I know, I know. It’s kind of bizarre to talk about the future plans for a Broadway musical that hasn’t even gone into rehearsal yet. Let alone officially opened. But rumors have already begun swirling about Disney’s “Tarzan.”
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Mind you, these rumors have nothing to do with the version of the show that will be opening at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on May 10, 2006. But — rather — the road company of this Phil Collins musical. More importantly, where a road company of this show might be headed.
If the stories currently coming out of Disney Theatrical prove to be true, “Tarzan” will eventually follow the example set by “Mamma Mia,” “Avenue Q,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” In that this soon-to-be-opening musical will follow up its almost-inevitable Broadway success by establishing a second company in Las Vegas. Which will then begin presenting performances in a specially built theatre right there on the Strip.
Oh, I know. The words “Disney” and “Las Vegas” don’t really seem to go together. But — truth be told — for more than a decade now, the Walt Disney Company has wanted in on the action in Sin City. But — because of the corporation’s aggressively family-friendly image — the Mouse’s hands have been tied. It couldn’t go into Vegas without seriously tarnishing the company’s image. Which is why Mickey had to settle for a (now closed) Disney Store & Walt Disney Gallery in the Forum Shops area at Caesar’s Palace as well as the recently opened “ESPN Zone” at the New York New York Hotel & Casino.
But now — with an almost-certain-to-be-a-hit musical that features a leading man who’ll only be wearing a loin cloth for much of the show’s running time — here finally is the sort of Disney show that will actually appeal to a Vegas crowd. Particularly given that “Tarzan” (What with its actors-swinging-on-vines-just-above-the-heads-of-the-audience hook) will offer up the sort of spectacle that the high rollers will happily cough up big bucks to see.
Mind you, in order for Pichón Baldinu’s aerial movement to really pay off, we’re talking about a custom built theater here, folks. Something that will be able to accomodate all those climbing trees and swinging vines. (That’s actually why Disney Theatrical eventually decided not to take “Tarzan” up to Boston for an out-of-town tryout. Opting instead to do six weeks of previews in NYC. So that the show’s production team would then be able to spend the bulk of their budget on retrofitting the interior of the Richard Rodgers. So that this 81-year-old theatre would then be able to handle all of Baldinu’s flying equipment).
Google Image File Photo
And a project like that would certainly be expensive. If the reported costs of the custom-built theatres for the Las Vegas versions of “Avenue Q” ($40 million for a brand-new 1,200 seat venue at the Wynn Las Vegas), “Phantom of the Opera” ($35 million for a complete theatre renovation at the Venetian) and “Monty Python’s Spamalot” (a whopping $70 million for the state-of-the-art Spamalot Experience and Grail Theater) are any indication, Disney Theatrical is going to have to find a production partner with some awfully deep pockets if the Las Vegas version of “Tarzan” is going to be properly set up in an appropriate venue.
Of course, it’s far too early to talk about who Disney Theatrical might be willing to get in bed with in order to make the Las Vegas version of “Tarzan” a reality. But given Steve Wynn’s recent interest in bringing Broadway shows to Sin City (He’s the guy who reportedly ponyed up $5 million for the exclusive rights to “Avenue Q” and an additional $10 million to bring “Monty Python’s Spamalot” to Las Vegas) … Steve’s obviously a guy that Mickey should have a chat with.
And given that Wynn has long had an interest in doing something with Disney talent (I.E. For the better part of a decade now, Steve has supposedly regularly tried to lure veteran Imagineer Tony Baxter away from WDI. With the hope that Baxter will then help Wynn design the next generation of themed resorts. But — to date — Tony has allegedly resisted Steve’s entreaties. Preferring to stay put in Glendale and hopefully eventually lead Walt Disney Imagineering back to greatness) … is it really all that hard to believe that Steve would jump at the chance to bring Disney’s “Tarzan” to Las Vegas?
But before that can happen, “Tarzan” has to first open on Broadway and become an enormous success. And given that Disney Theatrical has had its successes (“Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King“) and its failures (“Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida” and “On the Record”), there’s no guaranteeing that this new Bob Crowley show will automatically become a Vegas-bound smash.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc.
However, if you’d like to be among the first to see if the stage musical version of “Tarzan” is strong enough to survive a transfer to Sin City, group sales tickets for the show (covering performances from March 24 – December 31, 2006) are now on sale. While individual seats for “Tarzan” don’t actually go on sale ’til November 20th.
Beyond that … What do you folks think? Would you actually be bothered if Disney Theatrical decided to present one of its musicals at a Las Vegas casino? Or do you think that the Mouse should still steer clear of Sin City?
Your thoughts?