With a smile and a song, Disney to open revue here
02/21/04
Disney has had a busy week. Comcast wants to take over. The Muppets came aboard. And now Mickey will open his next big stage musical in Cleveland.
Disney Theatrical Productions, the division of Walt Disney Co. that has three hits on Broadway and 10 touring the globe, will open "On the Record" at the Palace Theatre in Playhouse Square on Nov. 9, division President Tom Schumacher said Friday.
The opening of "On the Record," a revue of more than 50 songs from Disney movies ranging from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" to "The Lion King," will follow three weeks of technical rehearsals in Cleveland.
After leaving town Nov. 21, "On the Record" will tour for at least a year while Disney execs consider a New York move.
The Cleveland launch resulted from Playhouse Square "lobbying us for a very, very long time," said Jack Eldon, a Disney spokesman.
"They are the largest producer on Broadway with a number of new projects in development, and we are one of the most important performing-arts centers in the country," Playhouse Square President Art Falco said. "It's a good marriage."
Past Disney shows have been hits in Cleveland. Last summer, "The Lion King" sold more than 99 percent of its seats, earning $9 million toward the show's $1 billion worldwide receipts.
Directed and choreographed by veteran Broadway director Robert Longbottom, "On the Record" will be set in a recording studio and will feature a cast of eight.
Although principal casting will be in New York, Disney may also hold local auditions.
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