Best and worst of Disney's Broadway musicals
Disney's acquisition of Pixar and the "Star Wars" franchise elevated a company that was already a pop-culture icon into an all-out juggernaut. But with Broadway hits such as "The Lion King," "Beauty and the Beast" and "Newsies" in its portfolio, the Mouse House's musical-theater wing isn't just an afterthought. Launched in 1994, Disney Theatrical Productions reaches a global audience of more than 10 million every year.
The latest national tour of "Beauty and the Beast" visits Phoenix's Orpheum Theatre Nov. 28-30, and Phoenix Theatre, the Valley's top producer of musicals, opens "Mary Poppins" on Nov. 21. The first national tour of "Newsies" hit the road in October and is a likely pick for the 2015-16 season at ASU Gammage in Tempe. Future adaptations reportedly in the works include "The Jungle Book" and (of course!) "Frozen."
Here is a timeline of Disney's Broadway shows, including details on local stagings.
1994: 'Beauty and the Beast'
Broadway run: April 18, 1994-July 29, 2007 (5,461 performances).
Critical consensus: Classic Disney animation brought to life. Expanding on the lush film score by Alan Menken, Disney's go-to composer, it's a timeless fairy tale told with elegance and spiced with slapstick comedy and a dose of "Stomp"-style percussion. Nominated for nine Tony Awards but lost in the major categories to Stephen Sondheim's (far less popular) "Passion."
Favorite number: The spritely, whirling "Be Our Guest," with its dancing dishes, is the showstopper.
In the Valley: Friday through Sunday, Nov. 28-30. National tour presented by Theater League at the Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. $55-$75. 602-262-7272, theaterleague.com/phoenix.
1997: 'The Lion King'
Broadway run: Nov. 13, 1997-present (7,000-plus performances).
Critical consensus: Director Julie Taymor took a solid (if not very original) tale about a young lion's quest to reclaim his throne and turned it into a stunning spectacle with life-size animal puppets parading through the aisles of the theater. The songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, including the aching ballad "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," sound like journeyman's work in comparison with the imaginative staging, but the African chant introducing the opening "Circle of Life" is electrifying. Won six Tonys, including best musical (beating out "Ragtime").
Favorite number: "Hakuna Matata," the don't-worry-be-happy anthem sung by Simba and his comic sidekicks Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog, is the crowd-pleasing Act 1 closer.
2006: 'Tarzan'
Broadway run: May 10, 2006-July 08, 2007 (486 performances).
Critical consensus: The closest thing Disney has had to a Broadway bomb, it delivered plenty of high-flying stunts but suffered from Phil Collins' bland pop melodies and generic lyrics, which offered such character insights as, "My heart is beating faster, I must know more about her.... She makes me feel so alive."
Favorite number: Tellingly, the best song is a throwaway, "Trashin' the Camp," which mostly repeats the same nonsense syllables ("shoo bee do, sha bee da").
2006: 'Mary Poppins'
Broadway run: Nov. 16, 2006-March 03, 2013 (2,619 performances).
Critical consensus: While not a scene-for-scene remake, the stage show oozes with nostalgia for the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews with its sweet-and-catchy soundtrack by the Sherman Brothers — "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "A Spoonful of Sugar" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" all enjoy more than ample reprises. The show's stagecraft was impeccable, thanks to the razzle-dazzle effects of co-producer Cameron Mackintosh and the crisp contemporary choreography by Matthew Bourne.
Favorite number: Hard to pick, but for pure, haunting melody, it's hard to top Bert's Cockney crooning in "Chim Chim Cher-ee."
In the Valley: Talented Valley soprano Trisha Hart Ditsworth stars in the title role at Phoenix Theatre. Friday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Dec. 28 (previews Nov. 19-20). 100 E. McDowell Road. $30-$75 (subject to demand pricing). 602-254-2151, phoenixtheatre.com.
2008: 'The Little Mermaid'
Broadway run: Jan. 10, 2008-Aug. 30, 2009 (685 performances).
Critical consensus: In lieu of building a giant aquarium, the stage version of this Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale evoked gliding underwater movement by having the actors roller-skating on Heelys dubbed "merblades," prompting the New York Times' Ben Brantley to quip, "Loved the shoes. Loathed the show." Despite plenty of visual pizazz, audiences were less than enthusiastic, prompting a revamp for subsequent productions, including a planned national tour that has yet to come to fruition. But the movie, with catchy Alan Menken-penned tunes such as "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl," is so beloved that a "junior" version of the musical is a popular choice for youth theaters around the country.
Favorite number: "Part of Your World" is a beautiful belting ballad that emphasizes melody over production values.
In the Valley: "The Little Mermaid Jr." opens Jan. 30 at Fountain Hills Youth Theater (fountainhillstheater.com). Arizona Broadway Theatre will stage the adult version in the spring with a May 22 opening (azbroadway.org).
2012: 'Newsies the Musical'
Broadway run: March 29, 2012-Aug. 24, 2014 (1,004 performances).
Critical consensus:
Starring a young Christian Bale, the 1992 movie musical about the New York City newsboy strike at the turn of the 20th century was an infamous flop that morphed into a cult favorite. The stage version, with music of Alan Menken and a book by Harvey Fierstein, premiered at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse in 2011 and transferred to Broadway the next year, winning Tonys for best original score and best choreography. Rousing dance routines were the calling card of the show, which got a positive response from critics and theatergoers.
Favorite number: Even without the big tap routine, "King of New York" has the feel of a classic show tune, but the restlessly soaring ballad "Santa Fe" is the most memorable tune.
2014: 'Aladdin'
Broadway run: March 20, 2014-present (closing in on 300 performances).
Critical consensus: Another Alan Menken composition, this parent-friendly fairy-tale musical incorporated several tunes that were dropped from the original animated film. Revamped after an out-of-town tryout, it got good reviews in New York, especially for James Monroe Iglehart's Tony-winning turn as the Genie, a jazzy, sassy take that owed nothing to Robin Williams' zany character in the animated film. No national tour has been announced.
Favorite number: The Genie's frenetic "Friend Like Me" is packed with fun pop-culture references as well as melodic nods to past Disney hits, making it a veritable Easter egg hunt for fans.
Reach the reporter at kerry.lengel@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4896.