A rumor, but on pretty good authority: Disney Theatrical will launch a national tour of Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida” in 2021. Schele Williams, who performed in the original Broadway production, will direct. If it does well on tour, there could be a stop on Broadway.
Thomas Schumacher wrote:We are reviving Aida. We're working on it right now and we're deep into that. We're really deep into Princess Bride which is really big. We're doing a big revival of Beauty and the Beast. Certainly Princess Bride is of the big new titles and that's all I'm going to tell you.
Thomas Schumacher wrote:I love Aida. We’re in the middle of developing Aida. We are going to do a reading very soon. David Henry Hwang is doing some stuff with the script. The director is Schele Williams, who was Nehebka in the original production. We’ve been meeting over the years about lots of things; she’s spectacular. I’ve been talking to [designer] Bob Crowley a lot because we want to keep the essence of what he had created originally, but, of course, for today. These things are all in the cooker.
Thomas Schumacher: This is a moment in time when we can go back and re-examine it. Take another look at the script which David Henry Hwang did and is redoing. We can dig back in.
Q: Also for Broadway?
Thomas Schumacher: We did six companies of High School Musical and you never saw it on Broadway. Broadway is a part of the landscape but for us we have to think globally.
I'm so glad to hear this! I have always wanted to watch the original show and I finally will be able to now with a National Tour.
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
Oh my gosh, yes!! I loved Aida. Saw it in St. Louis in 2001 when it was on tour. It was amazing.
If I could have one wish it’s that they’d film it and release it like they did for Newsies. Or perhaps they will finally get around to making a film version (NOT starring Beyoncé).
So The King's Academy high school staged their production of Aida back in 2015 and they released it all on YouTube. For anyone who ever wanted to watch Aida on stage, I highly recommend this because the lead actress, Brittany Wallace, is absolutely superb in the role. She matches the same energy as Heather Headley who debuted Aida on Broadway and frankly could easily be mistaken as a professional. I have never seen a young performer as talented as her.
I just found out that the same school staged another production of Aida in 2019 and Brittany Wallace reprised the role while the rest of the cast is new. I haven't seen this version yet but I plan to and thought I'd share links to both versions in case anybody else wants to see one or both productions before the Revival.
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
Beginning the new year, Paper Mill Playhouse presents a reimagined version of the Tony-winning Disney musical Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida directed by Schele Williams with choreography by Camille A. Brown (February 4-March 7, 2021). This updated version of the Broadway smash offers a fresh take on the tale with a contemporary score, while retaining the iconic characters, and powerful love story of the original production. Following the Paper Mill Playhouse premiere, the production will embark on a national tour.
Huh. Well, the music was already super contemporary so wtf, but I must say, the music was the one thing I thought could have been better...it just wasn't that memorable or singable to me, except for a few tunes.
This will not be the same Aida of Broadway past, however. "We're going back into it and exploring things that we would rethink today. [We want to] reinvestigate the material," Disney's Thomas Schumacher told BroadwayWorld. "All of these things that we thought we knew about Egypt and Nubia were actually wrong. What we thought we knew about the dynamic of these cultures has changed. So we're really reconstituting parts of the show."
That's really neat! The original show never seemed very historically or culturally accurate so I'm very excited to see what changes they'll implement. Happy to see there haven't been any posts of extreme backlash here like there were in the live-action Mulan thread.
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
Tim Rice wrote:Aida is one of my favourite scores, especially after Tony with Elton John and nearly 5 years on Broadway. So delighted at major new production plans: Disney Theatrical, director Schele Williams, Tony winner Bob Crowley sets, David Henry Hwang US tour late 2020 then international. London at last?
Tim Rice wrote:Happy 20th Aida indeed! Also happy birthday Sir Elton. We’ve been working on a major new treatment of the show but rudely interrupted by events beyond our control. We shall return to the fray and I hope finally bring this hit Broadway item to London.
OHHH , I really wish TO GOD , Aida would become an animated Disney movie , It was planned at one point and i am SO SAD . it was cancelled ! :cry
I think the King David musical also could be a fine animated movie it was also done by Disney Theatrical Productions with lyrics by Tim Rice.
I hope COVID-19 doesn't affect the premiere of this revival for very long. Really been looking forward to this.
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
As BroadwayWorld first reported last year, a new North American tour of Elton John and Tim Rice's Tony-winning Broadway smash Aida was previously set to premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2021. Plans have changed however. BroadwayWorld has learned that the musical will no longer be a part of the upcoming Paper Mill season. A rep confirmed: "We look forward to continuing our partnership with Disney on Aida and other projects in the future."
This past weekend I was at Spamalot and lo and behold sitting directly in front of me was Schele Williams. At intermission I went up to her and briefly she chatted. We discussed Aida, and she said it’s going to London first, since it’s never played there before and that way Elton John can tinker with it and attend more rehearsals, and then if it’s well received, will transfer to Broadway. She also said Broadway likely wouldn’t be until Spring 2026.
