Well, in case you haven’t heard, Disney is adding another classic film to the Broadway stage in a brand new production! The show will his the New York stage December 7, 2007. It is currently scheduled for previews in Denver, Colorado this summer.
There is a lot of buzz around the theater community right now about this new production, but I will include just a few tidbits that I have picked up in my research.
First off, an article from a Walt Disney employee newsreel highlighting the show:
” The Little Mermaid Splashes Onto Broadway
This summer, some of the theater’s most innovative artists will gather to bring a whole new world of Disney magic and entertainment. Their task? To bring The Little Mermaid, the Disney animated classic based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, to the Broadway stage.
Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios Dick Cook said, “The Little Mermaid will be the perfect addition to our Broadway division, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for entirely new audiences to experience the magic of this beautiful story and these timeless songs. Of course, everyone will ask, “How will they do that?” and I can promise you that this new production won’t disappoint.”
The book for the new musical, directed by Francesca Zambello, is by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning playwright Doug Wright. With a score composed by eight-time AcademyAward® winner Alan Menken and the legendary Howard Ashman, Disney’s The Little Mermaid will feature the classic songs ‘Part of Your World,’ ‘Kiss the Girl’ and the Academy Award-winning Best Original Song, ‘Under the Sea,’ as well as 11 new songs by Alan and lyricist Glenn Slater.
“It’s extraordinary that our team will have brought three unique new productions to Broadway in three successive seasons: Tarzan®, Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid,” said Thomas Schumacher, producer, Disney Theatrical Productions. “We’ve been working on these projects for many years, some for over a decade, and each has been nurtured at a different pace. The stars aligned and all three of them will have come to Broadway by the end of 2007.”
Ariel’s arrival on Broadway is set to premiere at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on December 6, 2007. Ticketing and additional details will be announced at a later date.“
A demo recording has been released to a limited audience, which includes many of the new song ideas for the show. Since the recording, songs have been tweaked, lyrics changed, and even more songs added!
The official show website is up so click here to see more from the show. It just got up and running so I am sure more things will be added to it in the future.
That’s all from Under the Sea for now. I will post other things later.
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