Well, it’s official. The worst kept secret in Broadway history has finally been confirmed. Disney’s stage version of “The Lion King” will be vacating the New Amsterdam Theatre on June 4, 2006. This Tony Award winner will then be moving to the Minskoff Theatre, where it will resume performances on June 13th.
“And once ‘The Lion King’ is out of the Amsterdam, what will Disney Theatrical then be presenting in its flagship theatre?,” you ask. “Mary Poppins,” the new stage musical that DT produced in partnership with Cameron Mackintosh which has been wowing crowds at London’s Prince Edward Theatre since December of last year.
Now this — coupled with the fact that Disney’s new musical version of “Tarzan” will be bowing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre next spring — signals that 2006 will be the busiest year ever for Disney Theatrical. More to the point, it is a year that will be fraught with considerable peril for this division of the Walt Disney Company.
As one DT insider told me yesterday:
You have to understand that the Broadway version of “Mary Poppins” is not necessarily a slam dunk. There have been continual complaints from theater-goers in London about how dark the stage version of “Poppins” is, how this musical doesn’t feature enough songs from the 1964 film, that it leaves out people’s favorite scenes from the motion picture like the Uncle Albert “I Love to Laugh” sequence.
So there have supposedy been some discussions about possibly lightening up the Broadway version of “Mary Poppins.” Tossing in another song or two from the movie, just so Disney Theatrical reps can then say “Well, we addressed some of the audience’s concerns about the London version of the show …”
Mind you, there are other folks within Disney Theatrical who argue that the London version of “Mary Poppins” is fine just the way it is. That the company shouldn’t change a thing when they transfer this new musical to Broadway. To hear these people talk, it’s actually probably a good thing that the Broadway version of “Mary Poppins” won’t be all that faithful to the 1964 film.
Take — for example — what just happened to the Broadway version of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” This stage show was also an import from London, another brand-new musical that was based on a popular motion picture from the 1960s. And — just like “Poppins” — “CCBB” had a score that featured many tuneful & familiar songs that were originally written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.
The only problem was that the Broadway stage version of “Chitty” was evidently a little too faithful to the 1968 *** Van *** film. A key complaint about this show is that it didn’t offer enough surprises for New York theatre-goers. Add to this that the new songs that the Sherman Brothers contributed to the stage version of “CCBB” weren’t quite as strong as the songs that Richard & Robert had originally written for the film … And you have a recipe for a big budget disappointment.
This is why — even though the Broadway stage version of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” just opened back in April — this show will be closing on December 31st of this year. With the show’s investors losing most if not all of the $15 million they reportedly poured in this production.
This is the argument that Disney Theatrical reps are allegedly using to fight the second-guessers at the Mouse House. The people who are saying that “We really need to lighten up the Broadway version of ‘Mary Poppins.’ We need to put back in some of the songs from the movie.” Disney Theatrical’s position is: Darker is different. Going darker with this material will surprise theatre-goers. So let’s try & give people a surprise when they come to see the Broadway version of “Mary Poppins.”
This is the same argument that’s supposedly being used to retain all the new songs that George Stiles and Anthony Drewe wrote for the London stage version of “Mary Poppins.” People will be paying $100+ a seat to see the Broadway version of this show. So let’s give them something different. A new tune to whistle on their way home.
Mind you, the folks in charge of Disney Theatrical are under considerable pressure from Mouse House management right now. To make sure that every single move that they’re planning on making in 2006 is exactly the right move. No one wants to be the person who gets blamed for bobbling the transfer of a successful London show to the New York stage. Or — for that matter — to be the one who gets fingered for turning one of Disney’s long running hits into an also-ran.
To explain: Even now, almost eight years after the stage version of “The Lion King” first debuted in NYC, this Julie Taymor-stage extravaganza is still one of the most popular shows in town. As of the end of October, this show was still running at 97.5% occupancy, selling more than $1.1 million worth of tickets each week.
Now — given that the Broadway version of “The Lion King” recovered its initial production costs ages ago — this stage show has been in the black for years now. Earning the Walt Disney Company over $2 billion to date. Which — when you compare that figure to the $312 million that the movie version of “The Lion King” earned during its original theatrical release back in 1994 … Well, I guess you can understand why people are concerned that this show’s transfer from the New Amsterdam to the Minskoff come off without a hitch. That nothing is done to disrupt the “Lion King” gravy train.
That’s why a number of folks within the Walt Disney Company are really wondering about the timing of all this. Whether it’s wise for Disney Theatrical to attempt to do so much within a single seven-month-long period. To get “Tarzan” up & running at the Richard Rodgers THEN start moving “The Lion King” over to the Minskoff THEN begin loading “Mary Poppins” into the New Amsterdam.
As another Mouse House insider told me yesterday:
What’s going to happen if “Tarzan” gets in trouble during its try-out period? If audiences don’t really respond to what that show’s creative team is trying to do and they then have to postpone that show’s opening? That could mean that “Tarzan” will still be in try-outs while “The Lion King” is getting ready to be transferred to the Minskoff. Which could stretch Disney Theatrical’s staff extremely thin.
Or — worse than that — what happens if Disney Theatrical finds out that the Minskoff needs a lot more time & work in order to get ready for the transfer of “The Lion King”? That could cause a ripple effect that might eventually push back “Mary Poppins” ‘s Broadway opening.
So — as you can see — there are a lot of variables involved here. A number of things that could seriously screw up Disney Theatrical’s big plans for 2006. But — of course — the big question is: Why is Disney Theatrical pushing so hard to have all of this stuff happen inside of a single seven month-long period? The answer may surprise you.
According to someone who’s familiar with the situation:
This is all about ego. (President of Disney Theatrical) Thomas Schumacher wants bragging rights. He wants to be able to say that Disney Theatrical has four shows running on Broadway all at the same time.
Disney’s “Beauty & the Beast” is now on its last legs. It’s doubtful that the Broadway version of that show will run more than another year. So if Schumacher can just get “Tarzan” open in May, successfully shift “The Lion King” over to the Minskoff, open “Mary Poppins” at the New Amsterdam in November and then keep “Beauty & the Beast” up & running ’til December of 2006 … He then gets his four shows on Broadway at the same time. Thereby getting Thomas his bragging rights as well as impressing Bob Iger, Mr. Schumacher’s new boss.
Mind you, if Disney Theatrical isn’t actually able to keep Broadway’s “Beauty & the Beast” up & running ’til December of next year (There are already reportedly concerns that ticket sales for the Lunt-Fontaine may dip below acceptable levels in the post-Christmas period. Which is when tourists typically don’t visit NYC in great number. Which might then force Schumacher to finally shutter this show in early 2006) … Well, let’s remember Disney Theatrical is already prepping the stage version of “The Little Mermaid.” Which is supposedly scheduled to debut on Broadway in the Fall of 2007.
So even if the Broadway version of “Beauty & the Beast” closes in early 2006 / early 2007, Schumacher may still get his shot at having Disney Theatrical have four shows running simultaneously on Broadway once “The Little Mermaid” swims into town.
But — for now — all eyes are on whether Disney Theatrical can actually pull off its plan for 2006. Opening “Tarzan,” moving “The Lion King” as well as opening “Mary Poppins” … all in a single seven-month-long period.
Could it be that Thomas Schumacher has finally bit off more than he can chew? By November 16, 2006 (I.E. The day that the Broadway version of “Mary Poppins” is currently scheduled to open at the New Amsterdam), I guess we’ll know for sure.
Your thoughts?