Disney on Stage returns to Covent Garden with magical pop ups
The pop ups will celebrate Disney's four West End musicals
Last updated 14th Jul 2022
This summer, Disney on Stage will be coming to London's iconic Covent Garden with a series of pop ups celebrating their magical shows in the West End.
'Something Magical in Covent Garden' will celebrate the four Disney stage shows which are currently running in the West End: Frozen, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins. The free event runs from 14th July to 4th September 2022.
Central Avenue will feature a 'Leading Ladies of Disney on Stage' costume showcase which celebrates Disney's brilliant female leads: Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Elsa and Anna from Frozen, Rafiki and Nala from The Lion King and London’s own Mary Poppins.
The costumes - some of which have never been seen off-stage - will be displayed on high plinths giving visitors a close up view of the beautiful costumes.
The North Piazza will celebrate the West End's newest Disney arrival, Beauty and the Beast with the most romantic seat in London. The already photo-perfect Swing Seat will be getting a makeover featuring enchanting lighting and charming decorations including teacups and candelabras from the show offering guests a truly magical photo moment.
The West Piazza will be taking visitors to the African Pridelands with an interactive photo moment inspired by The Lion King's iconic sunrise. An exclusive Instagram filter will be available for visitors to try out incredible masks and makeup from the show.
There will also be props from The Lion King on display to show off the incredible craftsmanship that goes into the musical that's been entertaining West End audiences at the Lyceum Theatre since 1999.
Summer's biggest fan, Olaf has been put in charge of Frozen's pop up on the North Piazza which features a larger than life Interactive Olaf Holiday Postcard giving families the chance to pose for a photo whilst listening to the sounds of summer.
The loveable snowman has also taken over Covent Garden's Infinity Chamber which has been transformed into Olaf's 'Dream Summer'.
The event follow's the success of last year's Disney on Stage pop up which took place on Floral Street in Covent Garden and drew thousand of families as London re-opened following the pandemic.
Michelle McGrath, Executive Director, Capco Covent Garden said: “We are delighted with our continued partnership with Disney who will bring their unique magic and excitement to Covent Garden this Summer. At Capco, we are committed to championing the West End’s theatre and arts, and what better way than bringing to life and celebrating world class theatre both on a larger scale and making them accessible to everyone.”
Fiona Pearce, Marketing Director for Disney Theatrical Productions said: “Our partnership with Covent Garden goes from strength to strength, this summer bringing the magic of Disney on Stage across the Piazza. These fun and innovative installations from Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Mary Poppins, and The Lion King offer something special for everyone to enjoy, and give an insight into the craft of realising these productions on stage.”
Check out the Disney shows which have been turned into stage shows:
Beauty and the Beast
Disney bosses did not waste much time at all with getting Beauty and the Beast to the stage after the animated film was released in 1991! Opening on Broadway in 1994, Beauty and the Beast starred Terrence Mann as the Beast and Susan Egan as Belle, who later voiced Meg in Disney's Hercules. The musical ran until 2007 on Broadway, and in the West End from 1997 to 1999, following the same plot as the film: after her father is imprisoned by a beastly creature in the depths of the woods, Belle trades her freedom for his, but grows to love her captor.
Beauty and the Beast (2021)
After two decades away, a brand new production of Beauty and the Beast which went on a UK & Ireland tour and a summer run in the West End in 2022!
The Lion King
The Lion King is one of the most spectacular stage productions of all time! Following the same story as the 1994 animated film, the musical premiered on Broadway in 1997 and in the West End in 1999 - where it still continues to run. The show is renowned for its innovative use of staging and costumes, as well as puppetry for some of the animals.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
One of the less popular movies, The Hunchback of Notre Dame has some of the most beautiful music from Disney's catalogue. Although it was never performed in the West End or Broadway, it ran successfully in Berlin from 1999 until 2002 and more or less followed the same plot as the 1996 film: Quasimodo is a kindly but lonely bellringer who longs to ingratiate himself in society and is controlled by his evil stepfather, Frollo. When he finally does break free, he falls in love with Esmeralda the gypsy... But so does Frollo.
Mary Poppins
Fans of Mary Poppins will know that the novel's original author, P. L. Travers, was something of a road block when it came to the 1964 film - and this was the case again when theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh approached her in 1993 to make a stage show; allowing it to go ahead but with certain stipulations. Mary Poppins pretty much followed the same plot as the film, but there were a few changes along the way. The show made its stage debut in the West End in 2004 - the only Disney musical to premiere in the UK - before opening on Broadway in 2006, with a West End revival in 2019.
Tarzan
Phil Collins returned to Tarzan after writing five songs for the original 1999 animated film, penning nine more for the stage show, which opened on Broadway in 2006 and ran for just over a year before performances all over the world, including a five-year run in Germany. It followed the story of the film: Jane and her father discover Tarzan living among gorillas, and his family's safety is jeopardised by the group Jane and her father arrived with.
The Little Mermaid
The stage show of The Little Mermaid was met with huge enthusiasm from theatre producers - but a brick wall came in the form of creating an underwater space on stage... So director Francesca Zambello had the actors wear Heelys and used lighting in a clever way to reflect water. Sierra Boggess originated the role of Ariel when the show premiered on Broadway in 2008 - her debut Broadway performance - and has gone on to become a huge stage star. The show closed just over 18 months later.
Aladdin
Aladdin the musical premiered in Seattle in 2011, before a Toronto tryout in 2013 and settling on Broadway in 2014. A West End production starred former Sugababe and Eurovision hopeful Jade Ewen as Jasmine, opening in 2016 and closing in 2019. A special performance of the show was filmed in August 2019 a week after it had closed at the Prince Edward Theatre, starring cast members from the original Broadway production, as well as the West End, and Australian and US tours.
Pinocchio
The on-stage version of Pinocchio premiered in December 2017 at the Royal National Theatre in London, running until April 2018. The National Theatre are well-known for their clever use of puppetry, which of course tied in well with a story about a boy made of wood!
Frozen
As one of the most popular Disney films of all time, it was no surprise that bosses chose to put Frozen on the stage! It follows the storyline of the 2013 film, with Queen Elsa struggling to control her snowy powers and accidentally injuring her sister Anna. Premiering on Broadway in 2018, the show was suspended in March 2020 due to the global pandemic and toured the US instead of returning to Broadway.
However, a West End production opened in April 2021 after being postponed, with Les Misérables star Samantha Barks as Elsa.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Disney's 1971 film Bedknobs and Broomsticks is an absolute classic, the original film is based on stories by Mary Norton, starred Angela Lansbury, included animated characters and had a flying bed! So it's no surprise that the film has finally been given the stage treatment.
The musical adaptation of Bedknobs and Broomsticks opened at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle upon Tyne in August 2021 which kicked off a UK & Ireland tour which ran until May 2022.
Newsies
Inspired by the New York newsboys strike of 1899, Newsies first arrived on screen in the 1992 with music Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman. Despite a disappointing performance at the box office, the film's cult following led the way for a stage adaptation to be made.
The stage musical of Newsies arrived on Broadway in 2012 following a run in New Jersey, and picked up eight Tony nominations with the musical becoming well known for its impressive ensemble of dancers. Ten years later the musical finally came to the UK with a new production at the Troubadour Theatre in Wembley.
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