Disney Theatrical
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Disney Theatrical Productions Limited (DTP), also known as Disney on Broadway, is the flagship stageplay and musical production company of the
Disney Theatrical Group The Disney Theatrical Group, legally Buena Vista Theatrical Group Ltd., is the live show, stageplay and musical production arm of The Walt Disney Company. The company is led by Thomas Schumacher, and forms a part of Walt Disney Studios, one of ...
, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios, a major business unit of
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Disney Stud ...
. Founded in 1993 by longtime Disney Entertainment veteran
Ron Logan Ronald Logan (February 9, 1938 – August 30, 2022) was an American businessman who served as executive vice president of Walt Disney Entertainment (now Walt Disney Creative Entertainment). After retiring from the company in 2001, he was formal ...
as Walt Disney Theatrical, the division has gained a reputation within the industry for creating several professional and popular (both critically and financially) performances, starting with ''
Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...
'' on April 18, 1994. Its 1994 investment in taking over the
New Amsterdam Theatre The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theater on 214 West 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the New Amsterdam was built fro ...
spurred a revitalization of
Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...
. The company is a division of
Disney Theatrical Group The Disney Theatrical Group, legally Buena Vista Theatrical Group Ltd., is the live show, stageplay and musical production arm of The Walt Disney Company. The company is led by Thomas Schumacher, and forms a part of Walt Disney Studios, one of ...
, led by
Thomas Schumacher Thomas Schumacher (born December 5, 1957) is a theatrical producer, currently president of Disney Theatrical Group, the theatrical production arm of The Walt Disney Company. Life and career Schumacher studied theatre at UCLA. In 1987 he was ass ...
.


History

Walt Disney Theatrical Production, Ltd. (DTP) was formed on with
Ron Logan Ronald Logan (February 9, 1938 – August 30, 2022) was an American businessman who served as executive vice president of Walt Disney Entertainment (now Walt Disney Creative Entertainment). After retiring from the company in 2001, he was formal ...
, Disney Park's live production head, as president to produce ''
Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...
''. ''Beauty and the Beast'' opened on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
at the Palace Theatre on . Disney Theatrical signed a 49-year revenue based lease for
New Amsterdam Theatre The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theater on 214 West 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the New Amsterdam was built fro ...
in . The building was renovated by
Disney Development Company The Disney Development Company was a fully owned subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, incorporated in Florida. Its primary role had been in the design and construction of certain resort and shopping areas within the Walt Disney World Resort, and t ...
. With ''
The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...
'' under consideration for the next Broadway adaption, Eisner ceded DTP to theatre-rooted Disney Animation president Peter Schneider and
Thomas Schumacher Thomas Schumacher (born December 5, 1957) is a theatrical producer, currently president of Disney Theatrical Group, the theatrical production arm of The Walt Disney Company. Life and career Schumacher studied theatre at UCLA. In 1987 he was ass ...
, at their request, making them president and executive vice president of DTP respectively. In 1997, DTP re-opened the New Amsterdam Theatre with '' King David'' followed by ''
The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...
'' musical. Peter Schneider was promoted to
Disney Studios The Walt Disney Studios is an American film and entertainment studio, and is the Studios Content segment of the Walt Disney Company. Based mainly at the namesake studio lot in Burbank, California, the studio is best known for its multifacete ...
president in January 1999, while Thomas Schumacher was promoted to president of
Walt Disney Feature Animation Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that creates animated features and short films for The Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a scene fr ...
and Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, while both are made co-presidents of Disney Theatrical. On , the corporate name was changed to
Buena Vista Buena Vista, meaning "good view" in Spanish, may refer to: Places Canada *Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, with the name being originally derived from “Buena Vista” *Buena Vista, Saskatchewan *Buena Vista, Saskatoon, a neighborhood in ...
Theatrical Group Limited, with Disney Theatrical Productions becoming a division of the group with the formation of Hyperion Theatricals in . Schneider left Disney Theatrical in June 2001 to form his own theater production company partly funded by Disney. His first project was developing and directing the stage version of ''Sister Act'' with Michael Reno. The musical had its official world premiere on November 3, 2006, at the Pasadena Playhouse, with DTP as an associated presenter during its Broadway run. In 2013, Disney Theatrical revealed that a show based on
The Muppets The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety- sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...
was in exploratory development and that a 15-minute show had been conducted by
Thomas Schumacher Thomas Schumacher (born December 5, 1957) is a theatrical producer, currently president of Disney Theatrical Group, the theatrical production arm of The Walt Disney Company. Life and career Schumacher studied theatre at UCLA. In 1987 he was ass ...
to evaluate the technical components. Disney Studios chairman
Alan Horn Alan Frederick Horn (born February 28, 1943) is an American entertainment industry executive. Horn became President and COO of Warner Bros. from 1999 to 2012. Horn next served as the chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 2012 to 2020. During his ...
in November 2013 created a deal for Disney Theatrical Productions to develop a ''
The Princess Bride The Princess Bride may refer to: * ''The Princess Bride'' (novel), 1973 fantasy romance novel by American writer William Goldman William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He ...
'' stage adaptation, possibly either a musical or play. ''Freaky Friday'' musical was developed by Disney Theatrical Productions from the book and Disney films for theatres to license. The musical premiered in October 2016 at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia followed by three other theatre productions. Coinciding with the August 10, 2018 release of the Disney Theatrical Productions
Disney Channel Original Movie Many television films have been produced for Disney Channel, an American family-oriented basic cable channel and former premium television channel since its launch on April 18, 1983. Until October 1997, films were released under the banner na ...
adaptation, a one-act version of the stage musical (based on the adaptation) was made available for licensing. Disney Theatrical Productions' ''Newsies'' debuted in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on February 19, 2017.


Animation adaptations


''Beauty and the Beast''

The show began previews in New York City on March 9, 1994, and officially opened at the Palace Theatre on April 18, 1994. The musical was the first Broadway adaptation by
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
, based on the 1991 animated film by
Linda Woolverton Linda Woolverton (born December 19, 1952) is an American screenwriter, playwright, and novelist, whose most prominent works include the screenplays and books of several acclaimed Disney films and stage musicals. She is the first woman to have wr ...
and with music and lyrics by Alan Menken,
Howard Ashman Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...
and
Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ...
. Several new songs were written for the Broadway musical, including ''Home'', a ballad sung by Belle which quickly became the signature song of the musical. It ran until July 29, 2007, at the
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, originally the Globe Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 205 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1910, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was designed by Carrère and Hasti ...
, to make room for another Disney production, ''
The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a ...
''. At 5,461 performances, the show is currently the tenth-longest run in Broadway history. It has been performed internationally first at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, Australia and has also been performed in
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
, Toronto,
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin, Keihanshin metropolitan area along wi ...
,
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
, Stuttgart, Sydney,
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...
,
Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...
,
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Dem ...
, Madrid, Moscow,
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
,
Sao Paulo SAO or Sao may refer to: Places * Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD * Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso * Saco Transportation Center (station code SAO), a train station in Saco, Maine, U ...
and has also toured around the US and United Kingdom. In the Netherlands this production was co-produced by
Joop van den Ende Johannes "Joop" Adrianus van den Ende (born 23 February 1942) is a Dutch theatrical producer, co-founder of international television production company Endemol and founder/owner of Stage Entertainment, Europe's largest live entertainment compan ...
's
Stage Entertainment Stage Entertainment is an international operating live entertainment company, a subsidiary of Advance Publications. The company was founded in 1998 by Joop van den Ende in Amsterdam. History The Netherlands / Corporate The root of the company l ...
with new sets and costumes. On April 24, 2019, Disney Theatrical Groups revealed that ''Beauty and the Beast'' would return to Broadway. Thomas Schumacher announced that the Broadway revival would be updated. Theatre and dates have not been announced. The musical will be revived in London's West End at the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...
for a limited engagement lasting from June through September 2022.


''The Lion King''

The show, based on the 1994 animated film, debuted July 8, 1997, in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Orpheum Theatre, before premiering on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theater on October 15, 1997, in previews with the official opening on November 13, 1997. On June 13, 2006, the Broadway production moved to the
Minskoff Theatre The Minskoff Theatre is a Broadway theater on the third floor of the One Astor Plaza office building in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1973, it is operated by the Nederlander Organization and is named ...
to make way for the musical version of ''Mary Poppins'', which later was replaced by ''Aladdin''. It is now Broadway's third longest-running and most successful show in history. The show uses a range of theatrical techniques, and is not a conventional musical. It has consistently been one of the highest grossing musicals on Broadway every week. Besides running in various venues around the world, it also runs eight times week on Broadway. The production won the
Tony Award for Best Musical The Tony Award for Best Musical is given annually to the best new Broadway musical, as determined by Tony Award voters. The award is one of the ceremony's longest-standing awards, having been presented each year since 1949. The award goes to the ...
at the 1998
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
. Its popularity has spawned several additional opening performances around the world, including in London, Toronto, Hamburg, Scheveningen, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Shanghai, Montreal, Tokyo, Paris, Nagoya, Russia, Seoul, Johannesburg, Las Vegas, Taipei, Tempe, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Flagstaff, Madrid, Norway, Italy, Arabia, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Mexico City, Ontario, Nepal, Finland, Switzerland, Chicago, Arizona, Anaheim, Poland, Hong Kong, Greece, Kenya, Milan, Moscow, Egypt, Antarctica, Australia, São Paulo, Ohio, Romania, Jacksonville, Sweden, Jamaica and India. This is the upcoming original London cast recording 1999 in Disney's ''The Lion King'' on West End musical CD soundtrack albums has also toured around law printed in the United States of America.


''The Hunchback of Notre Dame''

The musical opened on June 5, 1999, for the opening of the Musical theater Berlin (now Theater am Potsdamer Platz). After a successful run, it closed in June 2002. Directed by James Lapine, the German translation was by Michael Kunze, choreography by Lar Lubovitch, set design by Heidi Ettinger, costume design by Sue Blane, lighting by Rick Fisher, sound by Tony Meola and projections by Jerome Sirlin. This was Disney's first musical to premiere outside the US, and it became one of Berlin's longest-running musicals to date. As with ''Beauty and the Beast'' and ''The Lion King'', ''Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame'' opened three years after the release of the movie it is based on. The musical is a darker, more gothic adaptation of the film and is more heavily based on
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
's 1831 novel. According to translator Michael Kunze, he was "campaigning to allow Esmeralda to die at the end, as she does in the book. There was a feeling that the audience would be depressed if Esmeralda dies. I feel that a European audience would see this as a very romantic ending ... two lost souls finally find each other. People will cry, but they'll be moved. And it is a very romantic ending." The producers wanted to see how "preview audiences react before making the final decision." In 2008,
Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...
said, "I think we're starting up ''Hunchback of Notre Dame'', hopefully, next year (2009). Rumor has reached my ear that it's happening." Thomas Schumacher, head of Disney Theatrical, discussed current and future stage productions in an article published by the ''
Columbus Dispatch ''The Columbus Dispatch'' is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and it has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since ''The Columbus Citizen-Journal'' ceased publication in 19 ...
'' on September 21, 2008, including an English-language production of Hunchback. The musical had its US premiere at
La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under ...
from October 28 through December 7, 2014. The production was directed by Scott Schwartz and the creative team includes Chase Brock as the choreographer, Michael Kosarin as the music supervisor and arranger, Michael Starobin as the orchestrator, Alexander Dodge as the scenic designer, Alejo Vietti as the costume design Howell Binkley as the lighting designer, and Gareth Owen as the sound design. ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' had a workshop in February 2014. The La Jolla Playhouse production transferred to the
Paper Mill Playhouse Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey on the Rahway River. Due to its relatively close location to Manhattan, it draws from the pool of actors (and audience members) who live i ...
from March 4 through April 5, 2015. In 2017, the German version, with the same set decor, is playing in Berlin and München, Germany. In 2018, the production transferred to Stuttgart.


''Tarzan''

The show was based on the 1999 film of the same name and the novel ''
Tarzan of the Apes ''Tarzan of the Apes'' is a 1912 story by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the first in the Tarzan series. It was first serialized in the pulp magazine '' The All-Story'' beginning October 1912 before being released as a novel in June ...
'' by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and debuted on Broadway on May 10, 2006, at the
Richard Rodgers Theatre The Richard Rodgers Theatre (formerly Chanin's 46th Street Theatre and the 46th Street Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 226 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Her ...
. The show was heavily publicized with Phil Collins and the lead actors promoting the new musical on several media shows including ''
The Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It ...
'', '' Good Morning America'', and ''
Live with Regis and Kelly ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'' (or simply ''Live'') is an American syndicated morning talk show hosted by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. Executive produced by Michael Gelman, the ''Live with...'' show formula has aired under various hosts since ...
''. After playing at the
Richard Rodgers Theatre The Richard Rodgers Theatre (formerly Chanin's 46th Street Theatre and the 46th Street Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 226 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Her ...
for over a year the show closed on July 8, 2007. On April 15, 2007, the musical debuted in Europe in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
as the successor of ''
The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...
'' in Scheveningen. A Broadway musical had never previously arrived in the Netherlands so soon after its Broadway premiere. Phil Collins was a special guest at the 2006 Johnny Kraaijkamp Musical Award s, where he announced the news that Tarzan was coming to the Netherlands. Due to the size of the Circustheater, the show was expanded beyond the original Broadway production. In 2008, a new production opened in Germany. A casting show on TV called "Ich Tarzan, Du Jane" ("I Tarzan, you Jane") searched for actors for the roles of Tarzan and Jane. A revamped tour version had previously been announced to debut in January 2009 in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
at the Theatre of the Stars. The new production was supposed to feature the same music and book, and directed and choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, with scenic design by Kenneth Foy, aerial design by Paul Rubin and lighting design by Ken Billington. The production was ultimately cancelled.


''Disney's My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto's Musical Tale''

''Disney's My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto's Musical Tale'' is a musical based on
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
's 2000 made-for-tv movie ''
Geppetto Geppetto ( , ), also known as Mister Geppetto, is an Italian fictional character in the 1883 novel ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' by Carlo Collodi. Geppetto is an elderly, impoverished woodcarver and the creator (and thus 'father') of Pinocch ...
'', which was in turn based on a book by David Stern, and features music and lyrics by
Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...
. Much like the movie, ''My Son Pinocchio'' is a re-telling of the 1883 children's book ''
The Adventures of Pinocchio ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' ( ; it, Le avventure di Pinocchio ; commonly shortened to ''Pinocchio'') is a children's fantasy novel by Italian author Carlo Collodi. It is about the mischievous adventures of an animated marionette named Pi ...
'' by
Carlo Collodi Carlo Lorenzini (24 November 1826 – 26 October 1890), better known by the pen name Carlo Collodi (), was an Italian author, humourist, and journalist, widely known for his fairy tale novel ''The Adventures of Pinocchio''. Early life Co ...
, but the story is told from Geppetto's perspective. As in the TV film, when Pinocchio runs away to become a star in Stromboli's puppet show, Geppetto must negotiate through a maze of adventures and comic encounters to find him.


''The Little Mermaid''

The musical, based on the 1989 animated film, began Broadway previews on November 3, 2007, and opened on January 10, 2008, at the
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, originally the Globe Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 205 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1910, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was designed by Carrère and Hasti ...
, even through trouble due to the Local One stagehands strike, which ended on November 28, 2007. The world premiere took place at The
Ellie Caulkins Opera House The Ellie Caulkins Opera House is located in Denver, Colorado as part of the large Denver Performing Arts Complex. It seats 2,225. The Caulkins family pledged $7 million towards the enhancement of the lyric opera house and adjacent public spaces ...
at the Denver Center of the Performing Arts in Denver, Colorado. The show features every song from the movie, as well as nine new songs written by Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. The book was written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright
Doug Wright Douglas Wright (born December 20, 1962) is an American playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2004 for his play ''I Am My Own Wife''. Early years Wright was born in Dallas, Texas. He attended and ...
, with direction by
Francesca Zambello Francesca Zambello (born August 24, 1956) is an American opera and theatre director. She serves as director of Glimmerglass Festival and the Washington National Opera. Early life and education Born in New York City, Zambello lived in Europe whe ...
, choreography by Stephen Mear, scenic design by
George Tsypin George Tsypin is an American stage designer, sculptor and architect. He was an artistic director, production designer and coauthor of the script for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. Early life and education Tsypin was ...
, costume design by Tatiana Noginova and lighting design by
Natasha Katz Natasha Katz is an American lighting designer for the theatre, dance, and opera. Biography Early life and education A New York City native, Katz trained at Oberlin College, and early in her career was mentored by Roger Morgan, a lighting design ...
. The musical on Broadway opened to mixed reviews. The original Broadway cast featured Sierra Boggess as
Ariel Ariel may refer to: Film and television *Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award * ''Ariel'' (film), a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki * ''ARIEL Visual'' and ''ARIEL Deluxe'', 1989 and 1991 anime video series based on the novel series ...
,
Norm Lewis Norm Lewis (born June 2, 1963) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in Europe, on Broadway, in film, television, recordings and regional theatre. Productions that he has been involved in include ''Dessa Rose'', ''Miss Saigon'', '' T ...
as
King Triton This article lists information of animated original characters from Disney's ''The Little Mermaid'' franchise, covering the 1989 film, its prequel , its direct-to-video sequel and prequel films, and the stage musical adaptation. ''The Little ...
,
Sherie Rene Scott Sherie Rene Scott (born February 8, 1967)Some sources give 1969, but Scott herself, at thOfficial Sherie Rene Scott Myspace Pageand at Lovece, Frank"Sherie Rene Scott is caught up in the 'Rapture'", ''Newsday'', May 6, 2010, gives 1967 is an Ame ...
as Ursula, Eddie Korbich as Scuttle, Sean Palmer as
Prince Eric This article lists information of animated original characters from Disney's ''The Little Mermaid'' franchise, covering the 1989 film, its prequel , its direct-to-video sequel and prequel films, and the stage musical adaptation. ''The Little ...
, J. J. Singleton, Cody Hanford, Trevor Braun and Brian D'Addario as Flounder, and
Tituss Burgess Tituss Burgess (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in numerous Broadway musicals and is known for his high tenor voice. He is best known for starring as Titus Andromedon on the Netflix comedy series '' Unb ...
as Sebastian. The musical closed on August 30, 2009, after 685 performances and 50 previews. In 2012, a Dutch production premiered.


''Aladdin''

In November 2010, Alan Menken confirmed that a musical theatre adaptation of the 1992 animated film was in the works with a book written by
Chad Beguelin Chad Beguelin (born September 24, 1969) is an American playwright and lyricist. He wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book for '' The Prom''. He also wrote the book for Disney's '' Aladdin'', as well as additional lyrics for the score. He was n ...
. The show premiered at the
5th Avenue Theatre The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theatre located in Seattle's Skinner Building, in the U.S. state of Washington. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land are owned b ...
in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
from July 7 to July 31, 2011. Another production played at the Muny Theatre in
St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
from July 5 – 13, 2012. The musical premiered on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
on February 26, 2014 (in previews) and officially on March 20, 2014, at the
New Amsterdam Theatre The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theater on 214 West 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the New Amsterdam was built fro ...
, taking the place of ''
Mary Poppins It may refer to: * ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fantasy novels that introduced the character. * Mary Poppins (character), the nanny with magical powers. * ''Mary Poppins'' (film), a 1964 Disney film sta ...
'', which closed on March 3, 2013. The musical had a pre-Broadway tryout at the
Ed Mirvish Theatre The Ed Mirvish Theatre, also currently known by naming rights sponsorship as CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, is a historic film and play theatre in the downtown core of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was initially known as the Pantages Theatre, then becam ...
in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
lasting from November 13, 2013, to January 12, 2014.
Casey Nicholaw Casey Nicholaw (born October 6, 1962) is an American theatre director, choreographer, and performer. He has been nominated for several Tony Awards for his work directing and choreographing ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' (2006), ''The Book of Mormon'' (2 ...
directed and choreographed, with
Chad Beguelin Chad Beguelin (born September 24, 1969) is an American playwright and lyricist. He wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book for '' The Prom''. He also wrote the book for Disney's '' Aladdin'', as well as additional lyrics for the score. He was n ...
writing the book and additional lyrics,
Bob Crowley Bob Crowley (born 10 June 1952) is a theatre designer (scenic and costume), and theatre director. He lives between London, New York and West Cork in the south west of Ireland. Career Born in Cork, Ireland on 10 June 1952, Bob Crowley is th ...
as the scene designer, and costume design by
Gregg Barnes Gregg Barnes is an American costume designer for stage and film. Barnes is a two-time winner of the Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Musical for his work on the Broadway productions of ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' (2006) and ''Follies'' (2011 ...
. It was also announced that the musical would open at London's West End officially in June 2016 at the
Prince Edward Theatre The Prince Edward Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Old Compton Street, just north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. History The theatre was designed in 1930 by Edward A. Stone, with an interior designed by Marc ...
, taking the place of the revival of ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed roma ...
'', which closed on 27 February 2016.


''The Jungle Book''

Variety stated that there is an "Early-stages project f''The Jungle Book'', a tuner version (with songs from the
movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
based on
Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...
's novel of the same name) to be written and directed by
Mary Zimmerman Mary Zimmerman (born August 23, 1960) is an American theatre and opera director and playwright from Nebraska. She is an ensemble member of the Lookingglass Theatre Company, the Manilow Resident Director at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinoi ...
( ''Metamorphoses'')." A joint mounting of the production occurred at the
Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization. Part of its present theater complex occupies the la ...
in Chicago and the Huntington Theatre in Boston in 2013, produced by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions. As of 2015, the entire show was in storage awaiting the 2016 live action film. On May 15, 2020,
Rajiv Joseph Rajiv Joseph (born June 16, 1974) is an American playwright. He was named a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play ''Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo'', and he won an Obie Award for Best New American Play for his play ''Descri ...
was announced to be writing the book, while
Richard M. Sherman Richard Morton Sherman (born June 12, 1928) is an American songwriter who specialized in musical films with his brother Robert B. Sherman. According to the official Walt Disney Company website and independent fact checkers, "the Sherman Brot ...
will return to write new songs.
Christopher Gattelli Christopher Gattelli is an American choreographer, performer and theatre director. Early life and career Gattelli grew up in Bristol, Pennsylvania. He started dancing at the age of 11 and is a "Star Search" Grand champion.
was also reported to be directing and choreographing the musical.


''Pinocchio''

A stage version of
Disney's ''Pinocchio'' opened in the Lyttleton Theatre at the Royal National Theatre, London on 1 December 2017, running until 10 April 2018.


''Frozen''

On January 13, 2014, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that a
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
stage adaptation of the hit 2013 3D computer-animated musical film '' Frozen'' was in early development stages. On February 12, 2015, it was announced that the Broadway musical will be directed by two-time Tony nominee
Alex Timbers Alex Timbers (born August 7, 1978) is an American writer and director and the recipient of Tony, Golden Globe, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and London Evening Standard Awards, as well as two OBIE and Lucile Lortel Awards. He is the recipie ...
and is aiming for the Broadway show to open in 2017. On February 9, 2016, it was announced that the musical was scheduled to open in spring 2018. A private reading of the stage version of the musical ''Frozen'' was held in May 2016, with Elsa was played by
Betsy Wolfe Betsy Wolfe (born Elizabeth Marie Wolfe; June 1, 1982) is an American actress, singer, and entrepreneur. Betsy Wolfe is currently starring in the new Broadway musical ''& Juliet'' as Anne. Previously, Wolfe starred as Jenna Hunterson, the titl ...
and Anna was played by
Patti Murin Patti Murin (born September 28, 1980) is an American actress, singer and dancer. On Broadway theatre, Broadway, she has originated the title role in ''Lysistrata Jones'' (2011) and Anna (Frozen), Princess Anna in ''Frozen (musical), Frozen'' (20 ...
. On September 27, 2016,
Michael Grandage Michael Grandage CBE (born 2 May 1962) is a British theatre director and producer. He is currently Artistic Director of the Michael Grandage Company. From 2002 to 2012 he was Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse in London and from 2000 ...
was selected to take over as the director after Timbers left the production, with
Christopher Oram Christopher Oram is a British theatre set and costume designer. Background He trained at the West Sussex College of Art and Design (latterly Northbrook College). Early assisting work for designers Anthony Ward and Ian MacNeil, included ''A ...
coming on board as the scenic designer. A pre-Broadway tryout ran at the
Buell Theatre Buell may refer to: People * Buell (surname) * Buell (given name) Places * Buell, Missouri, United States, an unincorporated community * Buell Peak, Washington state, United States * Buell Peninsula, Victoria Land, Antarctica * Buell Seamount, ...
in Denver, Colorado from August 17 to October 1, 2017. The original Denver and Broadway cast included
Caissie Levy Caissie Levy (born April 15, 1981) is a Canadian-American actress and singer, mainly known for her work in musical theatre on Broadway and in the West End. Her early Broadway credits included Penny Pingleton in '' Hairspray'' and Sheila in ''Hai ...
as Elsa, Patti Murin as Anna,
Jelani Alladin Jelani Alladin (born August 6, 1992) is an American actor, singer, and dancer. In his Broadway debut, he originated the role of Kristoff in the '' Frozen'' musical in 2018. Early life Alladin grew up in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brookly ...
as Kristoff, Greg Hildreth as Olaf, and John Riddle as Hans. Previews on Broadway at the St. James Theatre began on February 22, 2018, with the official opening on March 22, 2018. After 26 previews and 825 regular performances, ''Frozen'' had its last show on March 11, 2020. The show closed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, and on May 15, Disney announced that the show would not reopen on Broadway, but would prepare for a U.S. tour. In 2021, a production in London's West End began previews on August 27, at the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...
, and opened officially on September 8.


''Hercules''

In July 2017, Alan Menken said that he is working on a stage adaptation of the 1997 film, ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...
''. The
Public Theater The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American ...
presented the world premiere of the musical from August 31 through September 8, 2019 at the
Delacorte Theater The Delacorte Theater is a 1,800-seat open-air theater in Central Park, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is home to the Public Theater's free Shakespeare in the Park productions. Over five million people have attended more than 15 ...
. The cast included
Jelani Alladin Jelani Alladin (born August 6, 1992) is an American actor, singer, and dancer. In his Broadway debut, he originated the role of Kristoff in the '' Frozen'' musical in 2018. Early life Alladin grew up in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brookly ...
(Hercules),
Roger Bart Roger Bart (born September 29, 1962) is an American actor and singer. He won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Snoopy in the 1999 revival of '' You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown''. Bart received his second Tony Award n ...
(Hades),
Jeff Hiller Jeff Hiller is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his portrayal of Joel on '' Somebody Somewhere''. He is also known for his role as Mr. Whitely in '' American Horror Story: NYC''. Life and career Hiller graduated from Texas Lut ...
(Panic), Nelson Chimilio (Pain),
James Monroe Iglehart James Monroe Iglehart (born September 4, 1974) He met his wife Dawn in the Mt. Eden High School show choirBlank, Matthew"The Genie of Broadways Aladdin James Monroe Iglehart"playbill.com, March 18, 2014 and they married in 2002. Filmography ...
(Phil), Ramona Keller (Thalia),
Tamika Lawrence Tamika Sonja Lawrence is a two time Grammy winning American actress, singer, and writer. Early life and education Lawrence was born on January 11 in Columbus, Ohio. She received her BFA in musical theatre from the University of Arizona. Career ...
(Calliope),
Krysta Rodriguez Krysta Anne Rodriguez (born July 23, 1984) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Ana Vargas in the NBC series '' Smash'', Summer Henderson in the NBC series '' Trial & Error'', Maxine Griffin in the ABC series '' ...
(Meg), and Rema Webb (Terpsichore). A revised version of the musical is slated to play the
Paper Mill Playhouse Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey on the Rahway River. Due to its relatively close location to Manhattan, it draws from the pool of actors (and audience members) who live i ...
in
Millburn, New Jersey Millburn is a suburban township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's population was 20,149, reflecting an increase of 384 (+1.9%) from the 19,765 counted in the 2000 Census, which had ...
during the 2022-23 season, from February 9 to March 12, 2023. The revised book will be written by
Kwame Kwei-Armah Kwame Kwei-Armah (born Ian Roberts; 24 March 1967 in Hillingdon, London) is a British actor, playwright, director, singer and broadcaster. He is best known for playing paramedic Finlay Newton in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'' from 1999 unti ...
and Robert Horn.


''Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation''

In 2019, it was reported that there had been plans to adapt the ''
Winnie the Pooh Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a fictional Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard. The first collection of stories about the character w ...
'' stories into a Broadway musical with a book written by Edward Albee, but those plans were put on hold when Albee became busy. In May 2021, Disney Theatrical Productions announced that ''Winnie the Pooh'' would be adapted for a run Off-Broadway at the
Theatre Row Building The Theatre Row Building is a complex of five Off-Broadway theatres at 410 West 42nd Street on Theatre Row in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City. The building is owned by the 501(c)(3) organization non-profit Building for the Arts and is ...
, starting October 21 of that year. Another production began playing at Mercury Theatre Chicago in
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
for a limited 13-week run lasting from March 15 to June 12, 2022.


Upcoming productions


''One Hundred and One Dalmatians''

Based on the 1961 Walt Disney animated feature film motion picture of the same name "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" on-stage Broadway musical adaptation.


''Pocahontas''

Based on the 1995 Walt Disney animated feature film motion picture of the same name "Pocahontas" on-stage Broadway musical adaptation.


''Bambi''

Based on the 1942 Walt Disney animated feature film motion picture of the same name "Bambi" on-stage Broadway musical adaptation.


''The Rescuers''

Based on the 1977 Walt Disney animated feature film motion picture of the same name "The Rescuers" on-stage Broadway musical adaptation.


''The Rescuers Down Under''

Based on the 1990 Walt Disney animated feature film motion picture of the same name "The Rescuers Down Under" on-stage Broadway musical adaptation.


Live-action adaptations


''Mary Poppins''

Cameron Mackintosh's stage adaptation of ''
Mary Poppins It may refer to: * ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fantasy novels that introduced the character. * Mary Poppins (character), the nanny with magical powers. * ''Mary Poppins'' (film), a 1964 Disney film sta ...
'' had its world premiere at the
Bristol Hippodrome The Bristol Hippodrome () is a theatre located in The Centre, Bristol, England, United Kingdom with seating on three levels giving a capacity of 1,951. It frequently features shows from London's West End when they tour the UK, as well as re ...
starting with previews from September 15, 2004, before officially opening on September 18 for a limited engagement until November 6. The production then moved to the
Prince Edward Theatre The Prince Edward Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Old Compton Street, just north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. History The theatre was designed in 1930 by Edward A. Stone, with an interior designed by Marc ...
on December 15, 2004. It was announced in June 2007 that this production would close on January 12, 2008, after a run of more than three years. To this date it is the only Disney production to premier on the west-end. A UK tour of ''Mary Poppins'' commenced in June 2008 and ended in April 2009. The Broadway production opened on November 16, 2006, following a month of previews in the
New Amsterdam Theater The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theater on 214 West 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the New Amsterdam was built from ...
. The Broadway production closed on March 3, 2013, after 2,619 performances. A North American tour of the show began at Chicago's
Cadillac Palace Theatre The Cadillac Palace Theatre (originally known as the New Palace Theatre) is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a Nederlander company. It is located at 151 West Randolph Street in the Chicago Loop area. History The theater opened in 1926 as the New ...
in March 2009. An Australian production opened at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre in July 2010. A Dutch production opened in April 2010 at the Circus Theater in Scheveningen. A Czech production opened at Brno City Theatre (Městské divadlo Brno) in November 2010. A Mexican production opened at Centro Cultural Telmex on November 14, 2012, with Bianca Marroquín as Mary. An Icelandic production opened in February 2013 at the Reykjavík City Theater. It is the most expensive, difficult and successful show to be produced in Iceland. The
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
n production opened at
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
Ronacher on October 1, 2014. In 2017, The German version will be playing in the Apollo Theatre in Stuttgart. The show will transfer to the Theater an der Elbe in Hamburg in 2018. In September 2018, it was announced that Mary Poppins would be receiving a west-end revival to open in late 2019, following the closure of Aladdin on the west-end. It will re-open at its original theater, the
Prince Edward Theatre The Prince Edward Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Old Compton Street, just north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. History The theatre was designed in 1930 by Edward A. Stone, with an interior designed by Marc ...
.


''High School Musical''

The hit Disney Channel movie ''
High School Musical ''High School Musical'' is a 2006 American musical television film directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Peter Barsocchini. The 63rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) and first installment of the ''High School Musical'' film series, ...
'' was adapted for the stage in 2007. It had its world professional premiere at the Theatre of the Stars in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, Georgia. A US tour began on August 1, 2007, and ended on August 3, 2008. A West End production opened in July for a limited run. High School Musical has performed internationally in Japan,
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
,
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
, Australia,
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
. ''High School Musical'' is licensed through
Music Theatre International Music Theatre International (MTI) is a theatrical licensing agency based in New York City. Description MTI was founded in 1952 by American composer and lyricist Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker. Along with the licensing rights to Lo ...
and has been performed by over 5,000 theaters throughout the world. Currently there is a Full Length version, One-Act Edition and JR one-hour version designed specifically for middle-school aged performances.


''High School Musical 2''

A stage version of the sequel movie ''
High School Musical 2 ''High School Musical 2'' is a 2007 American musical television film written by Peter Barsocchini and directed by Kenny Ortega. The 70th Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), it is the sequel to ''High School Musical'' (2006) and the second inst ...
'' was released as a stage version in October 2008. Like the original, the show exists in a full-length version, One-Act Edition and a one-hour-long JR version designed for middle-school aged performers and is licensed through
Music Theatre International Music Theatre International (MTI) is a theatrical licensing agency based in New York City. Description MTI was founded in 1952 by American composer and lyricist Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker. Along with the licensing rights to Lo ...
.


''Camp Rock''

A musical version, based on the 2010 film '' Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam'' and features the songs from the first two ''
Camp Rock ''Camp Rock'' is a 2008 American musical television film directed by Matthew Diamond from a screenplay by Karin Gist, Regina Hicks, Julie Brown, and Paul Brown. The 73rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), the film stars Demi Lovato, Joe Jo ...
'' films. The Gardiner Spring Auditorium in
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
on August 5, 2010, and has performed internationally worldwide. The musical is licensed through
Music Theatre International Music Theatre International (MTI) is a theatrical licensing agency based in New York City. Description MTI was founded in 1952 by American composer and lyricist Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker. Along with the licensing rights to Lo ...
.


''Descendants''

A stage adaptation of the popular Disney Channel Franchise, '' Descendants''. The stage adaptation is based on all of the movies including '' Descendants'', '' Descendants 2'', and the most recent installment, ''
Descendants 3 ''Descendants 3'' is an American musical fantasy television film, and the third installment in the ''Descendants'' series, following '' Descendants'' and '' Descendants 2''. It is written by Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon, and is directed ...
''. The show includes music from the movies and animated TV series, '' Descendants: Wicked World'', with additional music and lyrics by Madeline Smith and Nick Blaemire. The show was released through
Music Theatre International Music Theatre International (MTI) is a theatrical licensing agency based in New York City. Description MTI was founded in 1952 by American composer and lyricist Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker. Along with the licensing rights to Lo ...
on February 6, 2020.


''Newsies''

The show, based on the 1992 film, features a book by
Harvey Fierstein Harvey Forbes Fierstein ( ; born June 6, 1952) is an American actor, playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for his theater work in '' Torch Song Trilogy'' and '' Hairspray'' and movie roles in '' Mrs. Doubtfire'', ''Independence Day'', an ...
and music by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman. A reading of the musical was held in New York on December 10, 2010. The musical premiered at the
Paper Mill Playhouse Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey on the Rahway River. Due to its relatively close location to Manhattan, it draws from the pool of actors (and audience members) who live i ...
(
Millburn, New Jersey Millburn is a suburban township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's population was 20,149, reflecting an increase of 384 (+1.9%) from the 19,765 counted in the 2000 Census, which had ...
), in September 2011 with Jeff Calhoun as director. "Disney representatives stated that the production was not eyeing a Broadway berth, but is being explored as a property for licensing by professional and amateur groups." However, due to enthusiastic reviews, the show opened on Broadway on March 29, 2012, at the
Nederlander Theatre The Nederlander Theatre (formerly the National Theatre, the Billy Rose Theatre, and the Trafalgar Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 208 West 41st Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, it was des ...
with an open-ended run. The show was nominated for eight
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
, including Best Musical, winning Best Choreography and Best Original Score. ''Newsies'' gave its final Broadway performance on August 24, 2014, while heading out for a national tour in October 2014. The production was filmed and premiered in cinemas on February 19, 2017. The musical is available for licensing via music theater international with full length and jr version of the musical. The musical is slated to play in London's West End in 2022.


''Freaky Friday''

A musical version of the film, with a book by
Bridget Carpenter Bridget Carpenter (born in New York City) is a television writer and playwright. Biography She received an M.F.A. from Brown University in 1995.Rodriguez, Bill"Bridget Carpenter swings into Trinity" providencephoenix.com, May 11–18, 2000 Her ...
and a score by Ryan Scott Oliver, was expected to have a "developmental production" at the
La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under ...
in spring 2012.
Christopher Ashley Christopher Ashley (born July 6, 1964) is an American stage director. Since 2007, he has been the artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse. Career Ashley graduated from Yale University in 1986, with a Bachelor of Art in Theatre.
was named as "likely" to be the director. A developmental lab is set for 31 March through 10 April 2015. Ultimately music and lyrics fell into the hands of Tom Kitt and
Brian Yorkey Brian Yorkey is an American playwright and lyricist. His works often explore dark and controversial subject matter such as mental illness, grief, the underbelly of suburbia, and ethics in both psychiatry and public education. Early life Yorkey w ...
of ''If/Then'' and ''Next To Normal'' fame. The premier engagement occurred at Arlington Virginia's Signature Theater from October 4 to November 20, 2016, under the direction of Christopher Ashley. The creative team included choreography by Sergio Trujillo, music supervision by Bryan Perri, orchestration by Michael Starobin / Tom Kitt, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting by Howell Binkley and sound design by Brian Ronan and Kai Harada. The west coast engagement at the
La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under ...
(January 31, 2017 - March 19, 2017) reprised most of its Signature Theatre creative team and cast. The Studio Cast Recording album was released by Walt Disney Records on February 10, 2017.


''Bedknobs and Broomsticks''

The musical based on the 1971 film and the stories by Mary Norton will feature songs from the film by The Sherman Brothers, new songs by
Neil Bartram Neil Bartram is a musical theatre composer/lyricist based in New York. Bartram is the composer and lyricist of Disney's ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks'' and Broadway's ''The Story of My Life'' with book writer Brian Hill. Career Prior to Broadway, ...
and a book by Brian Hill is due to be produced by Michael Harrison, by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions and will open in August 2021 in at the Theatre Royal in
Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...
before embarking a UK and Ireland tour. The production will be directed by Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison, with set and illusions also by Harrison.


''The Princess Bride''

Disney plans to adapt William Goldman's ''
The Princess Bride The Princess Bride may refer to: * ''The Princess Bride'' (novel), 1973 fantasy romance novel by American writer William Goldman William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He ...
'' into a stage musical. The book is by Bob Martin and
Rick Elice Rick Elice (born Eric Elice; November 17, 1956) is a writer and former stage actor. Life Elice was born in New York City, where he attended public elementary, junior high, and high schools. He was the salutatorian graduate of Francis Lewis High ...
with songs by
David Yazbek David Norman Yazbek (born 1961) is an American writer, musician, composer, and lyricist. He wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musicals ''The Full Monty'' (2000), '' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'' (2005), ''Women on the Verge of a Nervous Bre ...
.


Upcoming productions


''Alice in Wonderland''

Disney Theatrical is already in early talks with
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), '' Edward Scissorhands'' (1990), '' The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993 ...
and screenwriter
Linda Woolverton Linda Woolverton (born December 19, 1952) is an American screenwriter, playwright, and novelist, whose most prominent works include the screenplays and books of several acclaimed Disney films and stage musicals. She is the first woman to have wr ...
, to develop the 2010 film of the same name into a Broadway musical. Woolverton authored the screenplay for Disney's ''
The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...
'' and is also the
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
-nominated book writer of ''
Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...
'', ''
Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decemb ...
'', and '' Lestat''. Burton will also render the overall designs for the stage musical. Woolverton will adapt her screenplay for the stage production. Neither a composer nor songwriting team has been chosen yet. Robert Jess Roth is set to helm the stage musical that will have choreography by
Matt West Matt West is a choreographer and actor. He choreographed the first Broadway production of ''Beauty and the Beast''. He won a Drama-Logue Award for his work on that show. His acting credits include the role of Bobby in the Broadway musical ''A ...
. The duo also collaborated on Disney's first Broadway outing: ''Beauty and the Beast''. No casting has been announced.


''Father of the Bride''

A stage musical version of the film is in development with
Bartlett Sher Bartlett B. Sher (born March 27, 1959) is an American theatre director. '' The New York Times'' has described him as "one of the most original and exciting directors, not only in the American theater but also in the international world of opera" ...
as expected director.Hetrick, Ada

Variety.com, March 14, 2011


''Cinderella''

Based on the 2015 Walt Disney live-action feature film motion picture of the same name "Cinderella" on-stage Broadway musical adaptation.


Other adaptations


''King David''

King David is a musical, sometimes described as a modern oratorio, with a book and lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Alan Menken. The musical is based on Biblical tales from the Books of Samuel and 1 Chronicles, as well as text from David's Psalms.


''Aida''

''Aida'' is a musical that debuted in March 2000, with lyrics by
Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ...
and music by Elton John. It is based on the opera of the same name by Giuseppe Verdi.


''On the Record''

Debuting in November 2004, the show brought together 60 Disney songs from 1930 right up to 2004. They are woven together loosely by a storyline which is set in a recording studio with young (and old) performers using the songs to express their moods and the interrelationships among the characters they portray. The show played at the National Theatre in Washington D.C., as well as other theatres on a national tour.


''Peter and the Starcatcher''

Disney Theatrical Productions and
La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under ...
(California) adapted ''Peter and the Starcatchers'', which is a prequel to the
Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...
story, into a play with music. The new play is written by
Rick Elice Rick Elice (born Eric Elice; November 17, 1956) is a writer and former stage actor. Life Elice was born in New York City, where he attended public elementary, junior high, and high schools. He was the salutatorian graduate of Francis Lewis High ...
, co-directed by
Roger Rees Roger Rees (5 May 1944 – 10 July 2015) was a Welsh actor and director, widely known for his stage work. He won an Olivier Award and a Tony Award for his performance as the lead in ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby''. He also re ...
and Alex Timbers, and is based on the novel by Dave Barry and
Ridley Pearson Ridley Pearson (born March 13, 1953 in Glen Cove, New York) is an American author of suspense and thriller novels for adults, and adventure books for children. Some of his books have appeared on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. Literary ...
. It was produced as part of La Jolla Playhouse's Page to Stage program, and ran from February 13, 2009, through March 8, 2009. An Off Broadway production opened at New York Theatre Workshop It moved to Broadway on April 15, 2012. The show ended its Broadway run on January 20, 2013, and reopened Off-Broadway once again at
New World Stages New World Stages is a five-theater, Off-Broadway performing arts complex in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is between 49th and 50th Streets beneath the plaza of the Worldwide Plaza complex at Eighth Avenue. ...
in March 2013.


''Shakespeare in Love''

In November 2013, Disney Theatrical Productions, announced plans to mount a stage version of the film ''
Shakespeare in Love ''Shakespeare in Love'' is a 1998 romantic period comedy-drama film directed by John Madden, written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard, and produced by Harvey Weinstein. It stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin ...
'' in London, with Sonia Friedman Productions as co-producer. The West End production played at the
Noël Coward Theatre The Noël Coward Theatre, formerly known as the Albery Theatre, is a West End theatre in St. Martin's Lane in the City of Westminster, London. It opened on 12 March 1903 as the New Theatre and was built by Sir Charles Wyndham behind Wyndham's ...
, with the world premiere scheduled for July 23, 2014. Based on the screenplay by
Marc Norman Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system o ...
and
Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...
, it has been adapted for the stage by Lee Hall. The production is directed by
Declan Donnellan Declan Michael Martin Donnellan (born 4 August 1953) is an English film/stage director and author. He co-founded the Cheek by Jowl theatre company with Nick Ormerod in 1981. In addition to his Cheek by Jowl productions, Donnellan has made theat ...
and designed by Nick Ormerod, the driving force behind the noted theatre company,
Cheek by Jowl Cheek by Jowl is an international theatre company founded in the United Kingdom by director Declan Donnellan and designer Nick Ormerod in 1981. Donnellan and Ormerod are Cheek by Jowl's artistic directors and together direct and design all of ...
. However, it was announced that the production would close on 18 April 2015.


Non-stage productions


''Backstage with Disney On Broadway''

The ABC television special ''Backstage with Disney On Broadway: Celebrating 20 Years'' aired on December 14, 2014. ABC's "Nashville" TV show duo, Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio, performed "Mary Poppins", "The Little Mermaid", "Beauty and the Beast", "Aladdin", "The Lion King", "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", and "Tarzan". in a seven musicals for the special.


Others

*'' Newsies'' – Filmed stage production *''
Freaky Friday ''Freaky Friday'' is a comedic children's novel written by Mary Rodgers, first published by Harper & Row in 1972. It has been adapted for several films, including versions in 1976, 1995, 2003, and 2018, and was reinterpreted as a horror film f ...
'' – 2018 TV film *'' Aladdin'' - Filmed stage production


See also

* Disney on Ice * Disney Live!


References

{{Authority control Entertainment companies based in New York City American companies established in 1993 Entertainment companies established in 1993 Mass media companies established in 1993 1993 establishments in New York City