From the Big Screen to Consumer Products to Theme Park
Attractions – the enduring story of Woody and Buzz now comes to
life at Sea
CELEBRATION, Fla. – Disney Cruise Line transforms one of the
most beloved animated features of all time into a stage
spectacular at the Walt Disney Theatre aboard the Disney Wonder
cruise ship with the debut of “Toy Story-The Musical.” This is
the first time the popular Disney•Pixar classic has been adapted
for the stage. Preserving the humor and heart of the original “Toy Story” film
from Pixar Animation Studios, “Toy Story-The Musical” explores
the true meaning of friendship as Buzz Lightyear and Woody
transform from jealous adversaries to best friends with an
unbreakable bond. The show’s elaborate costumes capture the
vibrant colors and playfulness of the animated characters.
Guests of all ages will delight in an original collection of
show tunes that retell the story in a fun and energizing way.
“World-class Disney entertainment is an important hallmark of
Disney Cruise Line that sets us apart from the rest of the
cruise industry and one of the reasons guests sail with us again
and again,” said Disney Cruise Line President Tom McAlpin. “
‘Toy Story-The Musical’ represents the next generation of staged
entertainment for Disney Cruise Line and a great enhancement to
our incredible array of entertainment aboard the Disney Wonder." Following the storyline of the original Disney•Pixar film, “Toy
Story-The Musical” gives guests a toy’s eye-view of life in
Andy’s room. The musical opens with an introduction to Woody, a
pull-string talking cowboy who has long been six-year-old Andy’s
favorite toy. But Andy’s birthday brings a new arrival – Buzz Lightyear, the
coolest action figure in the universe. Woody’s jealousy gets the
better of him and he schemes to get rid of his new rival, but
things go dreadfully awry. Woody and Buzz find themselves
outside of Andy’s room and in a hostile world. Working together
and overcoming their differences, they find their way back to
Andy – along the way developing an appreciation of one another
and creating a friendship. “The ‘Toy Story’ film offered us a rich story and some
incredible visual elements to build upon,” noted Jim Urry, vice
president of Entertainment for Disney Cruise Line. “The team we
assembled created costumes, set designs and a whole new musical
score to literally transport our guests into the middle of the
whimsical world of Buzz and Woody.” Taking audiences into that world was no small task.
Larger-than-life show sets help transform the 977-seat Walt
Disney Theatre into a toy-sized world of fun and adventure. Using Randy Newman’s Oscar nominated hit song “You’ve Got a
Friend in Me” as a departure point, this production has a new
seven-song score that brings the story to life. New York-based
Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn from the band GrooveLily
blended together pop, rock and folk music to create a
contemporary score that truly captures the heartfelt whimsy of
the animated tale. The costumes for “Toy Story-The Musical” are some of the most
complex ever developed for a Disney Cruise Line production.
Costume designer Ann Closs-Farley created an extraordinary
vision for what the characters would look like on stage. With a
combination of articulated puppets and inflatable costumes, the
“Toy Story” characters come to life – including a nearly
9-foot-tall version of Rex the dinosaur and a 4-foot-round Hamm
the piggybank. In all, “Toy Story-The Musical” represents one of the largest
productions ever developed for a cruise ship. This is just the
second time a Pixar animated feature has been adapted for the
stage by Disney Creative Entertainment. In early 2007, “Finding
Nemo-The Musical” debuted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt
Disney World Resort and has been a tremendous success. “When we first thought of bringing ‘Toy Story’ to the stage,
there was a great deal of excitement about the project,” said
Anne Hamburger, Disney Creative Entertainment executive vice
president. “Everyone on our team could immediately see how the
heart and comedy of these characters could come alive in a
memorable way that is unique to musical theatre.” "“Toy Story-The Musical” compliments an already stellar lineup
of entertainment performed every voyage on the Disney Wonder,
joining stage shows “The Golden Mickeys” and the award-winning
“Disney Dreams.” Since its 1995 debut as a groundbreaking animated feature, the
Toy Story franchise has come to life in so many ways throughout
The Walt Disney Company as “only Disney can do” noted Jay Rasulo,
Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “From the big screen to consumer products to theme park
attractions and now a live stage show at sea, Toy Story is a
great example of what The Walt Disney Company does best – and
how we can take an enduring story and truly bring it to life in
new and unique ways across the entire company,” said Rasulo.
In addition to the musical, Rasulo noted that ‘Toy Story’ will
be featured in parades at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland,
as well as in an innovative 4-D interactive attraction called
Toy Story Mania that will fully immerse Guests in the Toy Story
world. The attractions will open at both Walt Disney World and
Disney’s California Adventure later this summer. A leader in the family cruise segment, Disney Cruise Line offers
three-, four- and seven-night itineraries to the Bahamas and the
Caribbean. Land/sea vacation packages that include a stay at
Walt Disney World Resort are also available. |
