CM "street actors" at Disney -MGM

[LRV3400]

Clarification

As a clarification the term "Streetmosphere" is an official backstage term used by cast members when referencing the type of preformance the characters are giving to the guests.

The offical on stage name for these characters is "Citizens of Hollywood." Cast members are directed to not refer to the roving characters as streetmosphere in front of guests.

When a shoter term is used in place of the correct longer term while speaking backstage, we call this "Disneyese." Examples of other Disneyese terms are below.


On stage - Backstage

Citizens of Hollywood - Streetmosphere
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular - Epic
Theater of the Stars - Tots
Rock'n'Roller Coaster Staring Aerosmith - Coaster

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

STREETMOSPHERE!

These guys are the most under-noticed (is that a word?) attractions in the parks!

When I was on my college program, and I had a GREAT opportunity to shadow the Disney Studios Streetmo Cast for a day, and I cannot tell you how amazing they are in and out of character! I learned that every Disney park has streetmosphere, but the only character that really get together and do shows, are at two countries in Epcot, and at the Studios. The Studios does employ more Streetmo characters than any other park, and these guys are terrific!

My parents like to visit Disney, but they aren't as fanatical as I am. When I was a CM, they came to visit, and I took them to see two streetmo shows at the Studios, and that was the highlight of my parents trip!

Search out these few, and make converstation, take your picture with them, and ask when their shows are, especially the "Funniest Citizen of Hollywood Show" which is usually around the 5:00 hour in front of Villains and Vogue!
Bunny Hop, Gracie Flutterbug, Chloe Kennard, Stone Granite, Skip To Mylou, The Mayor, Myron Schneldenberger (sp?), Roman Holiday or Lars (who will never be out on the same day), Boss Goobleman and the City Works guys, The Great H.P. (Hocus Pocus) Priscilla or Gabrielle Huntington (who will never be out on the same day), Rosie, one of the most famous, who doesn't really do shows, but usually hangs out around Sid's up front, or hangs out the windows, Gretta Garbage (pronnounced Gar Baj) Dame Sadie Whimsy, Dainty Debbie, Ima Fraud (acting teacher) or Alberto Dante.... these are all at the Studios (although there are more at the Studios, I am just drawing a blank...), a few of these great entertainers have actually enjoyed their roles since The Studios opened!

and then my favs at the MK are the Mayor of Main Street and the Frontierland Sherrif (never out at the same time), and the BEST of MK, PROFESSOR FRANCIS FARNIVEROUS in Adventureland, of the Adventureland University, but he is NEVER teaching when Merlin is out...

Hope to see you one day when I am officially a Streetmosphere Cast Member!

also, the A Cappela group was more than likely "Four for a Dollar" - and those guys are extremely talented!

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

A few other places I've thought could benefit from Streetmosphere's (I believe that's the official term):

Main Street--Think in terms of River City in Music Man. We could have a whole cast of characters, like the Mayor (who already makes an appearance in the opening), the owner of the Emporium, a train conductor, the owner of the Main Street newspaper,etc. Think of all of the dynamics that occur in small towns in real life, and imagine that plus some Disney magic!

Imagination--I'd love to see some of the students and professors of the Imagination institute. This could even mark a return of Dreamfinder as Dean Finder of the Institute.

MuppetVision 3-D--Sort of like the Imagination Institute, I'd like to see some of the researchers from the Muppet Labs. Perhaps someone from the Dept. of Artificial Reality (you know, the one with the door that says "This is not a door").

there are streetmo performers on Main Street, there are at least three ladies out and about at different, or sometimes together, that are just citizens of the local town, and are shopping or mainly gossiping on main street, as well as a mayor, and sometimes a man on a mission, like say professor harold hill.
there are at least 4 different ones i can think of in adventureland, but usually only one out a day, and at least four in frontierland that i can think of... the sherrif, a good guy and a bad guy (bank robber and cowboy) because the sherrif is usually wrapped up showing off card tricks to passerbys, and GOLD DUST GUS!

a GREAT story about a lady on main street...

okay, so she is all dolled up in her finest attire to shop on main street (streetmosphere character) anyway - she approaches some guest, and begins speaking to them, and one of them doesn't answer, and i audibly hear her say, "what's the matter deary, cat got your tounge?" and the other guests said, she's deaf.

I COULD HAVE DIED! RIGHT THERE! I WAS SO EMBARASSED FOR THE CM! but i shouldn't have been.

The CM said, WELL, fine then, and started speaking to her using American Sign Language, FLUENTLY! It almost brought a tear to my eye! I don't know what she signed, but the girl with the hearing impairment laughed hysterically! It was great, and that just goes to show you that NO stone is left unturned when it comes to Disney Magic!

 

[launchpad03]

How do you like their Christmas CD? ........

If I don't go to MGM, where else in WDW do they sell it; World of Disney?

The Christmas CD is great! (I would say as good or better than the pop tunes one... but that one is great too, so I'll just say as good.)

I got mine (Christmas CD) at the Downtown Disney Christmas Shop ("365 days of Christmas" might be the name... something like that).

I'm sure that they have it out and in greater visibility during the holidays if you are heading out that way.

...or you can order it off the website....

Enjoy!

 

[Prof Ecks]

Wow! I have been in Mexico for the past week and was so pleased to return and see this thread was still active and such great information was still coming in.

launchpad03- I'm glad to know that there will in all likelihood be some good street, or should I say boardwalk, artists out when we are there for the holidays. As we all agree, the appearance of "streetmosphere" or "streetmosphere-like" characters adds so much to the magic of the experience. As I have a little girl (just turned 10 last week), we make a point of seeing the B&B show and have had the pleasure of hearing 4 for a $ several times. I agree that they are a great act.

LVR3400- The insights on Disneyese are really appreciated. I am also very interested in the language of WDW and am not surprised that there is a "front stage" and "back stage language". I would love to just hang around backstage and listen to you speaking Disneyese! Also thanks for clarifying that "Streetmosphere" is an official backstage term.

mkepcotmgmak- I am jealous you had the opportunity to spend the day shadowing the Streetmosphere characters. That would be a great way to spend the day....too bad for us paying customers we have to try and see everything on our trips and really can't devote a whole day to something like that.

The information on the "Funniest Citizen of Hollywood" show was great. For example, I now realize there are official shows and showtimes for these performances. We have just sort of caught them hit or miss. You know, you are walking along and boom you are watching them perform on the Blvd. or over on the NYC street. But also it looks like at least some of the characters wander and do bits....like that one I originally mentioned with the janitor over on the NYC street. It was just him and my two little ones for about 15 minutes. They were thrilled by the experience of what I guess is feeling like you are inside the performance as opposed to being just a viewer. It was also very personal, and so a special kind of memory for them and us.

I really appreciate you taking the time to list all the characters from the "FCoH" show and give some information on them. We are staying at the Boardwalk this christmas/NY and it will be easier for us to just mosey over to D-MGM and try and catch as many of the these characters as possible. We can make a real effort to engage them and get some photos with them and I will post them when we get back in January.

Finally, I have to admit, I didn't know about the characters on Main Street or Adventureland, though now that I think about it, I am sure I have seen some of them, just never appreciated them. Now I see them differently, as Streetmosphere characters, and will make a real point to also look for them, interact with them and get photos.

Your story about the lady on main street was priceless. I agree, it is that type of thing which transforms one's experience from great into the realm of magic. And, although I am sure there are threads about those particular types of experiences, I would like to start another one that explores those moments....they are so small in some respects, for example when compared to MAJOR ATTRACTIONS, however, they are huge in defining WDW as a magic place that makes you want to come back again and again.

*****************************

As we are now getting into some good stuff here, what about any insights on how these characters are trained and operate. I mean, we love Chip and Dale, but to be fair, their characters are more limited as regards their performance than let's say "Rosie" (who if I have the right character also sometimes hangs out the window in what was the New York Street scene- that's where we saw her, she was great). So, I would assume there is more training necessary to be a Streetmosphere character. Is that correct? Are there rehersals, or group sessions where people write out new skits and such? mkepcotmgmak points out that some of them are really long term performers. Do these senior performers write material? I would also assume since some of the people have remained in their roles for so many years, that indeed, being one of these performers is a coveted job.


My older son (who has a degree in theatre from Brandeis) and I think of them, and the characters at the Hoop dee Doo Revue and the Ad.'s Club as sort of the "elite" actors at WDW. I remember when he discovered the Adventurer's Club and came back to the Wilderness lodge to tell me about it. He was so impressed and so was I the next year when I went. It is now part of every visit we make. Again, thanks for the information, you all certainly know alot about the performers and thanks for taking the time to share that knowledge!

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

hey prof.
hope you had a great time in mexico!

while there are 'official' showtimes for the Citizens of Hollywood, the only people that know them are... 'The Citizens'.
You can't ask CMs or Guest Relations, because they won't know. They could call the trailer to ask, i guess? They usually do 5 outings a day, sometimes 6 depending on Fantasmic!. Their outings include everything from two or three of them doing a small show, while the rest just wonder the park, ar they might all go out in two or three vehicles and drive around looking for opportune moments to be funny, without doing an actual show. It really isn't until the end of the day when you will see a large number of them out together doing a show. The Spelling Bee Contest, the Glee Club rehearsal and of course, MY FAVORITE, the Funniest Citizen of Hollywood are usually sometime after 12-1-2pm... The Citizens setup their schedules every morning, and what they will be doing, and what times, and for the most part, do not tell anyone, unless you ask. ALTHOUGH, if you ask, you'll be glad you did (ask a citizen). As far as doing shows, Epcot and The Studios are the only parks where the streetmo cms come out and do planned shows, as far as i'm aware of... every once in a while there might be one in frontierland, but it's a different type of show, as is Epcot's comparted to the Studios. Other than the studios, i urge you to seek out streetmo in the MK - especially main street and adventureland!

Before residential street was torn down, there were 3 'couples' that used to 'live back there' during the tour. Since then, these couples have become tourists. They are dressed VERY loud, and they speak, VERY loud, and you usually only see one couple at a time, not that they aren't out together, but they work different areas of the park.

Two of them will sometimes go into the parking lot, wait in line for a tram, and ride a tram to the front gates... and will have arguments that let the fur fly! The guests sitting in the tram with them may not have a clue that they are actually CMs... and they usually get a big kick out of it. After they get off the tram, and inside the park, they usually setup lawn chairs right there on hollywood and the corner of vine, and heckle guests just walking in... these 'tourists' have on some of the most hideous stereotypical tourist outfits, and WAY TOO MUCH SUN BLOCK, and they make fun of what other guests are wearing! They are a new favorite addition of mine.

The characters do almost just has many things for disney during normal park hours as they do after closing. There are so many personalities to be filled for conventions, special events and rent-outs of the parks. Like, I know Bunny Hop was GOOD FRIENDS with Drizzella (sp?) (one of cinderella's step sisters) for an MK event one night, and Gracie Flutterbug was great friends with Falconetta (a tomorrowland bird woman).

If your son is interested in the audition process, please feel free to e-mail me or pm me, or aol im me.... haha. on aol i'm mkepcotmgmak too.

 

[Prof Ecks]

mkepcotmgmak- Yep. Had a great time. I was out in a small Maya town called Oxkutzcab eating traditional Maya food for their Day of the Dead (November 8th) and sleeping in a hammock.

Man, you sure know the Citizens' culture. So, they are quite independent in what they do and where they go. That is interesting. Since so much of WDW is very structured, their freedom and relative lack of structure stands in contrast. Both small scenes and more formal shows....you list three. You are making a lot of work for me, as I want to see them all!

One of the earlier posts mentioned these tourists. How post-modern that the residential street folk have been turned into "tourists" . And what a post-modern set of characters, talk about reflexivity. Tourists lookings at actors being tourists, who look and critique the tourists looking at them. Even to the point of actually leaving the park and coming into the park as tourists. You gotta love the concept.

I am not sure if the streets are redone back there yet...with San Fran, etc., but I suppose that that there will be some citizens back there at that time....although I do hope they keep the tourists.

I don't think most visitors really appreciate what a unique theatrical experience these streetmos are presenting. I have never really seen anything quite like it in my travels. It verges on performance art or guerilla theatre in some ways. so cool. In other ways, with their freedom and flow against the structure of the WDW experience, they function somewhat as the clown societies in pueblo indian cultures.

Your mention of special event theater is also something I didn't know about, except from what I learned from WDWkat26 as regards how during a pass holders event the TOT was populated by a whole group of characters in different roles. The GOOD FRIENDS part between Bunny Hop and Drizella sounds like a hoot.

I will pass on your invite to my thespian son! Maybe he'll take you up on it as he has toyed with the idea of auditioning.

Good luck on becoming a streetmo cm! And when you do let me know. Meanwhile, you have really got me ready for our upcoming visit. I have some real fieldwork to do!

Thanks!

 

[Figment1986]

a GREAT story about a lady on main street...

okay, so she is all dolled up in her finest attire to shop on main street (streetmosphere character) anyway - she approaches some guest, and begins speaking to them, and one of them doesn't answer, and i audibly hear her say, "what's the matter deary, cat got your tounge?" and the other guests said, she's deaf.

I COULD HAVE DIED! RIGHT THERE! I WAS SO EMBARASSED FOR THE CM! but i shouldn't have been.

The CM said, WELL, fine then, and started speaking to her using American Sign Language, FLUENTLY! It almost brought a tear to my eye! I don't know what she signed, but the girl with the hearing impairment laughed hysterically! It was great, and that just goes to show you that NO stone is left unturned when it comes to Disney Magic!

That is magical... I wish more people would learn that language, it is important to be alboe to comunicate with others. Especially with that type of job.. (I wonder too what she said... she didn't say it outloud....)

 

[PhotoMom524]

The streetasphere this past week was a riot. I was in MGM on Monday & Friday this week and they were in fine shape. Rose, Gretta Garbage and the others did their own version of 12 days of Christmas as the Glee Club and the mayor as conductor. It was very well done and funny. I also got dragged into a re-enactment of Sleeping Beauty on Monday (with Rosie) and got to use my favorite witch imitation. I found their schtick the best part of the park.

By the way, 4 for a $ (dollar) sang and opened up Osborne lights on Wednesday evening.
:xmas:

 

[Enderikari]

Hoo-Ray for
ummm...

four to zero?
Return the dollar?

Those singing guys!

:animwink:

 

[Prof Ecks]

I'm Jealous PhotoMom524!

And Enderikari did his part lately- becoming one of the 50 new grandpas! That was great.