“Aladdin” Next Up on Broadway

Fresh off of the Broadway success of “Newsies,” Disney Theatrical Productions has announced its latest project: “Aladdin.” The hit 1992 film is the next Disney movie to be converted for the Great White Way. AP News has the scoop. Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Productions, said that he wanted the company’s next musical to be a big, lavish production. “Aladdin” is the perfect story for that. The musical will copy some of the success of “Newsies,” in that composer Alan Menken is coming back to the story to add some new songs. New characters and even some magic tricks … Continue reading →

Newsies: Big Broadway Success

It may be one of my Most Underappreciated Disney Films, but it’s no flop on the stage: The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the Broadway version of “Newsies” has already recouped its expenses. For a Broadway show that’s fast; in fact, “Newsies” sets a record for Disney Theatrical Productions as the show that’s made back the money spent to make it in the quickest amount of time. “Newsies” cost Disney Theatrical Productions $5 million. It made that back in nine months after opening (on Broadway; its pre-Broadway run in New Jersey isn’t being counted here). That’s even faster than Disney Broadway … Continue reading →

Disney on Ice 2012-2013 Season

A new year means a new group of Disney on Ice shows debuting for the public. All right, I know we’re over halfway through the year, but so many interesting things have been happening with Disney so far in 2012 that this got pushed back to the list. Plus, it’s unlikely that, given how new most of these shows are, they’re going anywhere for a while. Speaking of shows that aren’t going anywhere: Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic is still going strong. It started in 1999 to commemorate the Disney legacy, and although it’s sometimes toured under a … Continue reading →

“Newsies” to Carry the Banner to Broadway

At the end of March “Newsies” will come to Broadway to run for 101 performances through June. “Wait,” you might say, “wasn’t ‘Newsies’ already on Broadway?” Nope, when the musical ran in fall 2011 it actually played off-Broadway at a theater in New Jersey. Thanks to its popularity, both with critics and the general public (i.e., in ticket sales), it now gets to play on the Great White Way at the Nederlander Theatre from March 29 to June 15. Previews begin on March 15. “Broadway revival” is a popular term, though it usually refers to once-famous New York shows that … Continue reading →