Variety: Neither of the two shows from Disney Theatrical Prods. hitting Broadway this season -- "Peter and the Starcatcher," beginning previews March 28, nor "Newsies," opening a day later -- was initially intended for the Main Stem. That's also true of "Aladdin," the two-act stage version of the 1992 animated pic produced by Seattle's 5th Avenue Theater earlier this season. And "The Jungle Book," helmer Mary Zimmerman's brewing legit incarnation, is slated for June 2013 at Chicago's Goodman Theater, not the Rialto.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Disney Theatrical mixes it up
Variety: Neither of the two shows from Disney Theatrical Prods. hitting Broadway this season -- "Peter and the Starcatcher," beginning previews March 28, nor "Newsies," opening a day later -- was initially intended for the Main Stem. That's also true of "Aladdin," the two-act stage version of the 1992 animated pic produced by Seattle's 5th Avenue Theater earlier this season. And "The Jungle Book," helmer Mary Zimmerman's brewing legit incarnation, is slated for June 2013 at Chicago's Goodman Theater, not the Rialto.
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This article was perhaps the most intriguing one I have read on this blog in a long time. As I'm sure people have seen, I do have a fascination with the Disney corporation, but I have not ever really had any interaction with the Disney Theatrical Group. This article was extremely inlightening, not only about the process in which shows go through to get to a marketable stage, but also the thought that goes behind what shows are needed at given time. Like their reasoning behind not putting full support behind "Jungle Book" because of the overlap of basic content with "The Lion King". I also found it interesting that they have a lot more productions in progress then most people would believe. I was under the impression tht the DTG would only be producing one major production at a time while managing the other shows on Broadway. But having worked at Disney, I do have to say that the managing of this large number of production is something that Disney has down to a tee. They have the creation of such artistic pieces, like these works, to a science and yet they can create a truly specaticular work.
Content aside, it's reassuring to see that there's another organization that is ensuring future productions in commercial theater. Disney Theatricals was responsible for Time Square's transformation from gnarly to spectacular, as Ken Davenport mentioned in the recent TEDxBroadway, and Disney has the power to keep pouring money into the area, which makes patrons, industry folk, and NY citizens alike all happy. Off-Broadway has also been thriving as a final destination for productions of late, as this page mentioned with the article about the success that Avenue Q and Rent have found there, and schools and community theaters love Disney stuff, so it's nice that they're providing a wide range of work.
This article leaves me in a lot of conflict; on the one hand, as Daniel said, it's great that Disney has the revenue to fund Broadway ventures for newly developed shows like "Newsies" and "Peter and the Starcatcher." It means more shows opening on Broadway, more butts in seats, all those good things. On the other hand, with Disney Theatrical adapting so many movies into stage shows and currently filling 10% of the 40 Broadway houses (granted, they've filled more in previous years), that doesn't leave much room for original work. On the whole, I'm pretty against musicals being made out of movies (though I have seen some that I've liked immensely) because I feel that there was a reason for choosing the original medium (this goes back to the "why George Lucas didn't write books" theory). Most of the movies I've seen made into Broadway shows have felt lacking because parts of what made the movie so great can't be recreated onstage. I'd love to see DTG develop more original work for the theatre, since they have the funds and the creatives. They have done it before, and I think that there is still an audience for it on Broadway.
I never would've thought that social Darwinism would factor into what shows go up and how they go about getting produced, but it makes complete sense. Also with the rise of new technology, the expectation of the experience you get from a stage show changes too. I feel like Disney would be the perfect company to want to keep evolving their shows to fit the bill for fresh entertainment.
Disney Theatrical does a phenomenal job with taking an animated movie and bringing it tot life with real people. Just look how jaw dropping and successful Lion King is. There have been 2 keys to their success. The first is that by using stories that are already known by the vast majority of America they are appealing to audience members that don't want to think when they go to the theater. The second factor is that Disney knows who the hire, and who not to. By having an amazing production and creative staff from the get go the production is not very far from having a successful run on the great white way.
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