We’ve featured the amazing vocal talents of Nick Pitera on Videopolis many times before (and more). But his latest entry has the best production value yet. That’s because he’s had a little help from Disney itself for this One Man Sings Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway.… Read More »Videopolis: Nick Pitera – One Man Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway
Update: Sondheim walked back some of the rumored changes in a clarification. We’ll see what the final version looks like this Xmas.
Disney has a movie version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Into The Woods” musical currently in production. It has a great list of names starring and on the crew. Included in the production are original composer Stephen Sondheim and the original writer James Lapine. So, when Sondheim mentions at a recent master class that the movie will be changing around some significant portions of the stage version for the movie musical, you have to believe that the film is in good hands.
According to a story in Broadway.com,
“‘You will find in the movie that Rapunzel does not get killed’ Sondheim revealed to the attendees, ‘and the Prince does not sleep with the Baker’s Wife.’ Additionally, the composer revealed that the number “Any Moment” has been ‘probably cut.’ He went on to say, ‘I won’t tell you what happens, but we wrote a new song to cover it.’ Sondheim also discussed Disney’s objections to the sexual nature of the Wolfe and Little Red Riding Hood’s story, suggesting that those scenes may be a bit more tame than on stage”
I don’t think anyone is surprised that Disney would request some of the less child friendly elements of the play be removed. If Sondheim and Lapine agreed to do the project, they must have known that too and are confident the movie will still retain the spirit of the original.
Disney’s Into the Woods is scheduled to hit theaters this Christmas.
Below the cut is a list of many of the big named actors from the stage and screen who will be in the film:
Read More »Into The Woods Getting New Treatment from Composer and Writer
There was no show like The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Festival of Fools at Disneyland. Instead of a simple retelling of the story of Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Pheobus, Clopin, and the gang from Disney’s popular movie, it took place in and around the audience in an arena based on medieval play structure and brought a new style of entertainment to guests.
Because there was always multiple things going on in the show at the same time it had repeatability. Also, the performers were given a small amount of leeway to juice up their roles with an extra bit of humor here and there. I saw the show well over 600 times, but I guarantee I never had the same experience twice.
I could have watched it many more times, However, it only ran from June 21, 1996 to April 18, 1998. Not nearly long enough in my book. But I do remember it with an essay in my Dispatch from Disneyland book and, through the magic of YouTube, you can watch a recording of that wonderful final show. Hard to believe it’s been 16 years.
Parts 2 & 3 below
Read More »A Salute To The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Festival of Fools at Disneyland
Today a cancelled show with legions of fans may find itself revived on Netflix or via a Kickstarter movie. But the original path to new life for great entertainment was from screen to Broadway. According to a story in Variety, the short lived, but much… Read More »ABC’s Pushing Daisies Could Come Back To Life on Broadway
“Disenchanted!” is a cabaret-style original musical, originally created in Orlando by two former Disney World employees, that takes a look at those classic princess stories we have come to know and love…through the eyes of the ticked off princesses. The show has had various productions… Read More »“Disenchanted!” is an Princess-larious good time!
Ever wonder if Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas would work as a stage musical? Here’s one video that seems to say yes! Does that guy look familiar? His name is Matthew Patrick Davis and he’s the zombie in that Sprint commercial too. Nightmare Before Christmas… Read More »Nightmare Before Christmas Live
The Walt Disney Animation Studios feature film Frozen has been cleaning up at the box office, the record store, and soon could be dusting Broadway with its magical spell. Marshal already speculated on this possibility about a week ago. Disney CEO Bob Iger recently confirmed… Read More »Disney’s Frozen Heading To Broadway?
Disney’s production of the feature film musical “Into the Woods” has just started production. I’ve been waiting for the first image from the set to drop, and here it is. Meryl Streep as the Witch: Meryl Streep ventures “Into the Woods” as the Witch who… Read More »First Picture of Meryl Streep as The Witch from Disney’s Into The Woods