Going Beyond the Script High School Musical Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives Written by: Melanie Simmons Nobody expected a Disney Channel movie to take the world by storm, but that’s exactly what happened with High School Musical! This pop musical sensation, directed by Kenny Ortega, captured the hearts of countless teens and tweens and spawned a franchise that…
Going Beyond the Script Grease Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives Written by: Melanie Simmons If there’s any American musical that needs no introduction, it’s Grease! Written in 1971 by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease came about as an ode to 1950’s nostalgia and the everlasting lure of youth and teenage drama. Despite its glossy veneer, Grease commands…
Going Beyond the Script Legally Blonde: The Musical Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives Written by: Melanie Simmons Oh my god, you guys – what better way to ring in the new year than with some Blonde ambition! And there’s no better Blonde ambassador for any stage than Elle Woods, star of Legally Blonde: The Musical. Like its…
Going Beyond the Script Elf the Musical, Jr. Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives Written by: Melanie Simmons Nobody loves Christmas more than Buddy! Elf the Musical, Jr., based on the beloved movie of the same title, was adapted for the stage by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan and was scored by Mathew Sklar and Chad Beguelin. Brimming with…
Going Beyond the Script Mary Poppins Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives written by: Melanie Simmons There are a lot of great musicals, but there’s only one can be called supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! After years of popularity as a long-time classic film, Mary Poppins finally got its theatrical turn in 2004. The musical was produced by Walt Disney Theatrical and directed by Richard Eyre. Matthew Bourne co-directed…
Going Beyond the Script The Addams Family Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives written by: Melanie Simmons The Addams Family was originally conceived by Charles Addams as a cartoon exploring American macabre. Addams’ cartoon was the basis for the beloved black-and-white 1960’s TV series, which had a huge impact despite its short two season run. Even today, the…
Going Beyond the Script SHREK: THE MUSICAL Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives written by: Melanie Simmons In an age of lovable antiheroes and self-saving warrior princesses, there is no story quite like Shrek. Shrek originally burst onto movie screens 2001 as a Dreamworks animated feature. This off-kilter story, featuring a repulsive ogre as the main protagonist and…
Going Beyond the Script THE LITTLE MERMAID Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives written by: Melanie Simmons Princes, mermaids, love at first sight, magical spells… who doesn’t want to be part of that world? Fortunately, Disney’s The Little Mermaid has all of that and more. The movie was hailed as the first successful Disney-MGM animated feature film after…
Going Beyond the Script THE LION KING Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives written by: Melanie Simmons “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba!” There is nothing quite like the opening call of Disney’s The Lion King. One of the first original stories produced by Disney after decades of creating twists on classic fairy tales, The Lion King is a coming-of-age…
Going Beyond the Script Alice in Wonderland Backdrops and Scenery Perspectives written by: Melanie Simmons Lewis Carroll’s classic story of Alice and her reality-warping journey down the rabbit hole is a childhood mainstay. Nearly everyone is familiar with the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, and the eponymous Alice herself. Carroll’s story has been frequently re-imagined…