The head of Disney Theatrical Productions announced that the Broadway production of Tarzan will be closing after just 486 performances. The show hasn’t received the best of reviews since it opened at Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre. Although Disney has not disclosed the actual amounts, the show will be closing at a loss.
The decision to close the show was a purely business one. If the show’s projected advances are going to keep them at a loss, then they have to close the show. There are many other productions of Tarzan expected to launch overseas such as the one that just opened in the Netherlands in April. That show is doing very well.
Tarzan features the score by Phil Collins and the popular tale follows the movie fairly closely in Tarzan’s first encounter with Jane and his life amongst the apes.
Disney does not artificially keep their shows going. Tarzan isn’t the only Disney musical closing this summer. Beauty and the Beast will be ending a decade long run on July 29th. The show has had over 5,000 performances and was a truly wonderful production that transformed the story from the animated screen to the live stage.
Beauty and the Beast will be replaced by a Broadway version of The Little Mermaid. That production will get an out of town tryout at the Elli Caulkins Opera House in Denver, Colorado. Preview performances of The Little Mermaid begin July 26th with the show opening August 23rd. It will open on Broadway in December.
In the meanwhile, take heart – there are still two other powerful Disney musicals playing on Broadway – The Lion King and Mary Poppins. So if you want to catch Tarzan while he’s still swinging in New York, you have until July 8th.
Don’t worry if you don’t live close enough to take advantage of Broadway, many of these musicals travel –for example, The Lion King will be performed in Dallas at the Fair Park Musical Hall this fall!
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