BURBANK, Calif. – June 11, 2013 – D23: The Official Disney Fan Club is thrilled to announce a special theatrical performance, Broadway and Beyond. Thomas Schumacher, president and producer, Disney Theatrical Productions will host a musical journey into Disney’s history on Broadway and beyond at the D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. The performance features an all-star line-up, including Heidi Blickenstaff (THE LITTLE MERMAID), Ashley Brown (MARY POPPINS and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), Merle Dandridge (TARZAN® and AIDA), Josh Strickland (TARZAN®) and Alton Fitzgerald White (THE LION KING), who sing beloved songs from the award-winning musicals they starred in as well as classic tunes from the Disney on Broadway catalogue.
The one night only performance will take place on Friday, August 9, 2013 at 6:30pm on Stage 23 inside the Anaheim Convention Center.
DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, was formed in 1994 and operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. Worldwide, its eight Broadway titles have been seen by over 124 million theatergoers, grossed over $8.9 billion and have cumulatively run a staggering 195 years. With 15 productions currently produced or licensed, a Disney musical is being performed professionally somewhere on the planet virtually every hour of the day.
The company’s inaugural production, Beauty and the Beast, opened in 1994. It played a remarkable 13 year run on Broadway and has been produced in 28 countries worldwide. In November 1997, Disney opened The Lion King, which received six 1998 Tony® Awards including Best Musical and is now the highest grossing show in Broadway history. The show continues in its 16th smash year, having welcomed over 68 million visitors worldwide. The Lion King can also currently be seen on tour across North America, the U.K., and Japan, and in London’s West End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid, and Sao Paulo.
Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida opened on Broadway next, winning four 2000 Tony® Awards, and spawning productions around the world. Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, opened in London in 2004 and established itself as one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge in recent years. The Tony Award®-winning Broadway production played more than six years at Disney’s New Amsterdam Theatre and can now be seen on tour across North America and in Mexico City.
Tarzan®, which opened on Broadway in 2006, is now an international hit with an award-winning production in its 6th year in Germany. In January 2008, The Little Mermaid opened on Broadway and was the #1-selling new musical of that year. Its success continues with three new productions around the world: Holland, Russia and Japan.
Two new critically acclaimed productions opened on Broadway in 2012, receiving seven Tony® Awards between them: Newsies, in its second year at the Nederlander Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher, now playing at New World Stages.
Other successful stage musical ventures have included King David in concert, the national tour of On The Record, several touring versions of Disney’s High School Musical, and Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin.
Its new musical, Aladdin, will open in Toronto in fall 2013.
About D23 Expo 2013
The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof, providing attendees with unprecedented access to Disney films, television and theme parks. For the latest D23 Expo 2013 news, visit www.D23Expo.com. To be part of the D23 Expo conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 and tag your tweets with #D23Expo.
