Live Shows at Disneyland
April 11, 1992 to April 30 1995
Here are five photos from the Dream Team - that's Irene, Bruce, and James. They feature photos from shows that were from the Videopolis stage; two different shows, that is. I've never set foot inside the perimeter of that theater, and certainly haven't see any live shows there... hopefully some of you have and can share your memories.
First up, it's "Beauty and the Beast LIVE". This show was first performed at Disney's Hollywood Studios in November of 1991, but five months later (April 30th, 1992) it came to Disneyland. Six shows daily, yo.
Clearly this would be an abbreviated version of the movie's plot, but I wonder if this is the opening number from the film, "Belle". There she is, with her nose in a book while Gaston makes a nuisance of himself. She doesn't love him, he's a big galoot!
This must have been one of the audience favorites, the ballroom scene in which Belle and the Beast waltz to the movie's theme song, "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins.
There is a review of "Beauty and the Beast LIVE" at Laughingplace.com, it's pretty critical of some of the choices made in this shortened stage version of the beloved story.
This next one was not as easy to research; from what I can tell, the park held finals from The Disney Store "Circle of Trivia" contests annually for a few years, starting in 1994 (hey also did finals in 1995 and 1996 - and possibly beyond?). The proscenium still has the rose theme from Beauty and the Beast LIVE, although everyone on stage is in Lion King costumes - the Lion King was the new kid on the block in 1994, and I think that the stage show at the park was "The Legend of the Lion King".
As I said, I can find very little information about the Circle of Trivia, although Google Groups has preserved the text from a usenet newsgroup (remember those?) in which almost the entire 1994 show was written down for posterity. Read it HERE! I have learned that I am actually pretty bad at Disney trivia.
Thanks as always to Irene, Bruce, and James!
16 comments:
I saw Beauty & the Beast in the early 90s in WDW (Disney's MGM Studios, at the time) and enjoyed it. It was the perfect length...not too long (I'm really not into musicals, but I enjoyed this shortened version). The CM's did a fun pre-show and had the audience laughing and laughing - but darned if I can remember anything they said or did (old age). I just remember laughing a lot.
Thanks, Irene (Dream Team) and Major, for these fun and colorful photo memories!
Sue
Awwww, I wonder if that is Bruce's or James' reflection that we can see in the first pic?
I was given the Disney version of "Trivial Pursuit," back in the nineties. I don't know how difficult the questions are, because I never opened it. It's still sealed in it's original plastic wrap.
Thank you, Dream Team and Major!
Major-
I saw the production at the Videopolis stage, and as with Sue - I remember very little about the experience. I did, however, take a look at the video of it, as part of the rather unforgiving review of the stage show that was part of the Laughingplace.com link. Although the bar is set awfully low in my book when it comes to Disney theme park productions (around high school level, but with 'somewhat' better singing along with boring choreography - but with lots of money spent on the production), so I don't expect much. However, I think the reviewer's expectation was set ridiculously-high, and think all in all, Disney did an admirable job in pairing-back the show to 20 minutes - about as much as the typical guest can stand and expect.
And thanks to the Dream Team, I was able to see all the highlights in a mere five images - an idea Disney should take to heart.
Thanks again for the memories.
I saw Beauty and the Beast at MGM Studios a couple of times and always enjoyed it, even though I'm not much of a "sit and watch a show at a theme park" kinda guy. My wife loved it, since that is her favorite Disney movie.
I never heard of the Circle of Trivia, although I did have a Disney Trivia computer game years ago, and Disney Trivial Pursuit.
On a side note, I once qualified for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (the real show, not the Disney Parks version). It was at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. There were several hundred people there and we all took two tests (one general knowledge and one pop culture) the top ten scores got invited to the back to meet the producers. I must not have been very entertaining, because a couple of weeks later I got a post card letting me know that I would NOT be on the show. I should have kept it, be I got mad and threw it away. Oh well, at least I have the t-shirt...which is stained...Ok, there's really nothing good about this story, just move along...I need to be alone...
Stu, you got accepted on Gorillas Don’t Blog, and that’s even better!!! We think you’re worth millions!
Lou and Sue, I wonder if the show you saw at MGM Studios was the same as the one at Disneyland? I would guess that it probably was, but yours might have been different. Did it have the famous pie fight scene? ;-)
TokyoMagic!, I don’t know what Bruce or James looked like, but every once in a while somebody will be in one of these photos that I figure has to be one or the other. I have played the Disney version of “Trivial Pursuit”, and everyone assumed that I would have an unfair advantage. I thought I did too, but I was terrible at it!
Nanook, I always compare theme park stage shows to the kind of thing you might see on a cruise ship. This is no criticism of the actors and dancers, who work very hard and do their best, but the scripts are usually so-so at best, and as you said, the choreography is uninspired. The person who reviewed the show for LaughingPlace obviously loved the original movie and couldn’t accept anything less! I have to admit that I probably would have been critical too, but you’re right, one should only expect so much from a theme park production.
Stu29573, I suppose that I would sit through one of those shows if I was with somebody who loved such things, but I would rather be trying to ride more attractions! I still remember talking to somebody who was an extreme Disney fan (even more extreme than me, I mean!) before Beauty and the Beast came out, and he was SO excited because he’d heard how “dark” it was. Well, yes and no; I’d argue that “Pinocchio” is way darker. Hey, at least you tried to get on “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire”! I know I would freeze up and forget everything. And I would call Regis “Johnny” by mistake. And I would use up all of my lifelines on the easiest questions. And then I would confidently answer one of them (“Everyone knows that Apollo 11 landed on Mars, Johnny!”), only to be wrong.
Lou and Sue, that’s right! Who needs a crummy game show when you’ve got GDB?! Maybe I need to make t-shirts to give away!
I saw "Beauty and the Beast Live" and thought it was just okay. Nothing special. Have never really been a fan of Disney's stage productions in their theme parks as they tend to be geared towards the kiddies. I much prefer their extravagant parades, live performing bands and musicians who perform throughout the park like on Main Street, New Orleans Square and Frontierland where there is more seasoned talent.
The one exception is The Hyperion Theater in Disney California Adventure where the stage productions there tend to be of a much higher caliber like "Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular" and "Frozen Live" live played. Those were excellent shows that even an adult could appreciate.
Irene, Bruce and James, looks like a fun time no matter how good the show was. Afraid I've never found my way into these shows. Did a Muppet show in the 90s and a few Star Wars shows in Tomorrowland, but that's all I can remember. The Star Wars was fun, the kids in the audience loved it. Lots of little Jedis. Did catch Aladdin K., and it was pretty good.
Sorry about the big bucks stu, but L&S&M are right.
Thanks Dream team and Major.
I did not see Beauty and the Beast at the FL Theater but we did see Pocahontas in the mid 90s when my daughter was young. I grade the shows by how my daughter enjoyed it so it gets a A. She's 28 now and still has a few of the 'leaves' that fell from the ceiling.
We also enjoyed BLAST! (the percussion group) at California Adventure. Look up Bolero by Blast! on YouTube.
Thanks to the Dream Team and the Major.
zach
TM - that would be James in the reflection. Bruce was a big fella :)
MAJOR - I kept the photos with Bruce in them and I haven't spotted any that I might have given you so, no we haven't seen him. I need to hunt them up.
I saw this stage show a few times and enjoyed it very much. I did see the version at WDW some years ago and remember thinking it was great (along with the warm up Sue)but I also really don't remember details.
I probably saw this show, but don't remember. What I do remember, that I can't find anything about online, is an even more abbreviated B&tB show at the small Royal Theater near the front of Fantasyland. It had Goofy in in, strangely, and I have a very vivid memory of him coming back from off-stage after having seen the Beast with giant ping-pong ball eyes stuck over his regular eyes and singing a song to the tune of "I Swear I Saw a Dragon" from Pete's Dragon (Old Lampy's in a stew). It was so ridiculous that my family bursted out laughing, and spent precious ride time coming back to watch it again to laugh some more. What was this show??? Thanks for jogging that fun memory, Major and Dream Team!
K. Martinez, I’ve only experienced a couple of Disneyland stage shows; I saw a Toy Story show in the Golden Horseshoe, it was “just OK”. And while riding the Disneyland Railroad, we passed the Fantasyland Theatre while a show was going on, and the girl I was with wanted to see it. Something about Mickey Mouse (in his sorcerer getup) and a magical map. Again, “just OK”, though my date loved it. I know that “Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular” had tons of enthusiastic fans, but I didn’t spend enough time in DCA to ever give it a chance while it was there.
DrGoat, the “Jedi Academy” thing is only worth watching because it’s fun to see how INTO it the kids get. If it wasn’t for that… I’d keep walking. And the thing about “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire!” is that a contestant could walk away with nothing. That would be a nightmare!
zach, I have shared some of the Dream Team’s photos of the Pocahontas show here on GDB. But I can believe that your daughter loved her leaves! That’s the kind of thing that a kid never forgets. It’s almost like having tangible proof of the tooth fairy.
Irene, I know that you took out any photos that you wanted for yourself, which is totally understandable. First of all, you want them! Second, maybe you want to preserve Bruce’s privacy, which is also understandable. There is still so much good stuff for all of us to enjoy!
Kathy!, yes, I had a hard time finding out much about either the Beauty and the Beast show or the trivia show. I guess this was just a little before everything at the parks would be recorded on 10,000 cell phones! Funny to think of the Beast with ping-pong ball eyes, a la Kermit the Frog. I’m glad today’s photos helped to revive some fond memories!
I saw Beauty and the Beast Live in Orlando and I remember it being a super abbreviated version of the film. I also saw the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast, with Tom Bosley. (I didn't go with him, he was in the show.) That was a wonderful production. I actually went back a second time and took my mom. I agree with Ken about the quality of "Aladdin" and "Frozen" at the Hyperion Theater. Those were both "Broadway" caliber, and not as abbreviated as stage productions in the Fantasyland Theater.
Kathy!, I hope Mickey Rooney was in that production! ;-)
Major, it was Goofy with the bulbous eyes, though imagining the Beast with some is pretty hilarious too. TokyoMagic!, Pete’s Dragon was regarded as a stinker of a movie in my house growing up (sorry to its fans) but Mickey Rooney was the highlight for us!
Sorry to take over the comments, but I found a video of the show I’m talking about! I didn’t even remember Donald and Mickey being in it too. https://youtu.be/WJgnp6FA388 Crazy-eyed Goofy appears at about the 12:20 mark.
Nice pics, but a little bittersweet on the day that Disney annouces 28000 layoffs in Parks, many in Entertainment.
Post a Comment