So what can Disney shareholders expect to see next Wednesday morning when they arrive at Philadelphia’s Convention Center?
Well … rumor has it that there’s going to be lots and lots of mice on hand. At least, that’s the buzz coming out of Orlando this morning. Those 75 “InspEARations” Mickey statues that have been decorating the entrance area of WDW’s Magic Kingdom for months now? Even as you read this, they’re being packed up today and being sent off to “… a very special event.”
Gee. I wonder what THAT could be.
I’ve also been hearing that the 2004 Walt Disney Company annual shareholder meeting will be long on entertainment. Folks at the Jim Henson Company are alleging that Kermit the Frog has been tapped to make an appearance at the podium. Likewise, the staff at Disney Theatrical is supposed preparing a piece that will help hype the upcoming stage version of “Mary Poppins,” which is due to open in London this December.
But mostly what I’ve been hearing about next Wednesday’s shareholders meeting is that it’s going to be short.
How short? Well … let’s put it this way: People who work at Disney Stores in the Philadelphia area are actively being recruited to come work at next week’s meeting. To help hand out annual reports, make sure shareholders are safely able to get to microphones to ask questions. You get the idea, right?
Well, this meeting isn’t actually scheduled to get underway ’til 10 a.m. next Wednesday morning. But the managers of these Philadelphia area Disney Stores — who reportedly have been b*tching to Disney’s Investor Relations Office, supposedly saying things like “How can I be expected to staff my store next Wednesday morning if you’re going to swipe all of my employees?” — have allegedly been told: “Not to worry. All of your employees will all be ready to report back at work by 12 Noon.”
You see what I’m saying here, folks? Disney management seems to be planning for that this year’s annual shareholders meeting to be over in just two hours. So I wouldn’t plan on a very long Q and A period, if I were you.
In other East Coast-related news … work is coming out of the Big Apple this week that the 5th Avenue Disney Store — which has fallen on hard times over the past year or so — will soon be changing hands.
But here’s the interesting part of the story. The 5th Avenue Disney Store is supposedly NOT being sold off to some outside firm. But — rather — the Mouse’s retail arm is reportedly handing off day-to-day operations of the troubled flagship store to Disney’s resorts division. Why for? Well, allegedly there’s a plan in place to turn the 5th Avenue Disney Store into another “World of Disney.” You know? That supersized Disney retail establishment that serves as the centerpiece of Downtown Disney at both the Disneyland Resort as well as the Disney World Resort.
Leaving 5th Avenue, let’s head on over to 46th Street … where there’s both good news and bad news relating to the stage version of “Beauty and the Beast.” On April 18th of this year, “B and B” will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on Broadway. To date, this Tony Award winner has played over 4000 performance. And — sometime during the month of April — “Beauty and the Beast” will actually become the sixth longest running show in Broadway history, when this Mouse-produced musical will surpass “Miss Saigon”‘s record of 4097 performance.
The downside is … the Broadway version of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” has been playing to half empty houses since January of this year. Even with Christy Carlson Romano (Ren Stevens from the Disney Channel’s hit series, “Even Stevens,” as well as the voice of the title character from that channel’s popular animated program, “Kim Possible”) recently bowing as Belle, the Lunt-Fontaine Theater has only been drawing 40-60% of its capacity. Which means that this Disney musical has probably slipped below its break-even point.
So how much longer can “Beauty and the Beast” be expected to run? Disney Theatrical insiders suggest that the Mouse will post a closing notice at the Lunt-Fontaine sometime in May. With the hope that the show will then maybe be able to limp along through the summer on the tourist trade (which might be encouraged to buy tickets once more to this Broadway vet one that “Your last chance to experience the magic” ad campaign is put into place) … only to finally officially close when September comes.
Speaking of Disney Theatrical, here’s a quick note from an office insider. Who reports in on some of the staff cuts that arm of the Disney Company has been experiencing lately as well as some of the upcoming productions that DT supposedly has in the pipeline:
“Not sure if you’ve heard, but Tom Schumacher has decided to close the CA offices of Disney Theatrical. A few people [there] have been asked to relocate, while most of the office (40+/-) [are now] looking for work. Over the last 8 months, there have been 20+ terminations. In looking at the last 12 months, [I’d say that] the grand total [of people who’ve been laid off by Disney Theatrical numbers this past year almost numbers] 100.
By the way, I have read the scripts for ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘On the Record.’ ‘Poppins’ is very true to the book, not the movie. ‘On the Record’ will be a travesty, as over 40 songs are compressed into a musical performance that takes the songs out of context. ‘Tarzan’ is being rushed and the hope is that it will make it to Broadway late this year.”
And — if “Tarzan” DOES make it to Broadway by this fall — where might this new Mouse-produced musical then set up shop? Well, supposedly Disney Theatrical is eyeballing the soon-to-be-available Lunt-Fontaine … which is slated to go dark once “Beauty and the Beast” closes. The only problem is … the show’s creative tem reportedly doesn’t think that this particular theater is up to “Tarzan”‘s demands. Which supposedly will feature live performers swinging out over the audience’s heads.
And as for that travesty, “On the Record” … that new Disney musical is now due to debut at the Palace Theater in November.
No, not the Broadway house where Disney’s “Aida” is currently being performed (to half-empty houses as well, I might add). But — rather — the Palace Theater in Cleveland, OH. Where this musical revue will then begin a year-long national tour, finally arriving on the Great White Way … Ah, who knows when?
That’s enough Disney-related East Coast news for today. Your thoughts?