Walt Disney Theatrical Productions , Limited
Disney Theatrical Group was officially named what from Feb 1993 to Nov 1999?
Disney Theatrical Group The Disney Theatrical Group , legally Buena Vista Theatrical Group Ltd. , is the live show , stageplay and musical production arm of The Walt Disney Company . The company is led by Thomas Schumacher , and forms a part of Walt Disney Studios , one of the six major business segments of The Walt Disney Company . Background . Starting in 1949 , Ice Capades started adding Disneys segment to their performances . Costumes from those shows were used at the opening of Disneyland in 1955 , with some performers hired away for Disney . With the characters a hit at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair , Walt Disney wanted another outlet for live characters . Disneyland put on Disney on Parade , a self-produced live arena show , starting in 1969 . After several years , Card Walker shut down the show as it was not making enough profit . Soon after Mattel/Feld Productions 1979 purchased the Ice Follies And Holiday on Ice , Inc. , Feld approached Disney with a proposal to create a Disney show on ice . Thus Walt Disneys World on Ice premiered in 1981 . Disney Studio co-produced Largely New York with Kenneth Feld , owner of Feld Entertainment , that premiered on at St . James Theatre . On February 8 , 1993 , Disney incorporated Walt Disney Theatrical Productions , Limited with Ron Logan as president to produce Beauty and the Beast : A New Musical , which opened at the Palace Theater on April 18 , 1994 . In 1997 , DTP reopened New Amsterdam with King David . Peter Schneider was promoted to Disney Studios president in January 1999 , while Thomas Schumacher was promoted to president of Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Theatrical Productions while both are made co-presidents of Disney Theatrical . Walt Disney Imagineering created Disney Fair , a $30-million U.S . traveling attraction that took up 5 acres . The fair started its 15 city 15-month tour at Puyallup , Washington in . With poor attendance , the fair was pulled after a few stops . Disney Entertainment Projects ( Asia Pacific ) Inc. , a new Disney Asian Pacific subsidiary , selected a renamed fair called DisneyFest as its first project . The 1,000-ton show was transported by ship to Singapore . The festival opened on there during the year-end holiday season for a three-month period . History . Buena Vista Theatrical Group . Buena Vista Theatrical Group Ltd . was the name of Disney Theatrical Productions as of November 23 , 1999 with Disney Theatrical Productions becoming its first division . In January 2000 , the formation of the group along with Hyperion Theatricals , Disneys second production division , to oversee Hyperion and Disney Theatrical Productions ( DTP ) was announced . Hyperions first production was Aida and all other non-Disney animation based productions were placed under Hyperion . In September 2000 , all three US DTG shows , both Hyperion and DTP , were placed under the Disney on Broadway banner , then under Disney on Broadway on Tour when the shows went on national tour . Schneiders promotion to studio chair left Schumacher as the only president of DTG in January 2000 . Schneider left Disney Studio in June 2001 to form his own theater production company partly funded by Disney . In 2003 , Music Theatre International became licensing agent for Disney musicals and plays for the school performances . Disney Theatrical Group . After May 2007 , Buena Vista Theatrical Group changed its trade name to Disney Theatrical Group . DTGs Disney Live Family Entertainment signed a 10-year agreement with Feld Entertainment for Disney on Ice , Disney Live and other Disney productions in August 2008 . In 2010 , Disney Theatrical Group launched its free Disney Musicals in Schools outreach program in New York City . Disney Musicals in Schools allows participating schools to get free performance rights , professional teaching artists and ShowKit materials to one of seven 30-minute Disney musical specifically written for elementary schools . By the end of 2017 , the program was available in 18 cities having added 5 more cities , including the first international city London , that year . On October 31 , 2010 , the group closed its Glendale , California office and cut staff in a DTG reorganization . In April 2013 , Disney Studios initiated a 5% layoffs across all unit including DTG as the Disney conglomerate moves towards a reorganization later in the year . On April 28 , 2014 , the Group was an honoree at the Actors Fund Annual Gala . Disney India launched its Live Entertainment operations in 2015 with the production of Beauty and the Beast musical to be shown from October to December in Mumbai and Delhi . No word before or after Disneys acquisition of 21st Century Fox about Fox Stage Productions status post acquisition . However , the units head , executive vice president Cohen , who was also executive vice president of Legal Affairs , was laid off immediately after the Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox in March 2019 . On July 3 , 2019 , Fox Stage Productions was moved into Disney Theatrical Group as Buena Vista Theatrical division with all top executives leaving at that time . In March 2020 , The New York Times stated that A trade association representing producers and theater owners , said the 41 Broadway houses would remain shuttered at least through June 7 . Which puts the Disney Theatrical Groups Frozen performances on hold until possibly June 2020 . Units . - Disney Theatrical Productions is the primary production arm of Disney Theatrical Group . This subsidiary has been responsible for the production of many different musicals on Broadway . Acclaimed shows include : Beauty and the Beast , The Lion King , Mary Poppins , Tarzan , The Little Mermaid , Newsies , Aladdin , Frozen , and Hercules . The Group also produces touring productions of their shows . - Disney Theatrical Licensing is DTGs show licensing arm which licenses its shows for performance by local school and community theatres via its agent , Musical Theatre International ( MTI ) . Shows like Beauty and the Beast , Aida , and High School Musical are licensed . Disney also licenses special versions of shows for performance by younger children . Some of these shows include titles like Aladdin Jr. , The Lion King Jr . Mulan Jr , or Mary Poppins Junior . In October 2016 , “Freaky Friday” premiered as a licensed theatrical production in Washington , DC . - Disney Live Family Entertainment , which incorporates Disney on Ice ice shows and Disney Live , produced by Feld Entertainment . - Walt Disney Special Events Group is responsible for live character promotional shows and events . - New Amsterdam Development Corp . - long-term lease of New Amsterdam Theatre - New Amsterdam Theatrical Productions , Inc . - Walt Disney Theatrical Worldwide , Inc . - Buena Vista Theatrical Ventures , Inc . - Buena Vista Theatrical Merchandise , LLC Buena Vista Theatrical . Buena Vista Theatrical , formerly Fox Stage Productions , is a theatrical production company of Disney Theatrical Group . Previously , 20th had just licensed their property for theatrical adaptations including 9 to 5 , Young Frankenstein and Big . In 1970 , All About Eve was adapted as Applause musical on Broadway with Margo played by Lauren Bacall . Fox had become vexed by many of these fizzling adaptation attempts . Fox Stage Productions was formed in June 2013 which included the retaining of Isaac Robert Hurwitz as a consultant . In August 2013 , 20CF started a theatrical joint venture with a trio of producer-executives , both film and theater , Broadway producer Kevin McCollum , film producer John Davis and Tom McGrath . McCollum would handle day-to-day operations of the joint venture while The joint venture was Fox contributing 50% and the trio 50% . The trio of individual would do productions outside the venture . The development slate based on Fox films would consist of nine to 12 musicals . Hurwitz was hired in July 2015 as senior vice president of Fox Stage Productions reporting to the division head Bob Cohen . Fox Stage licensed out Anastasia , both the 1956 feature and the 1997 animated version , to Stage Entertainment , 50 Church Productions , The Shubert Organization , Judith Ann Abrams Productions , Broadway Asia/Umeda Arts Theater , Seoul Broadcasting System , LD Entertainment , Blumegreenspan , Silva Theatrical Group , in association with Hartford Stage for a musical that debut on April 24 , 2017 at Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway . A Working Girl musical adaptation with Cyndi Lauper writing the music was announced by Fox in 2017 . No word before or after Disneys acquisition of 21st Century Fox about Fox Stage Productions status post acquisition . However , the units head , executive vice president Cohen , who was also executive vice president of Legal Affairs , was given a laid off notice after the Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox in March 2019 . On July 3 , 2019 , Fox Stage Productions was moved into Disney Theatrical Group as Buena Vista Theatrical division with all executives , including Cohen , Connor Brockmeier and SVP Hurwitz , leaving at that time . Instead of a production company on Working Girl , the musical adaptation was switched to a license production by Aged in Wood Productions since Disney took over ownership . - All About Eve ( spring 2018 ) on West End by Sonia Friedman Productions and Fox Stage Productions - The Diary of a Wimpy Kid ( developmental production April 16-June 5 , 2016 ) Children’s Theatre Company , Minneapolis - Mrs . Doubtfire ( in development ) - The Devil Wears Prada musical ( in development for Broadway ) produced by Kevin McCollum , Fox Stage Productions and Rocket Entertainment ; slated director : Anna D . Shapiro ; music by Sir Elton John , lyrics by Shaina Taub and a book by Paul Rudnick Hyperion Theatricals . Hyperion Theatricals was Buena Vista Theatrical Group secondary production division assign all non-Disney animation based productions . Hyperion shared its name with a Disney publishing label , which was named after the Silver Lake street that was Disneys first local address . The new production unit would focus on more traditional Broadway fare . Hyperion Theatricals was formed in January 2000 along with Buena Vista Theatrical Group Ltd. , Disneys theatrical oversite company . Producers and heads of Disney Theatricals Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher were assigned to run Hyperion . Hyperions first production was Aida with the in development Hoopz and all other non-Disney animation based productions were placed under Hyperion . Hoopz , a Harlem Globetrotters based musical by Savion Glover , Reg E . Gaines , and Kenny Leon , was in work shop phase in second quarter 2000 . In September 2000 , Aida was placed with Disney Theatrical Productions shows under the Disney on Broadway banner , then under Disney on Broadway on Tour when the show went on national tour starting April 6 , 2001 . Hoopz was then hedged as to whether or not it would be released as a Hyperion or Disney Theatrical production . Aida . Based on the opera by Giuseppe Verdi , it tells the story of a Nubian slave who falls in love with an Egyptian captain . It was written by Elton John and Tim Rice . It began previews on February 25 , 2000 and officially opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on March 23 , 2000 . Aida closed on September 5 , 2004 and ran for a total of 30 previews and 1852 performances . The Broadway production won four Tony Awards including Best Actress ( Heather Headley ) , Best Scenic Design , Best Lighting Design and Best Music . Since its run on Broadway , it has had a U.S . national tour and productions around the world . External links . - Disney Theatrical Group