Aside from the circus, Disney On Ice shows are easily the most beloved family show on TN.com. They bring everyone's favorite Disney characters to life... on ice. I used to attend shows like these as a kid, and I always loved them. There was nothing quite like getting to see princesses, whether Cinderella or Jasmine, up close, while also singing along with them to songs from Disney movies I already loved.
Disney films have some of the most iconic songs of all time. There's nothing like Snow White singing "Whistle While You Work" to get your Monday morning going, right? (You may think I'm being facetious, but I can assure you, I am not. This playlist on YouTube is pretty much my favorite ever.)
The current Disney On Ice shows touring the U.S. — Rockin’ Ever After, Passport to Adventure, 100 Years of Magic, Princesses and Heroes, Let’s Celebrate! — feature characters from some of my favorite Disney movies, like "The Lion King," "Toy Story," "Aladdin," and "The Princess and the Frog." So here are some of my absolute favorite Disney songs, from the very films that make up the current Disney On Ice performances.
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Ahh, the ‘90s. They weren’t here that long ago, and yet, we still get all warm and fuzzy inside whenever we think about them. I particularly miss the cartoons of the ‘90s, which I loved watching well into my teenage years (when it was no longer the ‘90s, but whatever). There are plenty of cartoons to choose from now, but for me, there was nothing like settling down with a new episode of "Doug" or "Pepper Ann" to complete the perfect Saturday morning. Here are my top picks for some of the greatest ‘90s wholesome children’s cartoons (because "Ren & Stimpy" and "Rocko's Modern Life" will be on another list).
Doug
Station: Nickelodeon
Aired:1991-1994
Main characters: Douglas 'Doug' Yancy Funnie; Doug's sister, Judith "Judy" Funnie; his crush and friend, Patricia "Patti" Mayonnaise; his dog, Porkchop; his best friend, Mosquito "Skeeter" Valentine; his enemy, Roger M. Klotz
Summary: The Funnie family moves to Bluffington where Doug must adjust to life as the new kid in town. He often writes in his journal about his experiences, many of which revolved around his group of friends. With a highly active imagination, Doug likes to dream what his life would be like as a superhero named Quailman.
Why it's awesome: "Doug" was about an insecure kid navigating the overwhelming and sometimes frustrating world of middle school. His life isn't perfect, which made him relatable, and he also had a huge imagination and a big heart. Doug was a little nerdy, and sometimes embarrassing, but so were we. We secretly hoped he'd one day get to be with his crush, Patti, or get discovered for his banjo talent and play with his favorite band, The Beets.
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I'm a huge, huge fan of "Wreck-It Ralph," and I love this live action, shortened take on it. It may not make perfect sense unless you've seen it, but it's pretty cute on its own. So if you've only got 60 seconds to watch a movie today, there you go. Otherwise, I'd probably recommend checking out the whole thing, but hey, it's your call.
It’s official: Aladdin will be Disney’s next Broadway show. I mean, we kind of knew, but nothing had been said by Disney, so we were really just hoping for the best.
But it’s been confirmed by several sources, including Disney and CBS. In an interview, Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Productions, said it will be "a full-length, big song musical with big dance numbers." Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholas (The Book of Mormon, The Drowsy Chapterone) is slated to direct.
A pre-Broadway run will take place in Toronto in November 2013, before it (hopefully) moves to Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre, where Mary Poppins is showing now through March 3, with tickets still available.
Which Disney shows would you like to see on stage? How about some new films? I’d love to see "Monsters, Inc," "Mulan," and "The Princess and the Frog" (undoubtedly the most underrated Disney films, in my opinion). Then again, anything Disney touches is gold, so they could probably put a puppet onstage dancing for three hours and we’d all be moved to tears.
Disney's long-running Broadway hit Mary Poppins may be say closing to make room for Aladdin, the Associated Press reports.
Mary Poppins, which opened back in 2006 and has since toured the country, will have its last show March 3, 2013, at the New Amsterdam Theater. Right now, tickets for the tour are available through June.
But Disney is said to replace the production with Aladdin, based on the 1992 animated film of the same name. The movie is set in fictional Agrabah and featuring the story of peasant-turned-prince Aladdin, The Genie, Abu, the flying carpet, Princess Jasmine, Rajah, the Sultan, Iago, and Jafar.
AP writes,
The show is part of Disney Theatrical Productions' five big Broadway hits from seven attempts since 1994 — a profitable list that includes "The Lion King" and the more recent "Newsies." That's way above the 3-in-10 average recoupment of most Broadway shows. "Mary Poppins" routinely grosses over $1 million every week despite the presence of touring versions.
When it closes, it will have been performed 2,619 times and have been seen by more than 4 million people. It recouped its initial Broadway investment within a year, and has gone on to be among the top 10 grossing shows for the past six years and top five for attendance. It will rank as the 22nd longest-running show in Broadway history.
I'm stoked to see how Disney will pull off the magic carpet ride, a talking parrot, and The Genie's ever-changing forms. I love this film, and I think it'll translate amazingly to the stage. How quickly will you snatch up Aladdin tickets? Because I'm thinking about camping out in line. What say you?