When Sir Elton John and Sir Tim Rice’s Elaborate Lives : The Legend Of Aida had it’s initial trial outing in Atlanta, Georgia it wasn’t a success. The ancient Egyptian love triangle had the elaborate title to avoid confusing it with Verdi’s famous opera.

Disney had originally planned for Rice & John to provide the songs for an animated version of the ancient Egyptian love triangle loosely based on Verdi’s famous opera story of enslaved Nubian Princess Aida, Egyptian warrior Radames and his bride-to-be Amneris (who just happens to be the Pharaoh’s daughter). The two writers weren’t too keen on the idea, until Disney suggested that the medium be altered from animated movie to stage show. After spending two years and over $5million in production, Elaborate Lives: The Legend Of Aida opened in Atlanta on the 17th of September 1998. The complex stage was built around a huge pyramid that revolved, opened and converted into various sets. Think of a pyramid shaped Transformer toy and you’ve got the idea. Most of the show’s sets came from the contortions of this pyramid which dominated the stage and the entire production. It was a technological marvel. The problem was, it just didn’t work. It had been troublesome all the way through rehearsals, and on the grand opening night it just stopped completely halfway through the show. Even on the nights it remodelled itself as planned, audiences were so enthralled by it that they ignored the show itself. The songs, story and performances were all overshadowed by the construction at centre stage.

When the Atlanta run ended one thing had become clear – the pyramid had to go.

After much rewriting, along with a new simplified set and title, Aida had a second trial run in Chicago and finally opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre in March, 2000. The flashy set and costumes were replaced with simple tunics and imaginative backdrops and lighting. This time the critics loved it, and it went on to win four Tony Awards and the 2000 GRAMMY Award for Best Musical Show Album. And as with the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, it has subsequently appeared all around the world. The Broadway performance may have recently come to the end of its run, but the response to the refined version of Aida has overall been very favourable.

By contrast On The Record has been a flawed production from the start. It has none of the sets, effects or story normally associated with a large, successful stage show. Conceived from the onset as a touring show, the production previewed in Cleveland on 9th November 2004. Since then the show has been touring the U.S. to mixed reviews. It’s huge selling point is that it contains 67 classic Disney tunes, but the linking story (based around a music recording session) has been criticised for being too weak and contrived. It’s apparently been found out for what it really is – a simple vehicle for the songs. It’s recently been announced that the show will close in July at the end of its current tour.

Just before Christmas 2004 Disney’s latest and most elaborate stage musical opened. Mary Poppins is currently showing at the Prince Edward Theatre in London and has been quoted as the most expensive musical ever staged anywhere in the world. Disney aren’t releasing official figures but costs of up to £20million (US $37million) have been reported. With tickets costing up to £65 ($125) each and the show playing to enthusiastic packed houses every performance, it surely won’t be long before this massive outlay is recouped. Keep in mind though that the cost and profits are being split 50/50 between Disney (who own the rights to the movie) and hugely successful London theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh (who owns the rights to the stage play). Mackintosh had wanted to do it for ten years and would never sell the rights to Disney. In turn, Disney was aware of just how profitable this production could be, and they too were unwilling to sign their share away. Eventually the head of Disney Theatrical Productions Thomas Schumacher suggested that they split the costs and the profit straight down the middle, and Mackintosh readily accepted.

For further details of what the show is actually like, click the here to see my recent review.

So what is Disney Theatrical looking to produce in the future?

Well a Broadway version of Mary Poppins is planned by the end of 2006 at the very latest (although some sources say that they’re trying to rush it to New York before the end of this year). Tarzan will probably be the next movie adaptation to appear on the Great White Way if a suitable theatre can be found for vine-swinging, and a version of The Little Mermaid has been in production for years too.

Further down the line there are plans for a stage adaptation of 101 Dalmatians, and what is promised to be a very dark version of Pinocchio could be hitting the boards too.

A new Disney musical based on the story of the Harlem Globetrotters, called Hoopz, could also appear, with a theatre in Rhode Island pencilled in for the World Premier.

There’s still apparently life in the German Glöckner Von Notre Dame show - for more details on the original production see part one of this article here.

A cut-down version of this Hunchback of Notre Dame musical played for a few weeks at the National Theater of Korea at the end of 2004, which is the first time it’s been seen since its three year Berlin run ended. There’s an American TV movie version planned for later this year, and if that goes well then there’s hope that an English language version could eventually open Stateside. Word has it however that the ending would be lightened considerably to be more in line with the movie that American audiences are familiar with.

Finally, a musical based on the Oscar-nominated film Spellbound (a documentary about a spelling bee competition) is also in the planning stages, and Disney even has hopes of touring On The Record outside the U.S.

With Lion King, Aida, Beauty and the Beast still doing very good business around the world, and Poppins already looking like it will be the hoped-for huge hit in London, the future of Disney Theatrical looks very healthy indeed.