Let's talk about Indiana

[mergatroid]

I was boring some poor person at work today about our forthcoming trip to WDW later this year. Anyhow they were asking me about the Indiana Jones show as their nephew had been telling them about it recently. I was explaining the general structure and concept of the show to them and it got me thinking about how much we enjoy the show even after many, many visits. This got me wondering about a couple of things and I thought somebody on here is bound to know the answers.

Firstly I wondered how many performers have multiple roles and how often they switch it around? A few years back Mrs Merg and myself were enjoying the market scene where the fight breaks out with the guys with the swords. Anyhow during this fight scene the 'leading lady' fell to the floor holding her ankle and it became obvious that she'd injured herself. The others around her gradually stopped and an announcement was made to the audience that there'd been an injury and if everyone was patient they hopefully would continue shortly. When it became apparent that she couldn't continue the lady who had been hosting the pre show (well I'm 99% certain it was her) ran off stage and headed to the performers area backstage. She shortly returned dressed now as the leading lady and the show continued with her performing all the remaining stunts. So obviously there are performers who can perform more than one role, but how many of them can actually do this and do they switch it around regularly?

Secondly I wondered where the performers come from who appear in the show. I don't necessarily mean geographically, but rather where Disney find them skill wise? I would imagine that professional stuntmen or stuntwomen start their careers performing in tv shows or movies. I imagine most of them would prefer to appear on screen rather than in a theme park, so taking a full time gig at Disney would certainly restrict their opportunities to do this. So are the performers in the show people who have appeared in films etc or are they more likely people who may have an acrobatic background who are hired and just learn the routine from there on?

I'd be interested if anyone knows the answers to these questions or anything else in general about the show which has been a firm favourite of mine since it opened. Thanks in advance

 

[TubaGeek]

Generally you'll be hired on for one role, but Disney likes to make their performers as "useful" as possible, plus it keeps the job interesting, so most equity performers have more than one position they can jump to. It can be within the show, like this, within the park, like how some Mulchers do Fant! preshow, or even across property, like a buddy of mine who's Bruce in Nemo one day, then a Dapper the next.

As to your second question, there are a good number of tumblers and stunters in Orlando. I mean, it's not Hollywood, but between all the theme parks and dinner shows and the TV shows and films that are shot in Georgia, there's a surprising amount of talent there.

 

[mammaminnie]

Funny enough, I just read the title and thought, I wonder what the state of Indiana has to do with WDW??? Ha Ha Ha!!!!

 

[Tom]

I got excited when I saw your thread title....

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I got excited when I saw your thread title....

I saw the title and immediately thought "Gary Indiana Gary Indiana Gary Indiana Let me say it once again..."

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I remember reading in a textbook during a management class last semester that a lot of managers (not just in Disney) like to switch around positions just simply so their employees don't get bored. I assume that's what Disney is doing.

 

[FettFan]

I was hoping this would be about "Eerie, Indiana" that ran for a season on NBC, then was sold to the Disney Channel back when Disney Channel was awesome.



EDIT --
And Tobey Maguire's first role, as a 12-year-old ghost.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I do love a good curry. Though Im not a fan of their call centres.

 

[unkadug]

I saw the title and immediately thought "Gary Indiana Gary Indiana Gary Indiana Let me say it once again..."

Get out of my head!

 

[mergatroid]

Generally you'll be hired on for one role, but Disney likes to make their performers as "useful" as possible, plus it keeps the job interesting, so most equity performers have more than one position they can jump to. It can be within the show, like this, within the park, like how some Mulchers do Fant! preshow, or even across property, like a buddy of mine who's Bruce in Nemo one day, then a Dapper the next.

As to your second question, there are a good number of tumblers and stunters in Orlando. I mean, it's not Hollywood, but between all the theme parks and dinner shows and the TV shows and films that are shot in Georgia, there's a surprising amount of talent there.

Thanks for that, explains it a little better to me. I've always wondered whether the cast member in the show pretending to film it have the easiest job in the world, just sitting there and watching whilst being paid to do so

 

[AngieTink27]

I got excited when I saw your thread title....

I thought the same thing when reading the title to this. Why couldnt we have a Hoosier discussion?

 

[zero creativity]

I thought you were going to bring up the possible reboot or the Indy films with Bradley Cooper.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

I was hoping this would be about "Eerie, Indiana" that ran for a season on NBC, then was sold to the Disney Channel back when Disney Channel was awesome.



EDIT --
And Tobey Maguire's first role, as a 12-year-old ghost.

And he's been playing that same ghost in every role since then . . .

 

[Matt_Black]

Whatever happened to Omri Katz? He did that show, then Hocus Pocus, and then he just disappeared from pop culture.

 

[FettFan]

And he's been playing that same ghost in every role since then . . .

 

[FettFan]

Whatever happened to Omri Katz? He did that show, then Hocus Pocus, and then he just disappeared from pop culture.

He's a hairdresser and creator of "pseudo " Youtube short films now, according to this site.

Still better than Brandon Call from "Step by Step"....who got shot in both arms during a road rage incident, and now works at his father's gas station.


But nowhere near as good as Mara Wilson who grew up to be pretty hot, is now a freelance writer and makes guest appearances on ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com.

 

[Brer Mickey]

I saw the Indy show last fall and the "director" looked so familiar to me. I finally realized he had been one of the World Showcase Players in the UK pavilion.

 

[mergatroid]

I saw the Indy show last fall and the "director" looked so familiar to me. I finally realized he had been one of the World Showcase Players in the UK pavilion.

Going of on a tangent slightly I've got to say that on every visit we've made to LMA, the 'director' on the moving truck has always appeared to be the same guy, every single time.