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• Toon Thursday: Disney hits the reset button on Winnie the Pooh

  Jim Hill talks about that new hand-drawn feature that Walt Disney Animation Studios currently has in development. Which will be done in the style of the "Pooh" featurettes of the 1960s & 1970s Read More... Posted Thursday, October 15, 2009 12:00 AM | 8 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, Pixar, Disney Consumer Products, CG, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Playhouse Disney, Disney Legend, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions, WDAS, featurette, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Las Vegas, 1977, D23, 2009, October, 1970s , TV show, 1966 , 1968, hand-drawn animation, home premiere, 2011, theatrical release, Meet the Robinsons, characters , 1960s, Development , chapter, relaunch, Licensing International Expo, DCP , source material , television show , The Princess and the Frog, D23 EXPO, hand-drawn, featurettes, TV series, animated film, reset button, hand-drawn feature, Steve Anderson, story supervisor, Don Hall, Winnie the Pooh, animation fans, old school, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, A. A. Milne, Japanese Bunraku puppeteering, technique, Japanese, storybook, stuffed animal, Bunraku, stuffed animals, Christopher Robin, The Book of Pooh, CG animated, watercolor, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, watercolor backgrounds, Hundred Acre Woods, whimsical, contemporary audiences, Darby, commercialized, Buster, feature-length project, Winnie the Pooh franchise, silly old bear, hand-drawn film, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too, style, tone, Burny Mattinson, David Benedictus, Return to the Hundred Acre Woods, Dutton Juvenile, Dutton, original source material, The House at Pooh Corner, Eeyore, Expotition, North Pole, cutsie-pooh, cutsie-poo, expo, reset, Pooh products, juvenile, Winnie the Pooh movie, Pooh featurette, Pooh featurettes, theaters

• Tune Thursday: Why "The Lion King" gets the lion's share of the attention on the Las Vegas Strip

  Jim Hill talks about the ambitious promotional plan that the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino and Disney Theatrical put together to help hype this new sit-down production of that Tony Award-winning musical Read More... Posted Thursday, September 24, 2009 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, Broadway, musical, ABC, promotion, The Lion King, Disney Theatrical, Dancing with the Stars, Julie Taymor, Las Vegas, hotel, Hairspray, The Producers, Broadway musical, stage version, promotional campaign, shows, show, 1997, Avenue Q , Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, lion, stage show , 1996 , stage, Mandalay Bay, Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family, Mandalay Place, Raleigh Studios, The Lion King Exhibit, The Strip, video marquee, key card, Results Show, Las Vegas Strip

• Monday Mouse Watch : Disney's "High School Musical" cancels "Christmas" ?!

  Jim Hill's back with a tale that reveals the true power of the "HSM" franchise. Which has a Massachusetts theater postponing its long-proven holiday moneymaker so that it can then present the stage version of Disney's "High School Musical 2" Read More... Posted Monday, October 20, 2008 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, A Christmas Carol, musical, High School Musical, Disney Theatrical, High School Musical 2, Tarzan, High School Musical 3, High School Musical 4, High School Musical franchise, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Disney's High School Musical on Tour, stage version, HSM, 2008, 2009, Thanksgiving, 2007, holiday classic, Gabriella , Camp Rock , stage show , stage, East High, creative team , rehearsal, theater community, musical theater, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Music Theatre International, Fabulous Fox Theatre, Theater of the Stars, regional theater premiere, Salt Lake City, Temple Square, Charles Dickens, regional theater, professional production, Ebenezer Scrooge, North Shore Music Theatre, holiday traditions, high school students, high school student, rehearsals, Camp Rock 2, Atlanta, Carol LaRosa, Gloucester Times, Jon Kimbrell, Beverly, Tiny Tim, NSMT, holiday, Disney's High School Musical : On Tour, High School Musical On Stage, High School Musical : On Stage, Disney's High School Musical On Stage, Disney's High School Musical : On Stage, Disney's High School Musical 2 On Stage, Disney's High School Musical 2 : On Stage, High School Musical 2 On Stage, High School Musical 2 : On Stage

• 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 Tuesday: Get ready for the stage version of "High School Musical 2"

  Jim Hill shares all sorts of tidbits from the Disney Theatrical side of the fence. Including the tour schedule for both the North American & UK version of "Mary Poppins" as well as "The Little Mermaid" CD release celebration Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, Broadway, High School Musical, ABC, Walt Disney Pictures, Disney Theatrical, High School Musical 2, The Walt Disney Company, High School Musical 3, High School Musical franchise, New York City, Washington D.C., Australia, Chicago, Los Angeles, NYC, LA, Broadway musical, stage version, Disney Channel Original, 2009, October, Cameron Mackintosh , Broadway Cares / Equity Fights Aids , autographs, co-production, stage show

• Night Kingdom to reimagine the Disney-theme-park-going experience

  Jim Hill shares what he knows about WDW's 5th theme park. Which will be an after-hours venue that will offer guests the chance to have all sorts of once-in-a-lifetime, hands-on adventures Read More... Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 12:00 AM | 96 Comments Filed under: Disney, theater, theme park, convention, resorts, Walt Disney World, Disney Theatrical, Discovery Cove, SeaWorld, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, The Walt Disney Company, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, Walt Disney World Dolphin hotel, WDW, cast members, Operations, cast member, hotel, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, resort, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, October, guest, guests, rides, ride, show, on property, vacation package, eatery, SeaWorld Orlando, Pleasure Island, The Adventurers Club, Adventurers Club, night club, 2011, Disney's Night Kingdom, 5th theme park, Busch Gardens Africa, focus group, focus groups , preview video , SeaWorld's Discovery Cove, niche park , J B Kaufman, DNK, High School Musical: East Meets West , 2000, 4000 , Indiana Jones , zipline , crocodiles, hand-feeding , hippopotamus, traditional theme park , night vision goggles , lions , lion, hyenas , hyena, spelunking, bats , bat, rock climbing, African savanna, South American , penguins, horticultural , Typhoon Lagoon , eateries, stage show , Broadway talent, capacity , operation , blueprints , hotels, Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin, on-property , admission , gourmet meal , non-alcoholic beverages , non-alcoholic beverage, admission fee , newest theme park , vacation packages, convention groups, convention group, weeks, week, months, month, advance reservations, advance reservation, reservations , reservation, annual shareholders meeting , shareholders meeting , Albuquerque , annual press event, press event, Villain themed , Villains themed , coasters, coaster, natural environment , once-in-a-lifetime , Disney's Boardwalk Inn

• 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

• 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: Timon tells tails ... er ... tales about his time on Broadway

  In honor of the 10th anniversary of the stage version of "The Lion King," Jim Hill chats with Danny Rutigliano. The veteran stage performer who -- for nearly a decade now -- has been playing the world's most famous meerkat (Outside of Flower, of course) Read More... Posted Thursday, October 11, 2007 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, movies, music, theater, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, The Walt Disney Company, New York City, Max Casella, Julie Taymor, Danny Rutigliano, Bill Clinton, Minneapolis, The Sopranos, New Amsterdam Theatre, Minskoff Theatre, The President of the United States, Tony Award winner, meerkat

• Broadway's last Belle looks back on her brief turn in this long-running musical

  Jim Hill chats with Anneliese van der Pol, the "That's So Raven" vet that Disney Theatrical selected to be the very last actress to portray Belle in the Broadway version of this show. Plus Jim shares info about two "Beauty & the Beast" ticket giveaways that could possibly earn you seats to the very last performance on July 29th Read More... Posted Thursday, July 19, 2007 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: Disney, DVD / Video, movies, music, other, theater, Broadway, musical, Disney Channel, promotion, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast

• Tune Thursday: Stressing while dressing the cast of Broadway's "Beauty & the Beast"

  Jim Hill interviews Julie Ratcliffe, the wardrobe supervisor of this long-running Disney Theatrical production, as this Broadway vet reveals what's happening just off-stage while this show is being presented nightly Read More... Posted Thursday, July 12, 2007 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: Disney, music, theater, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast

• As "Tarzan" swings off Broadway, is Beyoncé getting ready to play Aida in Disney's next big movie musical?

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related question. In this week's "Why For," he talks about how the Wiggles wound up at Six Flags, shares the latest news on the "Song of the South" DVD, sounds off about "Soarin'" & "Der Glockner Von Notre Dame" and ... Oh, yeah ... Reveals the latest rumors surrounding the studio's upcoming big screen adaptation of "Aida" Read More... Posted Friday, July 06, 2007 12:00 AM | 15 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, DVD / Video, music, theater, theme park, TV, Why For, Pixar, Broadway, musical, attraction, ABC, Disney Channel, traditional animation, computer animation, CG, Walt Disney Pictures, Michael Eisner, Dick Cook, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Epcot

• Why (For) Pat Carroll wasn't actually Disney's first choice to voice Ursula in "The Little Mermaid"

  Thanks to Allan Neuwirth, Jim Hill is now able to share this great story about Walt Disney Animation Studios' epic search for just the right voice for the sea witch Read More... Posted Friday, June 15, 2007 12:00 AM | 13 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, DVD / Video, movies, theater, TV, musical, traditional animation, Walt Disney Pictures, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, NBC