crap like Bye Bye, Birdie snuck in there.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:59pm

Actually, if we're looking at properties that would work well on stage, consider ALICE IN WONDERLAND. The score isnt that bad, all things considered, and a director like Taymor would have a field day with it.

But seeing how Disney chooses its projects, we'll probably see MULAN next.

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:04pm

Well, I suppose it may be a little harsh to say to it wasn't well received....It's made over $400,000,000 for Disney...and regardless of what Critics and the like might say about it...400 million is 400 million....Somebody was paying for tickets and I doubt it just sat on the racks at Wal-mart when it was released...

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:08pm

One word. HUNCHBACK. Bring it to Broadway! And better yet, bring Drew Sarich back as Quasimodo.

I also second the "Alice in Wonderland" vote. It'd be a great role for Allison Fischer (late of Lestat).

Pochahontas is one of my favorite Disney films, but it's not a good one to bring to the masses. They'll have to deal with the "political correctness" of it, and it didn't have the same reception as say, The Little Mermaid or Lion King.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:12pm

$400 million is kind of a poor showing for Disney in comparison to the $800 million The Lion King made the year before. Obviously amazing in comparison to all other movies, but for Disney, it was a disappointment.

Updated On: 9/15/06 at 09:12 PM

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:13pm

oh yes, Allison would be PERFECT in ALICE IN WONDERLAND :)

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:16pm

Hell, I just wanna see Allison. She was one of the only reasons I still have my Lestat bootleg.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:21pm

>> HUNCHBACK. Bring it to Broadway!

The Berlin production is supposedly coming to NY -- summer next year, if I remember right.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:23pm

Well, they'd better cast Drew in it. He was another reason.

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:28pm

I agree skittles, that in COMPARISON it doesn't look so well on them...But I guess, if Disney were MY company and I saw 400 million roll in...I wouldn't be crying ya know lol.

Also, to go back to your post Bennett:
(Q)How would they cast it for one?
(A) With a cast? lol .....(I'm not really sure what you mean by that)

(Q)Where are the Native American singers and dancers going to come from?
(A) My point that I wanted to make was that you don't often see many shows (and really none to my memory) that include Native American Cast members. With a show focusing on them (and especially the star vehicle), it would be a good chance for Native American performers out there to showcase their otherwise all too turned down talents for roles that were given to whites..

(Q) How would they possibly sway critics, when the film was one of the worst received of their newer animated "classics."
(A) I really don't know. But they're Disney...I'll leave it at that.


(Q)Who is the audience for this?
(A)Anyone who believes in the power of love. Okay, so it's not correct according to history but it doesn't take a true story to make me believe in love. The Color Purple, BASED on MANY experiences of Alice Walker, STILL FICTIONAL, made me believe in the power and beauty of love for others and personal love.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:31pm

Historical accuracy? In a musical?

Okay, the only one I can think of that even came close to real fidelity to history is BEN FRANKLIN IN PARIS. Even 1776 blew it on some key points.

[Julian2]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 9:33pm

I want to see Alladin, done with the Menken-Ashemen-Rice-Schwartz songs, but not at all associated w/ Disney.

NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

Which is sad, I love those songs, I love the part of genie. One thing I think would be awesome to look at, are the original Ashemen (spl?) story treatments where Aladdin is trying to prove himself to his family. More Ashemen songs, and might work better on stage. I LOVE THAT MOVIE. I WANT IT ON THE STAGE.

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 10:10pm

I can't believe I'm getting off topic...but I'm sorry..I'm done on shows involving objects taking flight.

As far as Alice In Wonderland...send in Heather Tepe!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 10:17pm

My point was that there aren't exactly thousands of triple threat Native American performers out there, and I think there would be a lot of protest if the show were to cast Latin or Black Actors as Native Americans.

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 10:30pm

MB, Maybe you should turn on ABC and watch this program about stereotypes...How do you know there aren't thousands of triple threat native americans?

I can only imagine that before the Civil Rights Movement that blacks were regarded in the same manner...sure there were black singers and black actors...but triple threats?

Funny how people would protest(in bennett's opinion) Native Americans playing Native Americans...and yet these are the same people shelling out well over $100 dollars (admission and expenses) to see Pocahantas played by a Dark Tanned White Girl doing a College Internship at Walt Disney World....

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 10:33pm

I could see it working on an epic scale. something only Disney could afford. maybe even stylize it to the point of having an informed creative staff of writers and directors to bring in classic elements of Native American folk lore and performance art. would it really be so terrible if they just brought someone in to correct the historical inaccuracies and give it a more authentic Native American flavor?