Remember when I was supposed to do these semi-regularly?
Well, the Disney Broadway news has been slow since the official announcement about Aladdin the Musical in January, but there have been a few things moving and shaking.
Most importantly:
On Sunday, March 3, Mary Poppins took its final bow at the New Amsterdam Theatre, playing a total of 2619 performances, becoming the 22nd longest running show in Broadway history. The show will go on to tour regionally, as the New Amsterdam is reworked for the projected spring 2014 opening of Aladdin. For those still trying to get their Mary Poppins fix, check out this fascinating interview with the creators, and a Jim Hill post on Huffington Post.
I, for one, is very sad to see this show go and have the New Amsterdam Theatre for the next year and a few months.
Speaking of Aladdin, auditions are currently being held in Orlando for the show, and the Ed Mirvish Theater in Toronto, home to the pre-Broadway tryout of the show, launched their own page with the above poster. In an interview with composer Alan Menken from February 13, many changes to the show were discussed including new plot twists and songs! …should be interesting to hear the developments as they come!
What is this, you may ask? Well, it was announced this week that The Jungle Book directed by Mary Zimmerman, based on the stories Rudyard Kipling and the Sherman Brothers music from the Disney film will be playing at The Huntington Theatre in Boston, MA during the fall.
From The Boston Globe:
The musical will be infused with Indian music along with the swinging jazz of the original score by the Sherman brothers, Robert and Richard. Robert Sherman died last year, but Richard Sherman has been involved in Chicago workshops for the production.
“If you’re going to take the songs from the film, the songs bring with them character and plot and tone,’’ said Zimmerman. “Our challenge is to figure out how to honor that tone, those stories, that music, but allow it to have a little bit of weight and beauty. It can’t look like the movie, because the movie is drawn. So you have to find imaginative solutions — how to do a snake, how to do animals — to things that weren’t intended to be onstage.’’
Before its premiere in Boston, The Jungle Book will be playing during the summer in Chicago, IL at The Goodman Theatre.
I am really excited about the potential of this show; it’s such a different choice and I hope it does well.
And last but not least:
In just about 2 weeks, Peter and the Starcatcher will take the stage in its new home off-Broadway at the New World Stages. (Don’t worry, Melissa from Mouse on the Mind and I already have a date to see it on March 21.) For those of you in the New York area, you will see a new cast + there’s also a pretty decent discount around until the end of May. Buy up! I’m thrilled this show is going to have a second life. It’s really that good.
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Happy Thursday!
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