Things to Do

Drawn to Life REVIEW: Is This New Cirque du Soleil Show a MUST SEE for Disney Fans?

14 November 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Back in 2020 – the last media event I attended before everything shut down, we were given about a 20 minute preview of Cirque du Soleil’s newest show at Disney Springs – Drawn to Life. The media event was for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway’s debut, but it also combined other upcoming events around Walt Disney World. The first link above is to my instagram story for what we saw of Drawn to Life back in March of 2020. Last night, thanks to a cast member-exclusive invite-only dress rehearsal, I was able to see the full Drawn to Life show from Cirque du Soleil. I was completely blown away and knew I had to write a Drawn to Life review here, because EVERYONE needs to see this show.

Cirque du Soleil Drawn to Life Review

Cirque du Soleil Theatre

A little background, as you may know and may have seen, the Cirque du Soleil theatre was built to house the original show here, La Nouba. A fan and family favorite, La Nouba ran from December 23, 1998 until December 31, 2017. At the time, fans were unsure if a new show would premiere, but Cirque du Soleil did announce that a new show would replace La Nouba in the future.

Drawn to Life is Born

In November of 2018, casting calls for Drawn to Life were posted. Two years later, at the above mentioned March 2020 event, everyone was very excited to welcome the new show. Then, the world turned upside-down. We all wondered if the pandemic would mean the end of Drawn to Life and even Cirque du Soleil in general. Luckily, they made it through and now Drawn to Life will debut on November 18, 2021. The first 3 nights are already sold out, which is a great sign for the success of the show.

Drawn to Life Storyline

Something that La Nouba was missing was a Disney connection. La Nouba was amazing, the Cirque performers are the best of the best, and the costumes, makeup, and staging are beyond compare. But, there was no Disney in the show. Honestly, I liked that, as a fan of live theatre and performance, I loved that La Nouba opened that world to people that may not have ever seen it otherwise. I was a little worried that the Disney addition would make it too commercial-looking or comparable to a Disney On Ice performance (not that there’s anything wrong with Disney on Ice, but Cirque du Soleil is known for its incredible creativity and pushing of boundaries). My fears were quashed when I saw the preview in March of 2020. My mind was then completely blown last night when I saw the full show.

My one sentence Drawn to Life review: the show is a love letter to the art and artistry of Disney animation. This is what I thought throughout the show, and then when I went on the website today to look for images to use here, I realized, they had used almost the exact wording in their description of the show. It truly lives up to that statement. Here is how the Drawn to Life storyline is described on the site:

Drawn to Life invites you into an astounding world where the art of Walt Disney Animation is experienced like never before. Gather your whole family for an unforgettable leap into this amazing new show—a live acrobatic journey where the stage is transformed into a giant animation table. The art of classic Disney animation is reinterpreted through Cirque du Soleil’s innovative design, acrobatic performances, dazzling choreography, and eclectic costuming alongside all-new Disney animation and an original score inspired by timeless Disney music. The show is absolutely alive with all the high-flying, mind-blowing exuberance that Cirque du Soleil is famous for.

This love letter to the art of Disney Animation celebrates life in all of its motions and emotions. The show tells the story of a determined girl [named Julie] who discovers one last gift left by her animator father: a sequence of unfinished drawings. Guided by a magical pencil and a quirky troupe of imaginative muses, she embarks on an inspiring quest filled with her childhood Disney memories. We’ll follow her as she leaps into a whimsical world of animation and discovers new possibilities that animate the story of her future. Drawn to Life presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney.

What the description and the short preview we saw in March didn’t prepare me for was the emotional journey that starts pretty much immediately when the show begins. It really pulls you in and you are invested in Julie’s adventures. The story weaves itself expertly between the cirque performances so nothing seems out of place or interfering with the flow. Every character highlights and celebrates some portion of the animation process, including mistakes. Speaking of characters, there are several sets of performances where my jaw was hanging open (thankfully masks are required so no one could see that), others where I audibly gasped, and still others where my mask hid the tears streaming down my cheeks. It is a journey.

Cirque du Soleil Drawn to Life Animation desk — After more than a year of waiting, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products are excited to announce that Drawn to Life is scheduled to open on Nov. 18, 2021. The new family-friendly show coming to Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., is a collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering and will take residency at Disney Springs (Matt Beard, Photographer).

In recent times, hardcore Disney fans have been complaining of a lack of major celebration by Walt Disney World for the 50th anniversary and a focus more on current movie characters, merchandise, and food rather than the storied nostalgia of the company. Drawn to Life has put all of that history and nostalgia, combined it with Disney storytelling and heart, and incredible artistic performances to create a must-see event that every Disney fan will appreciate. It is the most “Disney” show I have seen in recent years, and it’s not even technically a Disney show. The creators have concentrated down the essence of the history and the process of creating the magic that we all know and love as “Disney.”

Drawn to Life Technical Feats

The theater was originally designed for La Nouba, but the stage area has now been completely redone to fit Drawn to Life. The stage design and technical effects for Drawn to Life are mind-blowing. You will probably spend a good portion of the show wondering “how did they DO that??” but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how, it just looks spectacular. We were seated four rows back on the right of the stage and there were many (most) times I could not see how things were being accomplished. I can only imagine how it looks from slightly further back. The entire tech crew is to be commended for the magic they have created here.

All above photos by photographer Matt Beard and courtesy of Disney. Since you can’t take photos or video of the show, and I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises for you, you’ll have to take my word that it is worth a viewing and a must-see show. I don’t think I can give a Drawn to Life review without mentioning the costumes and makeup; a major part of the show which should not be ignored.

Each character is made to look like some part of the animation process, either the faces animators make to replicate in their designs, or an implement itself like a pencil or paintbrush. The costume are bright and memorable, making each group or individual performance stand out.

Drawn to Life Acts

Here is a little more about the creation of the show and two recently announced acts that are featured in Drawn to Life:

Drawn to Life, written and directed by Michel Laprise with Fabrice Becker as Director of Creation. Developed in partnership with Michael Jung, Executive Theatrical Development, Walt Disney Imagineering along with Walt Disney Animation Studios, the story is driven by 10 unique acrobatic acts alongside animation from beloved Disney films. In addition, the show features all-new animation created by Disney artists led by Animation Director Eric Goldberg, best known for characters such as the Genie in the Disney Animation classic “Aladdin.”

In the “Garden of Lines” unicycle act, Julie is swept into a wonderland of familiar shadows, shapes and outlines in an homage to cherished tales that inspire an animator. Julie’s whimsical mood fixates on a mischievous marionette from a time-honored Italian fairytale. Five playful unicyclists representing the Blue Fairy of the classic Disney Animation film “Pinocchio” appear to effortlessly float across the stage, performing synchronized stunts and individual tricks with pinpoint precision.

“The Old Mill” double wheel act is inspired by Walt Disney’s groundbreaking 1937 animated short of the same name, which is seen in projections throughout. In a display of tenacity, perseverance and rise-and-fall motion, owls dreamed up by Julie’s imagination weather a storm using teamwork and courage to carry them through the powerful wind and rain that threaten their windmill home. The windmill of the film is represented in a spectacular, churning, fast-moving double wheel structure. Gravity-defying acrobats are in constant motion with the turning wheels—at times airborne—with astonishing balance and agility.

Drawn to Life is the 50th production created by Cirque du Soleil and its premiere coincides with the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary celebration. With an international cast of 62 artists, Drawn to Life will perform Tuesday through Saturday at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort.

I will note that “The Old Mill” double wheel act is one of the moments where I audibly gasped and my jaw hung open for most of the performance. The unicycles were mesmerizing and even though there were no technical effects there, I still wondered “how did they DO that??”

**Final Drawn to Life Review Thoughts**

Almost 24 hours later, I’m still thinking about how incredible Drawn to Life is. I highly recommend it and I can’t wait to bring my entire family back so they can experience the wonder and magic themselves. Congratulations to everyone involved in Drawn to Life for an amazing success. I can’t wait for word to get out about this amazing Cirque du Soleil experience.

If you want a sneak peek at some of the designs used in the show or just to get some nice merchandise, the Cirque du Soleil Store at Disney Springs West Side is now open.

For more information on show tickets, dates and pricing, visit cirquedusoleil.com/drawntolife.

If you see the show, I’d love to hear what your thoughts were!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO:

Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney
Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall, @otisney
Zannaland’s facebook page
Zannaland on YouTube
Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch Up the Waterfall on YouTube

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love!

SeaWorld Orlando Christmas Celebration 2021

14 November 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

SeaWorld Orlando hosts a delightful array of offerings to celebrate the holiday season. SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration for 2021 takes place on select dates from November 12th through January 2nd with lights and decorations, holiday foods and treats and entertainment the whole family can enjoy together. This is one of the best values when it comes to seasonal events in Orlando. SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration is included with the purchase of a regular ticket or annual pass. Let’s take a look at some highlights of SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration 2021 event.

SeaWorld Orlando Christmas 2021

The Sesame Street Christmas Parade will delight kids from one to ninety two with classic characters like Big Bird and Elmo. The floats in this parade are colorful, creative and entertaining too. This parade is the kind that rolls through, pauses and puts on a stationary show. The performers are high energy and the original music is extra festive. Sesame Street provides an entertaining and inviting atmosphere for all on television and in the park.

Rudolph’s ChristmasTown offers more family fun with photo ops featuring some of your favorite Christmas characters. Here you can meet Rudolph from the 1964 Rankin Bass stop motion, classic film Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. You may also find the Bumble in this storybook setting! If you love jolly attire and accessories, this is the place to look for merchandise.

New to SeaWorld Orlando Christmas 2021 is The Sounds of the Seasons Concert featuring musical acts in the indoor Nautilus Theater. Check the schedule as the featured talent rotates through the duration of the event. If you enjoy live music, SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration has lovely atmospheric shows you should add to your plans. There is an a cappella group that sings favorites from classic holiday movies and a reindeer band alternating on the small stage at Rudolph’s ChristmasTown. This little venue is outdoors and on the water with lights and decorations all around.

Sea of Trees is a nighttime wonder with lit Christmas trees floating, twinkling and reflecting on the water to music. You can see this dazzle throughout the night. One of the best viewing places is on the bridge in the middle of the water with the trees all around you.

Winter Wonderland on Ice is an ice skating show featuring songs of the season and glitzy costumes. Guests can enjoy the work of these talented artists as they dance on ice in this beautifully crafted show. It’s truly a spectacle as the water behind the stage is illuminated with the Sea of Trees and colorful, gushing fountains.

You can also experience wintery fun like snow flurries and ice skating at SeaWorld for the holidays. Ice skating is an additional charge and has a couple of requirements so look into it before you go if that is of interest to you.

Finish your night at SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration with a sky full of sparkles. Holiday Reflections Fireworks can be seen from many places around the park but the best viewing is from the Winter Wonderland On Ice venue or around the lake where Sea of Trees floats. If you’ve enjoyed Halloween at SeaWorld you’ve seen the unique tie in of SeaWorld’s aquatic theme with the spooky season. As fun as that may be, SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration takes a more familiar approach celebrating with classic characters, decor and music, and food.

HOLIDAY FLAVORS TO SAVOR

The Christmas Market, nestled along Bayside Pathway, features festive entertainment and delicious culinary delights. At this bustling market, guests will discover one-of-a-kind gifts and snack on scrumptious holiday treats. Relax near the warm glow of the fire pit with a holiday craft brew and experience a wonderful view of the vibrant Sea of Trees or sing along to musicians who bring the sounds of the season to life on the gazebo stage. Find the tastes of the season throughout the park with the return of fan-favorite beverages, including the decadent Butterscotch Hot Chocolate or try something new like the Peppermint Berry Julep or the Mistletoe Margarita.

MORE TO CELEBRATE

Take note of this additional events added to celebrate other holidays during the season:

Hanukkah Celebration Celebrate the festival of lights at SeaWorld! From November 28 through December 6, gather with your friends and family to view the traditional lighting of the menorah in Sesame Street Land™ throughout Hanukkah.
Kwanzaa Festivities Join SeaWorld’s celebration of Kwanzaa! Taking place December 26 through January 1, guests can enjoy a joyous time of reflection and celebration of African heritage with the nightly lighting of the kinara in Sesame Street Land™.
New Year’s Eve Spend the final day of 2021 enjoying SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration then ring in the New Year as vibrant fireworks fill the night sky at midnight on December 31.

Best Way to Enjoy the Holiday Cheer for SeaWorld Christmas 2021

The best way to experience SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration and New Year’s with family and friends is with a SeaWorld Orlando Annual Pass. For a limited time, Florida residents can become a Pass Member for as low as $12.75 per month. Pass Members can receive park benefits and rewards like priority access to new attractions, FREE parking, in-park discounts and much more.

For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com.

Thank you SparklyNicole of SparklyEverAfter.com for providing us with this review and guide for SeaWorld Orlando Christmas in 2021. We’ll have a video coming out soon that will showcase the food and other fun from the event, so be sure you’re subscribed to Zannaland on YouTube!

Disclaimer: Zannaland.com was provided with free tickets to SeaWorld.

First Look at Pixar’s LIGHTYEAR!

27 October 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Earlier this year, Disney/Pixar announced the new pseudo-prequel to the beloved Toy Story character, LIGHTYEAR. Today, we get our first look at the film in this exciting teaser!

The sci-fi action-adventure presents the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear—the hero who inspired the toy—introducing the legendary Space Ranger who would win generations of fans.

The film – which stars Chris Evans in the titular role – is scheduled to release June 17, 2022. No word yet on whether the film will debut on Disney+ Premier Access – something that Disney’s most recent releases have not been doing.

We know we’re excited to see what this story has in store, so be sure to stick around here for more updates on the film!

Disney Book Review: A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place On Earth

27 October 2021 by Scott Otis Leave a Comment

A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place On Earth

By Kevin Kern, Tim O’Day & Steven Vagnini

“The boys and girls of the world regard a visit to Walt Disney World … as a must in their lives. It’s a magnet, it’s a mecca for the dreams of youth and for the inspiration of mature people.” Herb Ryman, Disney Legend, Imagineer and artist

When famed Disney artist and then-retired Imagineer Herb Ryman spoke these profound words in 1982, just after the opening of the brand new masterpiece EPCOT Center, little did he know just how prophetic he was, with Walt Disney World since growing to gargantuan proportions, with four full-fledged theme parks, two epic water parks, a massive shopping and dining district, more than two dozen themed hotels, a campground, and more leisure and recreational activities than one can possibly imagine.

It was right around this time, with the shiny futuristic Spaceship Earth beckoning me, that this Orange County California boy of 12, then fully devoted to the only thing he possibly knew or cared about, Disneyland, became fully aware of the wonders of Walt Disney World, and set his mind on getting his family, some way, somehow, to take a summer family vacation to the Most Magical Place on Earth. I finally got that trip in May and June of 1984, and my life changed forevermore, and I knew I’d spend the rest of my life here, in the other Orange County, in the shadows of the very Cinderella Castle that Herb Ryman so beautifully designed years before.

For its 25th Anniversary in 1996, noted Disney historian and author Jeff Kurtti graced the world with his amazing quintessential history of Walt Disney World up to that point, Since the World Began: Walt Disney World – The First 25 Years, and it has held a prominent place on the center bookshelf of my vast Disney book collection, and I’ve turned to that book time and time again in my never ending research of Walt Disney World.

As the 50th Anniversary was growing closer, I was hoping the Company would once again turn to Jeff to write a Part Two, the 2nd 25 Years of Walt Disney World. Alas, that did not happen. But instead, we Disney fans were in for a treat! Not one, not two, but THREE!! fully qualified Disney historians were tapped to author the companion book of Disney World’s Golden Anniversary. When I saw the names attached to this project, I knew it was in the right hands.

Kevin Kern is a longtime Walt Disney Archivist and an accomplished Disney historian and writer; Tim O’Day is one of the foremost experts on Disney history and an amazing idea man who has worked on countless Disney special events; and my dear friend Steven Vagnini has been a constant champion of Disney heritage and history in his vast career with the Disney Archives, the official Disney fan club D23 and his current role in Walt Disney Imagineering.

And boy, oh boy… they did not disappoint.

This enormous 320-page volume is chock full of stories, nuggets, facts, quotes, photographs, captions, drawings, detailed renderings and top secret blueprints, current and historical, of all things Walt Disney World. Rather than the usual chronological format, the authors chose to organize the proceedings almost by using the famous Disneyland plaque “Here You Leave Today and Enter the World of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy” as their guide.

Before they get into that, though, the authors begin the book with a look at Disney’s history with the State of Florida, and the inner workings of the Company that led them to build their Resort destination there, as well as the purchase of the land tracts, and the massive construction project that turned the vast square mileage of swampland into The Most Magical Place on Earth. They detail the master plans of Project Florida, including the idea of EPCOT, the progress city of the future, that was initially planned for this land. There are extensive amounts of rare and never-before-seen photographs of the early planning stages and construction, with Walt surveying the Florida landscape just before his untimely passing in December 1966.

This section is followed by three short essays from some very important people, remembering their role in all of this, including: Dick Nunis, the former Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions and Disney Legend looking back at the vast job the Company had ahead of them to build and open this stupendous project; Debby Dane Browne, Walt Disney World’s first Ambassador, fondly recalling her early days at the Preview Center, becoming the first Ambassador and her memories of the Grand Opening of the Magic Kingdom and all of Walt Disney World; and Roy Patrick Disney, the grandson of Roy O. Disney, telling stories of his grandfather, who selflessly delayed his own retirement, literally spending the rest of his life to foresee and lead the Company to opening Walt’s greatest legacy, dying mere weeks after its Grand Opening.

This is where the meat and potatoes of the book begins, separating all the different Park areas, lands, attractions, shows and other bits of all of Walt Disney World into the four categories of Nostalgia (An Idealized Yesteryear), Fantasy (The Art of Make Believe), Discovery (Adventure and Exploration) and Tomorrow (A Step into the Future).

Nostalgia includes examinations of such things as Main Street U.S.A., Liberty Square, Frontierland, Hollywood Boulevard and the Grand Floridian Resort. The Fantasy chapter is where you’ll find Fantasyland (of course), Pandora: The World of Avatar, Galaxy’s Edge and Blizzard Beach.

Adventureland, Harambe, The Living Seas, major portions of World Showcase, Wilderness Lodge and much more can be found in the Discovery section. The pages of Tomorrow are where you’ll find stories on Tomorrowland, Spaceship Earth, Mission: SPACE, Contemporary Resort, and such unique concepts as transportation, solar energy, the utilidors and much more.

This is such a fun way to categorize all the distinctive individual ideas that make up the entire 50 year history of Walt Disney World, all with comprehensive quotes, captions and researched and notated footnotes (there are separate bibliographic and endnotes listings for the text, the captions and the quotes found throughout the chapters).

I very much enjoyed reading this incredible historical volume, and inspecting all the amazing images found within, examining the details of things I thought I knew so well. I recommend you take a closer look at this book by clicking the image below, or stopping by your local independent bookseller to pick up your own personal copy!

What a way to celebrate 50 years of the Most Magical Place on Earth! Thank you, Kevin, Tim and Steven! Also thank you to Disney Publishing for providing us this book for review. As always, our thoughts and opinions are our own.

There are quite a few other books that Disney has released for the Walt Disney World 50th celebration. I’ll link them here: (these are Amazon affiliate links, with a very small portion of the purchase going back to the site – we appreciate your support!)

You can see Scott’s previous reviews here, and we also discuss and review A Portrait of Walt Disney World and others on one of our Up the Waterfall weekly LIVE shows (we have quite a few book discussions there so check them out and subscribe for more!):

REVIEW: DEAR EVAN HANSEN, Your Movie Is Bad

22 September 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

As with all of my reviews, I want to make sure people are aware that I won’t be spoiling any of the plot here. That being said, the Dear Evan Hansen stage production premiered in 2016, and it’s been a moderately well known story since. Even if you’ve never heard a song off the soundtrack, you likely understand the concept of the story – which is so simple conceptually that you’ll be able to guess exactly how it ends.

Even if the film was good, the story would’ve been a hard sell on its own. To describe the film, the word that kept coming to mind was ‘cringe-worthy.’ Not ‘cringe’ in a modern ‘uncouth’ or ‘out of touch’ way, but cringe-worthy in the way you would describe watching someone’s marriage proposal get rejected. It’s just genuinely hard to watch Evan’s actions in the film – it’s not an enjoyable experience.

Evan Hansen is not a character that anyone is rooting for (and I don’t think by the end anyone will be), but the movie expects us to listen to this character who is so self-centered and sociopathic that he ruins the lives of people around him. I do believe that a large part of this is due to Evan’s casting – and we’ll get to that in a moment.

Dear Benj Pasek and Justin Paul,

Ben Platt as Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen, directed by Stephen Chbosky.

I’d like to take a brief pause to talk about the music. It’s a big musical, so surely the music is good right? Well, not necessarily.

I personally have never been a fan of the songwriting duo behind Dear Evan Hansen. The only work of theirs I particularly enjoy is 2016’s La La Land – and that’s entirely because the soundtrack is primarily the work of Justin Hurwitz.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who’s previous work also includes The Greatest Showman and two original songs for the 2019 Aladdin remake, have a particular style to their music – pop songs pretending to be musical theatre songs. And I definitely understand that some people are very big fans of their work – The Greatest Showman’s soundtrack is very popular to this day, and Dear Evan Hansen’s stage production won just about every Tony imaginable. It’s just not the best that the musical theatre genre has to offer, despite now making up its most popular tracks in decades.

Still, I would be lying if I said ‘Waving Through A Window’ didn’t make a frequent appearance in my musical theatre playlist. Before watching the film, I deliberately avoided listening to the original soundtrack again to enter bias-free. As a result, when the film began, I was really enjoying the first three tracks – and I thought to myself ‘Wow, this is way better than I remember!’ But after ‘Sincerely Me,’ the track list takes quite a dip.

The issue with Pasek and Paul’s work is that – with a few exceptions – most of their songs sound pretty identical. If you were to randomly assign a singer four songs from the duo’s discography, I don’t know if you’d be able to identify what songs came from what production.

Needless to say, there’s nothing in the film version that adds musically to the original version. If you’re curious at all about the show, I really recommend just listening to the Broadway recording instead, it’ll save you some money and about 137 minutes of boredom.

Dear DEH Cast,

(from left) Larry Mora (Danny Pino), Cynthia Murphy (Amy Adams) and Zoe Murphy (Kaitlyn Dever) in Dear Evan Hansen, directed by Stephen Chbosky.

Okay, so the story’s bad, the music’s bad, surely the cast has to be good right? You’d think that would be the case. Before I get too into the weeds here, I’ll begin with what I enjoyed. I didn’t know that Amy Adams was here, and she was a nice surprise. It’s not her most phenomenal role (she didn’t have very much to work with after all), but she’s still one of the more watchable characters of the film.

The MOST watchable performance goes to Colton Ryan (no relation), who played Connor Murphy. It goes without saying that he doesn’t have very much screen time, but he truly makes the most of what he does have. He actually served as an understudy for the role in the original Broadway production, and it shows that he has experience with the character.

The last highlight goes to Kaitlyn Dever – who you may have previously seen in 2019’s Booksmart, one of my favorite films of all time. Her character isn’t the best written, but she does bring a lot of realism to Ben Platt’s scenes, which is extremely necessary.

Dear Ben Platt,

(from left) Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) and Jared Kalwani (Nik Dodani) in Dear Evan Hansen, directed by Stephen Chbosky.

Ben Platt may very well be the worst part of this film. As mentioned before, he also played the titular role in the original Broadway production. Now, I didn’t see his Broadway performance myself, but the Tony’s and clout he earned seem to speak to how good it was.

However.

He’s not the only person who played the role. The stage production cast a new lead 4 different times, not including the national tour of the show, which featured a different actor altogether. Many people have taken the helm of the lonely high schooler who takes a lie too far. As a result, many people were confused when Platt was announced to play the character in the film adaptation.

Sure, he’s the most well known portrayer of the role, but that doesn’t mean he’s the only person who can play it for the rest of time. Take for example, the recent film adaptation of In the Heights: the character of Usnavi was initially played by Lin Manuel Miranda, someone who’s already become stereotyped with casting himself as a major role in whatever he writes. And yet, the role was instead taken by Anthony Ramos. LMM was older than he was in the initial production, and it was time to give it to someone else who deserved the spotlight.

It seems like a weird thing to be up-in-arms about, but Platt’s casting in the film seems even weirder when you learn that his father is a producer for the film, likely playing a big part in giving his son the lead role. Platt later responded to the cases against him by saying,

…were I not to do the movie, it probably wouldn’t get made. And so I think, you know, my defensive response is to want to like, go onto twitter and be like, you know ‘F you guys, like you don’t even know that like this wouldn’t exist without me.’

Never in my life have I seen something so disrespectful and egocentric from someone who was very publicly handed a lead role in a major film by his father. It does such a disservice to everyone else who has played the role on stage – one of whom I should point out is Platt’s current boyfriend – all of whom are equally as qualified to play the character again.

All of this to say, Platt’s performance is very difficult to watch. I had read that Platt would be digitally altered to appear younger (ideally to make a 27 year old appear 17). Either that article was fake, or it was done so subtly that it didn’t make a difference at all, because Platt still appears significantly older than any of the other high school students in the film.

Evan Hansen seeming like a creepy guy hanging around at a school severely changes the tone of the film. Rather than being a quirky misunderstood guy who gets caught up in wanting a life that he doesn’t have, Platt’s performance in the film instead gives us a hunched and awkward sociopath who is too egocentric to understand when he’s severely upheaving the familial lives of people who he doesn’t know at all.

I won’t even go into the issues now present Hansen’s romantic side plot with the character played by Kaitlyn Dever, an actress who just naturally looks young in general. Platt sadistically reciting all of the absurd minute details of Dever’s character who he obsessed over – of course, under the guise that these were actually the thoughts of her dead brother – is just something no one should ever be forced to sit through.

It really changes how Evan Hansen as a character will be interpreted by audiences, and it’s entirely because Platt got Daddy on the phone and decided he needed more attention.

Dear readers,

As a whole, this movie is not good. It’s absolutely minimalist stance on ‘mental health’ boils down to about as progressive someone tweeting ‘I just learned eating yogurt is a trauma response.’

I just truly cannot advise you enough to not see this. It’s not even entertaining in a “Oh I just want to see the train wreck” kind of way, it’s just not watchable at all. By the end of my screening, the audience, which was made up of the target demographic for this film, were simply laughing in embarrassment at Platt’s asinine emotional breakdown.

I assume studios were clamoring for the chance to bring this to the silver screen, but all of the negative press and negative reviews pretty much guarantee this version will be unmemorable in about 6 months.

Just go listen to the Broadway soundtrack instead.

OH BOTHER: Tickets Available for Disney’s WINNIE THE POOH Stage Adaptation

26 August 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Want to visit Winnie The Pooh in the Hundred Acre Wood? Just book a ticket to Broadway! Featuring songs by the Sherman Brothers’ and by A.A. Milne, this beautifully crafted musical stage adaptation of the classic characters opens on Time Square’s Theatre Row beginning October 21, 2021.

WINNIE THE POOH: THE NEW MUSICAL ADAPTATION is developed and presented by renowned family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller – whose spectacular puppetry was previously seen in productions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and Paddington Gets in a Jam.

Tickets to the show are now available here.

Due to an overwhelming response, Rockefeller Productions is opening a new block of weekend tickets for the highly anticipated show.

Jonathan Rockefeller and Rockefeller Productions [in association with Disney Theatrical Productions] embraced the challenge of re-imaging Disney’s Winnie the Pooh for a new audience by bringing it to life on stage in puppet form.

I know that I personally wish I could book a flight to New York just to catch a performance of this show, so stay tuned here for more updates on the production as we receive them!

New Featurette Released for DEAR EVAN HANSEN

26 August 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Musical fans rejoice! The film adaptation of the Tony phenomenon DEAR EVAN HANSEN is practically here! Today, Universal released a new featurette of the film. In the featurette, the cast talks about the meaning and impact of the track “You Will Be Found.”

The breathtaking, generation-defining Broadway phenomenon becomes a soaring cinematic event as Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Ben Platt reprises his role as an anxious, isolated high schooler aching for understanding and belonging amid the chaos and cruelty of the social-media age.

In addition to the featurette, Universal also released two singles from the film’s soundtrack on music streaming services. “Waving Through A Window” and “You Will Be Found,” as well as the preorder for the film’s soundtrack are available here.

The film is in theaters September 24, and you can bet we “Will Be Found” first in line to see it. Stay tuned here for our review!

DIS Family Reunion to Benefit Give Kids the World Ticket Giveaway!

26 August 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Before we get to the DIS Family Reunion ticket Giveaway, lets talk about Give Kids the World. GKTW is such a special and amazing place, which we love to support here at Zannaland. If you’ve been following along from the start, you know we’ve donated, toured, run with, and explored Give Kids the World many times over the years. Most recently we attended the grand re-opening of Henri’s Starlight Scoops ice cream shop, where guests of GKTW can have ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We also announced the return of last year’s incredible event, Night of a Million Lights, where proceeds benefit the Village directly.

Now, another event to benefit GKTW is happening and you can win tickets to attend! The “DIS Family Reunion” (unaffiliated with Disney) is a huge Expo-style event happening over two days, bringing together some of your favorites in the world of Disney parks, with some very special exclusive experiences too.

The event is taking place September 9 & 10, at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. We’re holding a ticket GIVEAWAY to the DIS Family Reunion event! Take a look at the incredible schedule of sessions below:

Disney’s Contemporary Resort – Complimentary parking will be provided

Thursday, September 9 (For more details, visit www.gktw.org/disfam.)

Main Stage in Fantasia Ballroom

10:00 am Event Kick-Off: WDW Resort President Jeff Vahle and Give Kids The World President

& CEO Pamela Landwirth

12:00 pm Celebrity chef Art Smith

2:30 pm Attractions Actor Panel with Ron Schneider, David Danipour, Kat Cressida and more

4:30 pm Actress Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid

The Lost Bros Stage

11:00 am Stories from Disneyland’s Opening with Tom Nabbe, Bill Hoelscher and Bill Sullivan

1:00 pm Actress Linda Larkin, the original voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin, and John Morris, the original voice of Andy from Pixar Animation Studios’ Toy Story

3:30 pm Common Sense Leadership with Lee Cockerell and Dan Cockerell

5:30 pm Performance by Palm Beach Society Orchestra (formerly the Grand Floridian Society)

Main Stage in Fantasia Ballroom

6:45 pm Serveur Amusant

7:00 pm Off Kilter

7:45 pm Sergio

8:00 pm Yehaa Bob

8:45 pm Sergio

9:00 pm American Martian (formerly known as Mulch, Sweat and Shears)

Friday, September 10 (For more details, visit www.gktw.org/disfam.)

Main Stage in Fantasia Ballroom

10:00 am Wheel of Fortunate Wisdom with iconic host Pat Sajak

12:00 pm Bear in the Big Blue House Reunion Panel

2:00 pm Mickey Mouse Club Reunion Panel

4:30 pm Tony Baxter discusses 50 years of theme park design with Walt Disney Imagineering

The Lost Bros Stage

11:00 am Themed entertainment expert Jason Surrell, Universal Creative

1:00 pm New York Times bestselling author Ridley Pearson (The Kingdom Keepers)

Main Stage in Fantasia Ballroom

8:00 pm Mickey Mouse Club Reunion (until 10:00 pm)

Action-packed, right? Should be an exciting couple of days of Disney fun. I’ll be there and you can be too! I’m giving away 2 sets of two tickets for both days of events during the day and night on September 9th and 10th.

DIS Family Reunion Ticket Giveaway Details:

To enter the giveaway, head to my Zannaland instagram and Zannaland Facebook page to enter the DIS Family Reunion Giveaway. (See instructions at each location.) Two random winners will be drawn, one from Facebook entries, one from Instagram on Sunday, August 29. Winner will be announced at those places and updated here on this post.

For an extra DIS Family Reunion Giveaway entry, subscribe to our YouTube channel and comment here letting me know you did.

Good luck!

SHANG-CHI Advanced Tickets Now Available

16 August 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

The latest installment in Marvel Studios’ Cinematic Universe is another step closer to release. Starting today, SHANG-CHI is available for advanced purchase at select theaters.

Fans can purchase advance tickets through Fandango to see the movie on the big screen in select theaters.

To commemorate the sale, Marvel has released a brand new TV spot of the film as well,

Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.

While advanced ticket sales at select theaters are available now, there has been no confirmation from Marvel or Disney on whether the film will be available on Disney+ Premier Access. If so, it will be the first major Disney release since Mulan to not be included on the service at it’s premiere date. Be sure to check here if there are any updates to this in the future.

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS opens in theaters on September 3, 2021.

Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Search Party Discount Tickets On Sale

5 August 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

It is time! For what seems like the first time in forever, Disney on Ice is returning! We shared this news previously, but the time has now come and tickets are available for Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Search Party at the Amway Center – September 3-5, 2021! If you aren’t local to Orlando, there are other touring dates available and on sale now or soon at DisneyOnIce.com, arena box office, and www.ticketmaster.com,. Keep reading for a Disney On Ice discount code!

Join Mickey Mouse and his friends at Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Search Party, an adventure filled with world-class skating, high-flying acrobatics and unexpected stunts! Look for clues in the search for Tinker Bell through immersive, fantastic worlds.

Explore the colorful spirit realm of Coco, sail away with Moana as she bravely saves her island, see Belle in the sky as the enchanted chandelier comes to life, and sing-along with Elsa in the icy world of Frozen. Make memories during Aladdin, Toy Story and The Little Mermaid as the search party becomes an all-out celebration!

See Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and stars from Moana, Coco, Frozen, Toy Story, Aladdin, Beauty and the
Beast, and The Little Mermaid.

Visit DisneyOnIce.com for COVID-19 information and venue safety standards.

©Disney/Pixar

Discount Code for Disney On Ice Tickets:

You can save $5 on select seats when you use code DOI5FQ online at DisneyOnIce.com.
Offer valid on select price levels and performances. Offer valid only on the following performances: Friday, September 3 at 7:30pm; Saturday, September 4 at 7pm; Sunday, September 5 at 5pm. No double
discounts. Service charges, handling and facility fees may apply. Tickets are subject to market supply and demand. Offer expires 8/29/21.

I’ll be attending one of these shows thanks to Disney On Ice, and cannot wait to share my experience. Be sure to follow along on @zannaland on instagram for future updates. I received complimentary tickets in exchange for sharing this Disney On Ice discount code but as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. Let me know if you’ll be going to Disney On Ice too!

Follow along with Disney On Ice here:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce
Twitter: @DisneyOnIce
YouTube: www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce
Instagram: @DisneyOnIce
Hashtag: #DisneyOnIce