Non-Disney Animated Films on Broadway

[BwayLB]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 8:35pm

Hello I'm a new member here on the Message Board and I like to start my membership with talking the trend of movies on Broadway. I have ideas for a few Non Disney Animated films that would be amazing for Broadway.

Ferngully The Last Rainforest (1992)

The Swan Princess (1994)

 

Cats Don't Dance (1997)

 

Pebble and the Penguin (1995)

 

Thumbelina (1994)

 

Quest for Camelot (199

 

 

Updated On: 10/18/17 at 08:35 PM

[catmandoo]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 9:27pm

I was just saying the other day, The Swan Princess would be fantastic.

[JennH]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 9:49pm

I hate/love when threads like this come up because I won't.shut.up about it because animated films are my THING....they're honestly I guess my first love come to think of it, as I grew up on Disney, but I also love many of the ones you mentioned, and pretty all the above would work. And I've talked about Swan Princess and Thumbelina with friends, believe you me.

I'll add "Nightmare Before Christmas" not for Broadway, but for any of the Disney Parks as a seasonal show. It's such a brilliant movie that I'm a HUUUGGGGEEEEEEEEE fan of, but it's by no means "Broadway" (add jazz hands), but it would be a GOLD MINE as a show at Disney World, and frankly the Little Mermaid and B and the B shows nnnneeeddd to retire....they're are so old and aged, it hurts. I'll keep saying this until it actually happens dammit, because rumor is it's been talked about but has never gotten past the "talk" stages and how that is, is beyond any comprehension. It's a genius thing waiting happen, that I wonder what on god's green earth could be keeping it from happening. 

But since Nightmare isn't really material right for the Great White Way, Burton's other film that has gotten nothing but compared to "Nightmare" could absolutely work if done right...CORPSE BRIDE. I love this movie so much, and just as much as "Nightmare". It's such a bittersweet little gem that is BIG TIME under appreciated. The songs aren't what I would call memorable, but they're good and serve their purpose, and the soundtrack itself is lovely. Oh and some great FEMALES roles also! I think the amount of female principals actually match the amount of male ones, so Burton and Elfman need to get on this, stat. Also, I've always wanted to live to see Elfman tackle a stage score so....someone out there fund this please!

Of course the issue is that aside from certain Disney films, Anastasia, and Prince of Egypt, I get the idea that many people are tired of animated screen to stage transfers. I personally don't mind, I adore them, I'd see them all, but the majority don't seem to. 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 11:06pm

Just needs an expanded set of new songs. Puppetry for the animal characters and possibly some changes to how Odette and Derek go from childhood rivals to madly in love as adults

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 11:12pm

Have there been any others besides Anastasia and Shrek? I can't think of any off the top of my head. 

With the right people behind it, I'd love to see one of the Ghibli films adapted for the stage. I know they did Princess Mononoke as a stage production, and it looked super cool. Honestly, all of those films are so beautiful and rich with emotion, that any one of them could potential be a great musical, especially if Joe Hisaishi wrote the score. 

Updated On: 10/18/17 at 11:12 PM

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 11:23pm

JBroadway said: "Have there been any others besides Anastasia and Shrek? I can't think of any off the topof my head"

Spongebob - 

??

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 11:25pm

ggersten said: "Spongebob -??"

Right, I mean technically it's based on the animated TV series (which happened to have a film adaptation as well). But I suppose it's the same basic category. 

 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 11:42pm

Welcome!

I'm dying for both Thumbelina (especially this, now a Don Bluth musical made it!) and Swan Princess as Broadway musicals! I watched a bit of Cats Don't Dance the other day and I was thinking if they became humans (blacks vs. whites), this would be perfect!

[BwayLB]

Posted: 10/18/17 at 11:58pm

Well colorblind casting can work just to express the humanlike characteristics of the animal characters.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 12:04am

The Bee Movie!

[vampire musical]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 12:19am

All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

Please someone make this happen!

[Fan123]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 6:03am

I wonder if 'Song of the Sea' would work. The original wasn't a fully-fledged musical, but (as the title suggests) there is a nice Celtic song that has plot significance, as does a musical instrument. The story also involves a witch 'curing' magical creatures of their emotions; with some plot adjustments, singing/dancing could be incorporated as a signifier of emotion. There are some aspects that would be difficult to translate though - the journey plot and the underwater scenes.

[CorkySt.Clair]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 8:07am

JBroadway said: "Have there been any others besides Anastasia and Shrek? I can't think of any off the topof my head.

With the right people behind it, I'd love to see one of the Ghibli films adapted for the stage. I know they did Princess Mononoke as a stage production, and it looked super cool. Honestly, all of those films are so beautiful and rich with emotion, that any one of them could potential be a great musical, especially if Joe Hisaishi wrote the score."

Howl's Moving Castle is being musical-ized in Seattle (https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Seattles-Book-It-Repertory-Theatre-Staging-Musical-Adaptation-of-HOWLS-MOVING-CASTLE-20171005)

[Justin D]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 10:35am

I was happy about Prince of Egypt until I saw the photos

 

Corpse Bride would be my pic

[BwayLB]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 11:04am

vampire musical said: "All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

Please someone make this happen!"

I think that would be tough to do the dog characters

[JennH]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 11:07am

Justin D said: "I was happy about Prince of Egypt until I saw the photos



Corpse Bride would be my pic"

1000% YES to bot these things!! I'm seeing P of E in two days and I'm terrified...but I can at least I saw it after yearning for possibly my most beloved non Disney animated musical to be on stage. 

I'll just repeat Corpse Bride because...yeah. Come to think of it, neither Burton or Elfman have tackled anything for the stage. A theme park "Nightmare" or my dear, underrated, sweet gem that is Corpse Bride would be just the ticket. 

[Phanma]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 11:10am

I've been saying for years, that 'Thumbelina' would make an incredible Broadway show.  It was my daughters' favorite animated movie as a child (even over the Disney films).  The soundtrack was composed by Barry Manilow.  It definitely has some memorable songs.  

[Patty3]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 1:53pm

The obvious - Sing

Updated On: 10/19/17 at 01:53 PM

[BwayLB]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 2:44pm

Patty3 said: "Bedknobs and BroomSticks."

That's a Disney movie. This form is for non Disney

[bowtie7]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 7:00pm

Would also love to see Cat's Don't Dance become a stage musical. Darla Dimple is just a perfect musical comedy villain. Maybe the right director could even figure out the massive flood and final confrontation on that giant Macy's Thanksgiving--style balloon.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/19/17 at 7:17pm

BwayLB said: "vampire musical said: "All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

Please someone make this happen!"

I think that would be tough to do the dog characters"

Why? They seem to have figured out a way to do it with cats —-and lions. 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/20/17 at 11:19am

Oh, damn, this is clearly the wrong thread for this as I just realized you were asking about animated films.

But anyway..... before i caught my error, I wrote:

Francois Ozon's offbeat musical film "Eight Women" might be a delightful musical.  Probably best suited to a one act chamber style format with the kind of delicious starry casting the movie had (featuring Deneuve, Ardant, Beart, Darrieux, and Huppert).  The movie is a perfect confection of delicious camp, mystery, cabaret style intimate vocals, and uber glam diva worship.  The score might well benefit from some judicious additions for the stage... or not, I'm really not sure.

I thought of this when I heard of Danielle Darrieux's death yesterday at age 100.  One of France's most romantic classic screen leading ladies (Mayerling, The Earrings of Madame de...), she also frequently appeared on stage, including musicals.  She replaced Hepburn on Broadway in Coco.    

Updated On: 10/20/17 at 11:19 AM

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 10/20/17 at 11:52am

I’m listening to Thumbelina right now and I can’t stop picturing it as a stage musical. Can the Anastasia producers make it happen?!

[TheSassySam]

Posted: 10/20/17 at 11:56am

I wouldn't be mad at a Studio Ghibli musical. Imagine how gorgeous Spirited Away would be.

 

EDIT: I forgot Studio Ghibli is a part of Disney, still think it would make a great musical!

Updated On: 10/20/17 at 11:56 AM

[lady_luck]

Posted: 10/20/17 at 12:04pm

BwayLB said: "Hello I'm a new member here on the Message Board and I like to start my membership with talking the trend of movies on Broadway. I have ideas for a few Non Disney Animated films that would be amazing for Broadway.
 

Quest for Camelot 

THIS! I have always thought that the Quest for Camelot soundtrack is one of the best of all time. This movie is DYING to be made into a Broadway show! Can you imagine the staging? I think it would be entertaining for children, but also has deep enough themes that it would appeal to adults. Now if they could only figure out a way to successfully portray the dragons...