Cast & Creatives
Disney Theatrical Productions
Disney Theatrical Productions, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, was formed in 1994 and operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. Worldwide, its 10 Broadway titles have been seen by more than 200 million theatregoers and have been nominated for 60 Tony Awards®, winning Broadway’s highest honour 20 times. When performances fully resume worldwide, DTP’s slate of 23 produced or licensed productions will mean a Disney musical is being performed professionally somewhere on the planet virtually every hour of the day.
The company’s inaugural production, Beauty and the Beast, opened in 1994. It played a remarkable 13 year run on Broadway and has been produced in 37 countries worldwide. A brand-new production debuted in the UK in 2021.
In November 1997, Disney opened The Lion King, which received six 1998 Tony Awards including Best Musical. After 23 landmark years on Broadway, it has welcomed more than 100 million visitors worldwide to date. Having played 20 countries on every continent except Antarctica, The Lion King’s worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history.
Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida opened on Broadway next, winning four 2000 Tony Awards; a re-conceived revival is in the works. It was followed by Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, which opened in London in 2004 and went on to enjoy a six-year Tony-winning Broadway run. A hit revival is currently playing at the show's original West End home, the Prince Edward Theatre.
Tarzan®, which opened on Broadway in 2006, went on to become an international hit with an award-winning production enjoying a 10-year run in Germany. In January 2008, The Little Mermaid opened on Broadway and was the #1-selling new musical of that year.
Disney Theatrical Productions opened two critically acclaimed productions on Broadway in 2012, receiving seven Tony Awards between them: Peter and the Starcatcher and Newsies, each of which enjoyed a two-year run with the latter spawning a record-breaking Fathom Events in-cinema release.
Aladdin, Disney Theatrical’s 2014 Broadway hit, has launched five additional productions around the globe and has been seen by more than 10 million guests. Its newest hit, the 2018 Tony-nominated Best Musical Frozen, completed its Broadway run and launched a tour across North America. Productions are also running in Australia and London, with Japan and Germany opening this year.
Other successful stage ventures have included the Olivier-nominated London hit Shakespeare in Love, stage productions of Disney’s High School Musical, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin, and King David in concert. . DTP has collaborated with some of the UK's preeminent theatre makers to develop new stage productions, including the National Theatre and Sonia Friedman Productions. In the US, Disney Theatrical has partnered with esteemed regional theatres to develop The Jungle Book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Freaky Friday and Hercules.
As a part of the 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox, DTP also heads the Buena Vista Theatrical banner which licenses Fox titles for stage adaptations including Anastasia; Moulin Rouge! The Musical; Mrs. Doubtfire; and The Devil Wears Prada.