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• “Shrek the Musical” piles on the promotions, gets ready to launch its national tour in July of 2010

  Jim Hill discusses the many things that DreamWorks Theatricals & Neal Productions have done recently in an effort to make their show stand out from the crowd on Broadway Read More... Posted Friday, October 02, 2009 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: DreamWorks, Broadway, musical, Chicago, NYC, Christmas, D23, Broadway musical, 2008, 2009, September, October, 2001, Donkey, Shrek, Shrek the Halls, Fiona, Pinocchio, dragon, Christopher Sieber , Lord Farquaad , Johnny and the Sprites , John Tartaglia , December , November, August, 2010, May, January, national tour, special event, DreamWorks Theatricals, Shrek the Musical, I Know It's Today, Brian D'Arcy James, Broadway Theatre, D23 EXPO, SHREKtember, SHREKtoberfest, Monkees, I'm a Believer, Hannah Beatt, Laura Laureano, Sutton Foster, Fairytale Creatures, talkback, talkback session, talkback sessions, giveaways, Daniel Breaker, Festival of Ogre-sized Fun, standby, understudy, Ben Crawford, Build A Wall, Manhattan Theatre Club, Sameul J Friedman Theatre, Time Stands Still, Donald Margulies, At This Performance, understudy concert, Broadway in Chicago, general public, dragon puppet, little wooden boy

• Tourists mob Muppets & Mouse shops, snatch up last “Mermaid” tickets

  Jim Hill reports in from NYC. Where – based on what’s been going on at FAO Schwartz, World of Disney and the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre – the economy appears to be on the mend Read More... Posted Wednesday, August 19, 2009 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: Disney, Pixar, Broadway, musical, Muppets, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, NYC, Denver, animated character, 5th Avenue, Broadway musical, 2009, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, ticket sales, shops, store shelves, 2010, Up, Tampa, New York, The Little Mermaid, musical theater, Muppet, Muppet Whatnot Workshop

• Tune Thursday: Christopher Sieber kneels to get a rise out of Broadway audiences

  Jim Hill chats with this Tony nominee about the physical challenges involved with playing Lord Farquaad in “Shrek The Musical” Read More... Posted Thursday, June 11, 2009 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: DreamWorks, Broadway, musical, New York City, NYC, Broadway musical, 2008, 2009, Shrek, New York, DreamWorks Theatricals, Shrek the Musical, Broadway Theatre

• Is Disney looking to trade its 5th Avenue store in for a brand-new retail location down on Times Square?

  Since the World of Disney's lease is up in 2010, the Mouse is already on the prowl for a new spot to set up shop in NYC. Jim Hill shares what he's heard about these on-going negotiations Read More... Posted Tuesday, October 21, 2008 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: Disney, Broadway, musical, ABC, Walt Disney World, The Lion King, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, Lunt-Fontanne Theater, Disney Store, ABC Studios, The Walt Disney Company, New York City, Mickey Mouse, restaurant, New Amsterdam Theatre, Minskoff Theatre, The Legendary Years, Disney's Pop Century Resort, NYC, Times Square, WDW, 5th Avenue, flagship store, World of Disney, Broadway musical, tourists, 2008, 2009, Disney World, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Walt Disney World Resort, Halloween, 2007, Mary Poppins, tourist , retail establishment , stage show , retail dining and entertainment complex, Virgin Megastore, Virgin, 1996 , 2010, stage, 2004, New York, Disney Stores, The Little Mermaid, movie theater, musical theater, 1990s, Wall Street, retail area, negotiations, trick-or-treat, trick or treat, square feet, retail space, commercial retail space, Wart, king, retailer, retailers, foot traffic, exposure, Paul Hoen, HoJos, Howard Johnson, American Eagle, American Eagle Outfitters, Pittsburgh, square foot, lease, Jeff Sutton, SL Green Realty Corp, Vornado, arcade, Alice's Wonderland, Toys R Us, Toys R Us Times Square, Virgin Megastore Times Square, ABC Times Square Studio, ABC Times Square Studios, retail entertainment complex, pre-show, post-show, preshow, posters, The Related Companies, retail presence, negotiating table, Rockefeller Center, Trump Tower, company representatives, real estate opportunity, real estate opportunites, construction project, construction projects

• Tune Tuesday : "Shrek the Musical" gets off to a great start in Seattle

  WARNING !! There be spoilers ahead in this preview piece about DreamWorks Theatrical's Broadway-bound production. Which is a musical adaptation of DW's Academy Award-winning animated feature Read More... Posted Tuesday, September 09, 2008 12:00 AM | 8 Comments Filed under: Disney, music, theater, DreamWorks, Broadway, musical, Walt Disney, The Lion King, The Walt Disney Company, New York City, YouTube, Mickey Mouse, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Julie Taymor, NYC, LA, Academy Award, movie, Broadway musical, stage version, 2008, animated feature, 2001, Donkey, ogre, Shrek, Fiona, opening night, Broadway production, Big Green Ogre , Great White Way, Jeanine Tesori , David Lindsay-Abaire , Jason Moore , Seattle, 5th Avenue Theater , Lord Farquaad , Academy Award winner, December , November, childhood, stage show , design team, August, director , stage, audience, Big Apple , New York, creative team , DreamWorks Theatricals, Broadway-bound, musical adaptation, DW, Academy Award-winning, movie-based musical, theater community, Ponyo, playset, Young Frankenstein, The Little Mermaid, 9 to 5 : The Musical, world premiere, Ahmanson Theater, Shrek the Musical, out-of-town, opening, librettist, composer, designer, Tim Hatley, swamp, spoilers, Momma Ogre, Poppa Ogre, Big Bright Beautiful World, opening number, title character, introductory number, I Know It's Today, Cloris Leachman, Brian D'Arcy James, outhouse, backstory, second act, challenge song, I Think I Got You Beat, choreographer, Rob Ashford, New York audiences, Broadway Theatre, playhouse, Walt Disney Company, 1928, movie theater, strategy, the Colony Theater, Colony Theater, Steamboat Willie, Fantasia, Snow White, diecast

• Tune Thursday : Looking back at the development of Broadway's "Lion King"

  Jim Hill chats with Derek Smith, the actor who's now playing Scar in this Tony Award-winning musical. But whose ties to this show actually go all the way back to the costume & mask tests that Julie Taymor did in her workshop Read More... Posted Friday, July 11, 2008 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: Disney, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, New York City, Julie Taymor, New Amsterdam Theatre, Minskoff Theatre, Tony Award winner, NYC, Scar, Broadway musical, stage version, Tony Award, 1997, Broadway production, costume concept, staging, stage show , stage, New York, costume designer , costumes, Derek Smith, The Green Bird, workshop, mask, The Madness of King Scar, rehearsal, rehearsal pianist, stage manager

• Stage version of "Mary Poppins" draws a lot of its inspiration from ... Well, drawings

  Jim Hill looks back at the development of this Disney / Cameron Mackintosh production. Which is not just based on the 1964 film, but also draws its inspiration from P.L. Travers' stories and Mary Shepard's illustrations Read More... Posted Friday, June 20, 2008 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: Disney, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, Chicago, New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC, Academy Award, film, movie, road company, Broadway musical, stage version, 2009, Tony Award, Broadway production, Cameron Mackintosh , Jolly Holiday, Bob Crowley, Mary Poppins, London, penguins, stage show , production team, March, stage, national tour, North American National Tour , Ashley Brown , title role, Gavin Lee , Drama Desk Award, New York, 1964, set designer , costume designer , set, motion picture, setting, Practically Perfect, Richard Eyre, creative team , Matthew Bourne , Julian Fellowes, P L Travers , Robertson Ay, footman, A Spoonful of Sugar , 1934, Mrs Corry , Annie, Fannie, gingerbread , gilt stars , Gingerbread Stars , Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, talking shop, bake shop, Jaws 3 People 0, Bad Wednesday, chapter, Mary Poppins Comes Back , Royal Doulton , George Stiles , Anthony Drewe , Temper Temper, Miss Andrew, governess, Ruth Gottschall, birdcage , Mary Shepard , Let's Go Fly a Kite, 1943, Mary Poppins Opens the Door , Neleus, statue , statues, illustrations, illustration, The Marble Boy, Starlighter , costumes, constellations , Anything Can Happen If You Let It, Mary Poppins in the Park, England, Theatre Royal Plymouth , Cadillac Palace Theatre, Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Matthew Garber, Karen Dotrice, Ed Wynn

• Tune Thursday: Big Green Ogre heads for Great White Way

  Jim Hill shares the latest news about "Shrek the Musical," which should open on Broadway just in time for the holidays. He also talks up a special promotional appearance that John Tartaglia will be making at NYC's World of Disney this Saturday & Sunday Read More... Posted Thursday, January 17, 2008 12:00 AM | 10 Comments Filed under: theater, DreamWorks, Broadway, musical, promotion, Beauty and the Beast, Shrek the Third, DreamWorks Animation, Playhouse Disney, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Shrek 2, television, Tony Award winner, NYC, 5th Avenue, World of Disney, Broadway musical, 2008, television program, Disneyana fans, Shrek Goes Fourth, holiday special, ogre, Shrek, Shrek the Halls, Pinocchio, Tony Award, Broadway production, theme park attraction, animated features, Big Green Ogre , Great White Way, Jeanine Tesori , Tony-nominated , Thoroughly Modern Millie , Caroline or Change , Mulan II , Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch has a Glitch, The Little Mermaid -- Ariel's Beginning, William Steig , Oscar-winning , playwright , David Lindsay-Abaire , Jason Moore , Avenue Q , Seattle, 5th Avenue Theater , Palace Theater, Tony Award-winner , Tony nominee, Christopher Sieber , Lord Farquaad , Johnny and the Sprites , John Tartaglia , puppet pal, Root, Saturday , Sunday, Johnny and The Sprites Live – A Spofulous Broadway Concert, Broadway Cares / Equity Fights Aids , fundraiser, Town Hall , family-friendly event , meet-n-greet , concert , autographs, pictures, www.broadwaycares.org

• Tune Thursday: There's big fun to be had at "The Little Mermaid"

  Jim Hill reviews Disney Theatrical's latest production. Which -- while admittedly not perfect -- is still a perfectly enjoyable evening of theater Read More... Posted Thursday, January 10, 2008 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, Lunt-Fontanne Theater, New York City, NYC, Broadway musical, New York Times

• "How Does the Show Go On?" lifts the curtain on what goes on behind-the-scenes at a Broadway musical

  Jim Hill reviews Thomas Schumacher & Jeff Kurtti's interactive introduction to the theater. Which uses stories & images from various Disney Theatrical productions to reveal what's actually involved with putting on a professional show Read More... Posted Thursday, December 06, 2007 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, theater, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, Disney Press, Tarzan, New York City, Jeff Kurtti, Disney Editions, New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC, Local One, stagehands, Broadway musical, show, Thomas Schumacher, Broadway production, How Does the Show Go On? An Introduction to the Theater, backstage

• Broadway comes roaring back to life, and so does Disney's "The Lion King"

  Jim Hill brings you an update on the 10th anniversary celebration for this Tony Award-winning musical. Which was kind of thrown off-schedule by last month's stagehands strike Read More... Posted Tuesday, December 04, 2007 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, Broadway, musical, The Lion King, Disney Theatrical, New York City, Julie Taymor, New Amsterdam Theatre, Minskoff Theatre, Tony Award winner, NYC, the boys: the sherman brothers' story, gala performance, international production, Local One, stagehands union, The League of American Theatres and Producers, stagehands, road company, Broadway musical, canapé, caterer, after-party, Cipriani 42, original cast, Thomas Schumacher, Tony Award, South Africa, The Montecasino Teatro, Johannesburg, The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, celebration, scenery, picket line, reunion, TLK, Mexico, Young Nala, Young Simba, Ron Kunene, family, unsung heroes, unsung hero, opening night, 1997, Broadway production

• Stage version of Disney's "The Lion King" is an international success, but ...

  ... in an interview with Jim Hill, production supervisor Doc Zorthian reveals how this long-running musical receives a somewhat different reception in every new country it's presented in Read More... Posted Tuesday, November 06, 2007 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: music, theater, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, New York City, Japan, Julie Taymor, Minskoff Theatre, Tony Award winner, NYC, the boys: the sherman brothers' story, gala performance, Steve Doc Zorthian, Tshidi Manye, puppetry, Scar, Rafiki, Germany, Paris, Joan Marcus, The Circle of Life, production supervisor, international production

• Tune Thursday: Broadway's "Lion King" balances spectacle with intimate storytelling

  As this Tony Award-winning musical gets ready to celebrate its 10th anniversary in NYC, Jim Hill chats with Nathaniel Stampley. Who talks about how the sacrifices that his own father made as well as the recent birth of his daughter informs Stampley's performance of Mufasa Read More... Posted Thursday, November 01, 2007 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: Disney, music, theater, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, New York City, Chicago, Julie Taymor, Minskoff Theatre, 9/11, Simba, NYC, the boys: the sherman brothers' story, gala performance, Nathaniel Stampley, Detroit

• Tune Thursday: Sorry, but Kissy Simmons won't kiss-and-tell about her time in Broadway's "The Lion King"

  In honor of the upcoming 10th anniversary of this Disney Theatrical production, Jim Hill chats with Kissy Simmons, the actress who's now playing Nala in this long-running musical spectacular Read More... Posted Thursday, October 18, 2007 12:05 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: Disney, movies, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, New York City, Minskoff Theatre, Tony Award winner, 9/11, Michael Jackson, The King of Pop, Nala, Simba, Show Palace Dinner Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Aida, Apollo Theater, NYC, Kissy Simmons, Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square, Floral City, Florida, Audrey II, Denver, Shadow Land, Times Square, the boys: the sherman brothers' story, gala performance