The Disney Magic is now home to the newest musical in the Disney repertoire – Tangled The Musical. With original and new music by Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater, it’s about time Disney’s modern classic gets some synergistic love.
The show stays true to the storyline from the hit feature film—with a few special twists to create a live stage production—featuring favorite characters like Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, the villainous Mother Gothel and Maximus the guard horse.
The story stays mostly true to the movie as it follows the thrilling adventure of Rapunzel. First she escapes the confines of her tower and the clutches of Mother Gothel, who wishes to shield the secret of Rapunzel’s magical golden tresses and royal roots. Rapunzel then strikes up an unlikely friendship with the suave, crown-stealing bandit Flynn Rider, and together they face ruffians, thugs and a budding romance on a hair-raising journey filled with classic Disney playfulness and whimsy that will delight audiences of all ages.
Complementing the score from the film, three new songs weave a delightful combination of narrative, humor and theatrics into the performance.
In addition to new melodies, audiences enjoy live performances of favorite songs from the movie, including “When Will My Life Begin,” “Mother Knows Best,” “I’ve Got a Dream” and the Grammy Award-winning ballad, “I See the Light.”
Elaborate costumes, groundbreaking puppetry and stunning set designs transform the 977-seat Walt Disney Theatre into a fanciful Bavarian kingdom, immersing audiences in Rapunzel’s world and making them feel a part of her story. Disney assembled an all-star creative team to develop this extravagant production, with director Gordon Greenberg and choreographer Connor Gallagher joining Menken, Slater and a bevy of top-notch theatrical talent.
Master puppet designer Michael Curry, whose extraordinary creations are featured in Disney’s Tony Award-winning musical “The Lion King” on Broadway, bred a brand-new pedigree of puppetry in Maximus, the rambunctious guard horse. The “mane” attraction of every scene he steals, Maximus’ exaggerated demeanor becomes even more hilarious through the talents of the whinnying puppet performer within.
Dazzling costumes created by Tony Award-winning designer Paloma Young bring the flair and vibrancy of the animated world to life onstage. The townspeople’s bright hues and Rapunzel’s feminine florals are perfectly balanced by the bristly browns of the rugged thugs and royal regalia of the kingdom officials, creating a sensational fusion of colors, patterns and textures.
Remarkable set designs by scenic designer Bradley Kaye (Disney’s “Aladdin—A Musical Spectacular”) transport audiences to storybook locales that include Rapunzel’s tower home, the outlandish Snuggly Duckling tavern, a brightly adorned kingdom town and the resplendent lakeside setting of the iconic floating lanterns scene from the film.
“Tangled: The Musical” premiered aboard the Disney Magic during the Nov. 11 four-night Bahamian sailing. The ship will continue to sail four-night Bahamas and five-night Western Caribbean cruises from Miami through the new year. I’m saving my pennies for a cruise! How about you?