Calling All Musical Theatre People. . .can anyone clear this up?

[mkepcotmgmak]

nothing is better than walking down main street singing, "gary, indiana, gaaary indiana, gary iiiindiana..." or "...this is beautiful, this is beautiful beaulah!"
makes main street very magical, and one of my favorite places on property!

we cand be cold as the falling thermometer in december if you ask about our weather in july!

 

[Legacy]

Look for Diney Theatricals to produce two new shows in the coming years. Tarzan and Little Mermaid are the likely shows (possibility of Hunchback).

Actually, according to the On The Record Playbill, both are already in pre-production. Tarzan is rumored for the end of this year, and Little Mermaid for next summer. No word on Hunchback though.

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

Actually, according to the On The Record Playbill, both are already in pre-production. Tarzan is rumored for the end of this year, and Little Mermaid for next summer. No word on Hunchback though.

these are both going to be huge successes, as well as Mary Poppins when she comes to the states!
Tarzan is gonna have a great feel to it, and Little Mermaid, will bring that Disney Magic that makes us all warm and fuzzy inside!

 

[Legacy]

these are both going to be huge successes, as well as Mary Poppins when she comes to the states!
Tarzan is gonna have a great feel to it, and Little Mermaid, will bring that Disney Magic that makes us all warm and fuzzy inside!

Tarzan I'm excited about, Little Mermaid I'm a little unsure of.

Tarzan is planned to be a theater-in-the-round presentation, with tree limbs protruding out of the audience. Think of it was a fully emmersive Cirque du Soleil.

I heard that The Little Mermaid was trying to recreat the underwater world onstage (an elaborate pully system), but I don't know how successful it is.

 

[peter11435]

I heard that The Little Mermaid was trying to recreat the underwater world onstage (an elaborate pully system), but I don't know how successful it is.

That sounds very similar to what they have at TDS.

 

[artvandelay]

Tarzan I'm excited about, Little Mermaid I'm a little unsure of.

Tarzan is planned to be a theater-in-the-round presentation, with tree limbs protruding out of the audience. Think of it was a fully emmersive Cirque du Soleil.

I heard that The Little Mermaid was trying to recreat the underwater world onstage (an elaborate pully system), but I don't know how successful it is.

If they're planning on doing Tarzan on Broadway, in the round is going to be tough. Broadway houses are not set up that way (except for the Circle in the Square, but that place is too small for a big production). If it does the Disney on Ice venues, it would work in the round.

Doing 'underwater' looks can be done with good lighting. I think Little Mermaid would be the stronger of the two with it's Menken/Ashman music.

Hunchback was done in Germany and that's the last I heard of it.

 

[Adreamisawish]

OK...this is my first post here after many months of lurking.


My DH and I spent our honeymoon at WDW back in 1974. We took our children there for their first visit in 1993, one week after we had all appeared in our local Community Theatre's production of the "Music Man"....and YES we do live in Iowa!

We were all wearing our 'show shirts' from the "Music Man" so we could find each other in case we got lost. Imagine our surprise and delight when we arrived at Town Square and heard "Iowa Stubborn" from the "Music Man". I'm afraid our entire family gave an impromtu performace...sorry...
The Best thing to come out of this, was our youngest daughter's statement when the bus dropped us off in front of the Magic Kingdom that first day. She was all of 12 years old and said, "Someday I'm going to work here!" This past summer she did.

 

[raven]

Another case of rites problems was Mary Poppins Look for Diney Theatricals to produce two new shows in the coming years. Tarzan and Little Mermaid are the likely shows (possibility of Hunchback).

Hunchback was already a huge theatrical stage production in Germany about 6 years ago and never transfered out of the country. Part of the reason could have been that the entire stage was made up of 9 different rising, mesh platforms that changed with the scenes. The entire existing stage of the theatre where it played was gutted and rebuilt just for this production. I'm guessing that would be very hard to duplicate technically (and very expensive) to bring to another venue. My guess is that they are re-working the show to be more tech friendly.

 

[barnum42]

I caught a show on BBC Radio 2 a couple of weeks ago where Phil Collins was plugging a new album. They briefly mentioned the Tarzan live show, not in any detail but he said that it was being put back a year.

 

[artvandelay]

Hunchback was already a huge theatrical stage production in Germany about 6 years ago and never transfered out of the country. Part of the reason could have been that the entire stage was made up of 9 different rising, mesh platforms that changed with the scenes. The entire existing stage of the theatre where it played was gutted and rebuilt just for this production. I'm guessing that would be very hard to duplicate technically (and very expensive) to bring to another venue. My guess is that they are re-working the show to be more tech friendly.

From what I heard, they're reworking Hunchback to be a better show. It did not get great notices in Germany. Technically, I'm sure it's not any more complicated than Lion King, The Who's Tommy, or Wicked and could be reproduced here. It is a common excuse of producers to blame technical difficulty on why a show is delayed, or it's opening is put off. For ego's sake, it's easier to blame the lights and sets than blame the book, the score, the actors or a director.

 

[slappy magoo]

As long as WDW pays their ASCAP and BMI dues, they can play anything they want, anytime. These are the two biggest organizations that license the public playing of music.

If you look in the credit area of any CD jacket, you'll see a list of fine print items. One of which will usually say (ASCAP) and/or (BMI). If so, you can buy a license for your event, theme park, or play and re-broadcast any music affiliated with that specific licensure.

WDW pays big bucks to be able to play any music they want to in their parks. Some of it may still be public domain at this point, but not all of it is.

Pretty much nails it, but I would add that if there was a certain recording Disney wanted to use but could not, they could obtain rights from the songwriter to produce their own version of the song. Anyone can re-record a song as long as they're willing to pony up the sheckles to the songwriter, or more correctly, the person who owns the rights to the song at the time. The song's owner can opt to give Disney (or whoever wants to use the song) an unlimited license, or a specific timeframe where Disney would then have to re-license the rights to use the song. When it comes to the writers of showtunes like Meredith Wilson or Rogers & Hammerstein...I'm just playing Devil's Advocate, but the owners of the song might determine that having Disney play their songs works as great advertising, knowing that millions of people will walk through the gates and hear their songs, keeping those songs alive and, to a degree, relevant for community theater, touring productions or even a full-blown revival, where they can get some serious money. TO that end, they might offer the rights for to Disney to use their music for...well, for a song.

 

[Dwarful]

Sorry I didn't read all posts, but I do know that the CM's do a little song and dance act on Main Street that includes the "trolley song" from Meet Me in St.Louis. My four year LOVES this musical and she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard them singing "her song". First time we have ever really stopped to watch that in the morning. (usually were deep in the park)

 

[raven]

Technically, I'm sure it's not any more complicated than Lion King, The Who's Tommy, or Wicked and could be reproduced here.

I just played Capt. Walker in The Who's Tommy last September & October. Talk about a technical nightmare!

 

[thimblekisses]

Sorry I didn't read all posts, but I do know that the CM's do a little song and dance act on Main Street that includes the "trolley song" from Meet Me in St.Louis. My four year LOVES this musical and she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard them singing "her song". First time we have ever really stopped to watch that in the morning. (usually were deep in the park)

Meet Me in St. Louis is my favorite movie, too! I was delighted to hear this song performed. They also play much of the instrumental score to that movie near the Great Movie Ride and the hat in MGM. I like to sit there and enjoy a Mickey ice cream bar while the music plays!

Songs from various musicals are included in the show in front of the train station prior to MK opening each day if I'm not mistaken. . . although it's been a while since I have seen that show so I do not recall just which ones are sung.