Aida | Disney Musical Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia [Source] Aida (also known as Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida) is a musical with music by Elton John , lyrics by Tim Rice , and book by Linda Woolverton , Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical . Aida premiered on Broadway on March 23, 2000, running for 1,852 performances until September 5, 2004 (34th longest running Broadway musical). The musical also ran from 2002–2003 and from 2006-2007 during two US national tours, and also ran in international productions which performed in 20 different countries, and is still performed in international productions, regional theatres, colleges and high schools. Aida was nominated for five Tony Awards and won four in 2000, including Best Musical Score and Best Performance by a Leading Actress. Aida was also named by Time Magazine in 2000 as one of the top ten theatre productions of the year.

The First National tour was nominated for nine National Broadway Theatre awards (now "Touring Broadway Awards") and won five awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Actor, and Best Actress. The Aida (2000 Original Broadway Cast) Cast recording won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. A song from Aida, "Written in the Stars" (recorded and sung by Elton John and LeAnn Rimes) reached No.2 in the Billboard US adult contemporary music charts, and No.1 in the Canadian contemporary charts. Contents Edit In the Egyptian wing of a modern museum, a man and a woman touring the exhibit catch each other's eyes. A statue of Amneris , a female Pharaoh, comes to life (" Every Story Is a Love Story ") and transports them to ancient Egypt, where Radames, captain of the Egyptian army, and his men are returning from an expedition through the land of Egypt's long-time enemy, Nubia (" Fortune Favors the Brave "). When his soldiers capture a group of Nubian women, he is captivated by one of the women, Aida , who tries to free herself by out-dueling one of his soldiers.

Radames forces her to wash his back, but she refuses, saying that although the Egyptians took everything from the Nubians, they will never take their spirit (" The Past Is Another Land "). Radames saves her and the other women from the copper mines by sending them to the palace groundskeeper instead, but sends Aida as a handmaiden to his betrothed, Princess Amneris. Radames' father, Chief Minister Zoser, greets his son with news that the Pharaoh is dying, and Radames must prepare to become the next ruler of Egypt (" Another Pyramid "). Unbeknownst to Radames, his father is poisoning the Pharaoh in order to accelerate Radames' ascension to the throne. Radames's Nubian servant, Mereb, is a young man who has learned the tricks of survival in Egypt. While delivering Aida to the princess, Mereb recognizes her as the daughter of the Nubian king under whom he had served during his days in Nubia. She commands him to keep her identity a secret, lest the Egyptians kill her (" How I Know You ").

Presented to Amneris, Aida is liked immediately, and she perceives that the Princess' love of fashion only serves as a mask of her insecurities (" My Strongest Suit "). At a banquet, Amneris and Radames learn from the Pharaoh that they are to marry in seven days, leaving the captain distraught that his days as an explorer have ended ("Fortune Favors the Brave (Reprise)"*). Together, he and Aida share their dreams and regrets (" Enchantment Passing Through "). Later that night, Amneris worries about her father's illness, and finds in Aida someone who understands and encourages her (" My Strongest Suit (Reprise) "). Bursting into his fiancée's chamber, Radames steals a moment with Aida to share his growing attraction to her. Aida is taken by Mereb to the Nubian camp, where she reluctantly submits to her people's pleas to lead them (" Dance of the Robe "). When she implores Radames to help the Nubians, he opens his heart by giving his possessions to them (" Not Me ") and declaring his love for Aida (" Elaborate Lives ").

Unable to fight her feelings any longer, she falls into his embrace. Their bliss is interrupted by news that Radames' armies have captured Amonasro, king of Nubia and also Aida's father. Unable to comfort her, Radames leaves Aida in distress. Rallying her people, Aida assures them that Nubia will never die (" The Gods Love Nubia "). Act II Edit Aida, Amneris, and Radames are entangled in conflicted loyalties and emotions (" A Step Too Far "), that Aida might be a traitor to her people as she loves Radames, that his love for her could end his life as he knows it, and that he does not show the attention that Amneris deserves. Aida and Mereb bribe their way into Amonasro's prison cell, where she is reunited with her father. Mereb hatches a plan to escape with the king during the commotion of Amneris' wedding. To save her father and her nation, Aida must betray the man she loves (" Easy as Life ").

Meanwhile, Zoser discovers Radames' affair and warns his son that it could cost him the throne, but Radames no longer shares his father's ambitions (" Like Father, Like Son "). After an emotional bout with his son, Zoser orders his men to find Aida and kill her. At the Nubian camp, Aida receives a written apology from Radames for the thoughtless way he acted upon hearing of Amonasro's capture (" Radames' Letter ") and for his lack of showing affection. When Egyptian soldiers arrive seeking Aida, another Nubian, Nehebka, sacrifices herself so that the princess can live ("Dance of the Robe (Reprise)"*). Now even more determined to leave Radames forever, Aida goes to say good-bye to him over Mereb's objections (" How I Know You (Reprise) "). Radames informs Aida that he is calling off the wedding. Aida knows that this would ruin her father's escape and tells him he must go through with it (" Written in the Stars "). Radames agrees, on condition that she escapes to freedom on a boat he will provide.

The heartbroken lovers part, but Amneris has overheard their entire conversation and tries to face the fact that her upcoming marriage is a sham (" I Know the Truth "). News of Amonasro's escape disrupts Amneris' wedding. Radames learns the truth of Aida's identity when he arrives at the docks just as she is about to board his boat with her father. Although he is angry that Aida hid this from him, she says she never lied about loving him. In the ensuing chaos, Mereb is mortally wounded by Zoser, and Radames makes possible Amonasro's escape by cutting the rope tied to the dock, but Aida stays with Radames and a dying Mereb. Zoser flees, and Mereb dies in the arms of his kind master and beloved princess. Radames and Aida are then arrested for treason. At the ensuing trial, Pharaoh announces Zoser's apprehension and sentences both Aida and Radames to be buried alive. Amneris reprises her role as a future Pharaoh by convincing her father to let the lovers die in the same tomb, an act of mercy for two people she has come to love.

Facing death, Aida looks to Radames for strength (" Elaborate Lives (Reprise) "). As they are slowly deprived of light and air (" Enchantment Passing Through (Reprise) "), Radames swears he will search through a hundred lifetimes to find her again if he has to. Back in the contemporary museum, the spirit of Amneris reveals that as she became Pharaoh, the lovers' deaths gave birth to a reign of peace between Egypt and Nubia. She watches as the modern man and woman are strangely drawn to each other. They are the reincarnations of Aida and Radames, finding each other in a new beginning (" Every Story is a Love Story (Reprise) "). "Fortune Favors the Brave (Reprise)", the instrumental "Dance of the Robe (Reprise)", the Overture and the Entr'acte are not featured on the Original Broadway Cast Recording or the International Recordings of the production.

Principal roles Edit Aida was originally conceived for production as an animated musical film by Disney executives, who wanted to do another project with the collaborative team of Sir Elton John and Sir Tim Rice, following the success enjoyed by the animated film The Lion King , Disney wanted to do another animated feature, and it was John's idea to develop the story directly as a musical. A first reading was presented to Disney executives on April 1, 1996. John also recorded multiple demos of the original songs, which were never released but were widely bootlegged. Early readings featured Simone (Aida), Hank Stratton (Radames) and Sherrie Rene Scott (Amneris). It took 2 1/2 years from first reading, to first full production presentation in September 1998 in Atlanta. One of the many issues was what to call the musical. Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida had its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia with the production running from September 16 to November 8, 1998. The Atlanta production featured Heather Headley (Aida), Hank Stratton (Radames) and Sherie Rene Scott (Amneris).

The production featured several songs which were cut from the final production. The original Atlanta staging conceived of the play with a nearly empty set, displaying only a six-ton gold pyramid-shaped set piece in the center. Driven by hydraulic controls, the pyramid's sides and bottom could be turned and rotated to suggest various locations such as a ship stern or a tomb. However, the piece, constructed at a price of nearly $10 million, frequently broke down, and a new production designer was hired for restaging in Chicago. Nothing of the original Atlanta set design remained in the new production. A new, revised production opened on November 12, 1999 at the Cadillac Palace in Chicago and ran through January 9, 2000. Aida producers made substantial changes to its team for the Chicago production. From the Atlanta staging, only Heather Headley, as Aida, and Sherie Rene Scott, as Amneris, remained. Adam Pascal joined the cast as Radames for the Chicago run. Robert Falls took over as director in Chicago, replacing Robert Jess Ross; and set designer Bob Crowley replaced Stanley A. Meyer. Also part of the new Chicago team was choreographer Wayne Cilento.

The Chicago production featured one number "Our Nation Holds Sway", originally performed near the beginning of both act 1 and act 2, which was cut from the final Broadway production. During the Chicago run at the Cadillac Theatre, on November 13, 1999, a set mishap during the final moments of the performance injured stars Headley and Pascal. According to an eyewitness report, while the two actors were being conveyed in a suspended boxlike "tomb" at the climax of the show, the set piece broke from its support and plunged approximately eight feet to the stage. A subsequent press release from the show's publicist stated that Headley and Pascal sustained minor injuries and were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for examination. Both were released from the hospital a few hours later. From then on, the tomb remained on the ground. Broadway Edit The musical, now titled Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, premiered on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on March 23, 2000 and closed on September 4, 2004 after 30 previews and 1,852 performances. The run ranks it as 34th in the longest runs in Broadway history.

Directed by Robert Falls, choreographed by Wayne Cilento, scenery and costumes were designed by Bob Crowley, lighting design by Natasha Katz, and sound design by Steve C. Kennedy. Considered by its producers to be a financial success, Aida on Broadway recovered its investment in 99 weeks, and generated a profit of $12 million. Heather Headley originated the title role of Aida. Headley won both the Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2000 for her performance in this role. Headley also received broad critical acclaim for her performance. Adam Pascal played the role of Radames in both the OBC and closing productions of Aida on Broadway. Sherie René Scott, who was with the project since its first workshop, originated the role of Amneris, and was named the Most Promising Actress in 2000 for her performance (Clarence Derwent Award). The cast also included Tyrees Allen (Amonasro), John Hickok (Zoser), Daniel Oreskes (Pharaoh), Damian Perkins (Mereb), and Schele Williams (Nehebka).

Pop stars, including Deborah Cox, Toni Braxton and Michelle Williams played the title role of Aida during its run on Broadway, as well as Maya Days, Saycon Sengbloh, Simone and Merle Dandridge. Notable replacements for Radames included Will Chase, Patrick Cassidy, Richard H. Blake, William Robert Gaynor, and Matt Bogart. Notable replacements for Amneris included Idina Menzel , Jessica Hendy, Mandy Gonzalez, Felicia Finley, Taylor Dayne and Lisa Brescia. Notable replacements for Zoser were Micky Dolenz and Donnie Kehr. US National tours Edit Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida also had a critically acclaimed US National tour from March 2001 to 2003. The show won awards in 2002 for Best Musical, Best Actress (Simone), and Best Actor(Patrick Cassidy) from the National Broadway Theatre Awards (now called "Touring Broadway Awards". The National tour also featured Kelly Fournier(Amneris). Notable replacements included Jeremy Kushnier(Radames) and Lisa Brescia (Amneris).

The musical also had a non-equity US national tour during 2006-2007 featuring Marja Harmon (Aida) Casey Elliott (Radames) and Leah Allers (Amneris). This production had a revised script by Henry David Hwang authorized by Disney. The new script was considered to be more serious and darker, with much of the shticky and comedic elements removed from Amneris' character especially. 'Strongest Suit' was staged as a scene in which Aida helped Amneris chose her outfit for the evening instead of a random fashion show. The scene prior to 'Strongest Suit Reprise' was revised with Aida teaching Amneris how to thread, adding more a sense of bond between the women and also humbling Amneris in wanting to learn something new and not just 'be a princess.' Introduced to the plot was the revelation that Radames' mother was a prostitute and that Zoser treated her as such and fought and schemed for Radames to achieve his position of Captain of Phaoroh's armies.

US regional and local theatre Edit Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida has also been performed by numerous professional Regional Theatre companies, including: Barn Theatre (2004), North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, Massachusetts (2004 featuring Montego Glover as Aida), Music Theatre Of Wichita, Wichita, Kansas (2005 also featuring Montego Glover as Aida), Gateway Playhouse, Bellport, New York (2005), and Bailiwick Chicago (2010). Aida played at Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago (March–May 2011). Aida is also playing a return production in Osaka, Japan from March 11, 2011 presented by the Shiki Theatre company. There are over a dozen productions of Aida scheduled to be performed by various theatre companies, colleges and high schools in the US during 2011. Aida has also become a popular choice for plays among school and community theatre groups. International productions Edit The first international production of Aida ran in Scheveningen, Netherlands. The show ran from March 10, 2001 to March 18, 2003 and was performed in Dutch.

There have been also productions of Aida in Germany, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, Uruguay, Australia, Philippines, Mexico, Croatia, Peru, Argentina, Estonia, Canada, Hungary, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, China, and Israel. Aida is debuting May 2012 in New Zealand at St Peter's School (Cambridge). The original Japanese production has re-opened and its currently playing in Osaka, Japan. It has been translated into 14 languages: German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Spanish, Estonian, French, Hungarian, Croatian, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, and Hebrew. Aida has never been staged professionally in London or elsewhere in the UK - the home country of its composer and lyricist - although it has been released for amateur licensing from 2011. Music analysis Edit Elton John's music for Aida is stylistically eclectic. "Another Pyramid" is a modern reggae number; "My Strongest Suit" draws heavily on Motown, "The Gods Love Nubia" draws on gospel.

There are numbers, e.g., "Not Me," "Elaborate Lives," "A Step Too Far," "Written in the Stars," that reflect Elton John's pop style. There is also a strong influence of African music, notably in "Dance of the Robe" and "Easy as Life". These styles are used without much attention to historical authenticity; rather, there is a mix of African (mostly West African), Indian and Middle Eastern influences. Probably the nearest stylistic parallel to the work as a whole is to Elton John's The Lion King , another musical with strong emphasis on ethnically diverse stylistic influences.

Among the songs cut from the production after previews and workshops were two songs that made up the final sequence of the play: a reprise of "Fortune Favors The Brave" entitled "The Two Must Die," and then a final death duet for Aida and Radames, entitled "The Messenger." These songs were replaced with reprises of "Elaborate Lives," "Enchantment Passing Through" and "Every Story Is A Love Story." "The Messenger" can still be heard on Elton John's unreleased (but frequently leaked and bootlegged) demo for the show, as well as on the concept album, performed by Elton John with Lulu.

Musical numbers "Every Story is a Love Story" – Amneris "Fortune Favors the Brave" – Radames and the Soldiers "The Past is Another Land" – Aida "Another Pyramid" – Zoser and the Ministers "How I Know You" – Mereb and Aida "My Strongest Suit" – Amneris and the Women of the Palace "Fortune Favors the Brave" (Reprise) – Radames "Enchantment Passing Through" – Radames and Aida "My Strongest Suit" (Reprise) – Amneris and Aida "Dance of the Robe" – Aida, Nehebka, Mereb and the Nubians "Not Me" – Radames, Aida, Amneris and Mereb "Elaborate Lives" – Radames and Aida "The Gods Love Nubia" – Aida, Nehebka, Mereb and the Nubians Act II "A Step Too Far" – Amneris, Radames and Aida "Easy as Life" – Aida "Like Father, Like Son" – Zoser, Radames and the Ministers "Radames' Letter" – Radames "Dance

 of the Robe" (Reprise) – Orchestra "How I Know You" (Reprise) – Mereb "Written in the Stars" – Radames and Aida "I Know the Truth" – Amneris "Elaborate Lives" (Reprise) – Aida and Radames "Enchantment Passing Through" (Reprise) – Radames and Aida "Every Story is a Love Story" (Reprise) – Amneris Recordings Edit A number of recordings are available for Aida: 1999 Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida , sometimes known as the "Concept Album", was released in 1999 in advance of the theatrical production, and features Elton performing the music along with a number of pop stars, including Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Sting, Spice Girls and LeAnn Rimes.

It also included Heather Headley and Sherie René Scott, both of whom went on to reprise their roles in the original Broadway production the following year. 2000 Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida: Original Broadway Cast Recording was released in 2000, and is a conventional cast recording that includes all twenty-one musical numbers from the Broadway incarnation of the show. The cast recording has sold over 500,000 copies and is a certified Gold Album by RIAA. 2001 Dutch Cast Edit Leontyne Price's original storybook version of the opera had first been acquired by Disney with the intention that it should become an animated film, but it was never made. It was believed for a time that concept art existed for this proposed animated feature.

However, the artist of that piece Ben Balistreri has stated that "This was nothing more than a class assignment given out by Frank Terry when I was at Cal Arts back in 1996...Frank brought in a newspaper clipping that Disney and Elton John were going to do an animated musical of Aida and our assignment was to create a line up of the main characters and give them all Disney style sidekicks." Following the success of the stage version, Disney began planning a major live-action motion picture adaptation. As of 2007, Beyoncé Knowles was to star as the title role, alongside Christina Aguilera as Amneris, with a 2010 release date. However, no further reports of the adaptation's production have surfaced since. Awards and nominations Disney’s Aida | SQUIDS Past Productions OUR PATRON Rupert McCall is a distinguished author, MC, radio and television host with a passion for sport and poetry. He has been described as the poet of our generation.

To learn more about Rupert visit his website: om.au Disney’s Aida Twitter0 Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida is a musical with music by Sir Elton John, lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, book by Linda Woolverton (who wrote the screenplay for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and co-wrote the screenplay for The Lion King), Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical. The musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, and won four, in 2000 including Best Musical Score. It was named by Time Magazine in 2000 as one of the top ten theatre productions of the year. The 2000 Original Cast recording won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Songs Written in the Stars reached number two in the Billboard US adult contemporary music charts, and number one in the Canadian contemporary charts. Aida is a contemporary musical take on a grand classic tale of the timeless bond between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier. As forbidden love blossoms between them, the young lovers are forced to face death or part forever.

Together, they set a shining example of true devotion that ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between their warring nations, heralding a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity. SQUIDS’ 2013 production of Aida features the talented voices of Sophia Haworth, Sarah Denaro, and Nathaniel Currie; as well as a cast of fantastic singers and dancers. Directed by Julie Jones (Nunsense), Co-directed by Fiona Every-Jassim, the musical features music direction by Michael Di Mauro (The King & I, West Side Story), and choreography by Reuben Limmer. The Lion King :EltonJohn.com The Lion King Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Possibly the definitive moments of classic Disney animated films are when the characters burst into song and that is certainly the case with The Lion King. The skittish Simba trilling I Just Can’t Wait To Be King, Timon and Pumba’s joyous Hakuna Matata, the awe-inspiring grandeur of Circle of Life, and of course the romantic Can You Feel The Love Tonight — all these melodies were composed by Elton John.

Elton and Tim Rice in publicity shot for The Lion King, 1991 In 1991, Tim Rice was signed by Disney to write the lyrics for The Lion King, and they asked him who he would recommend to write the music. As he said later, “Elton was my first choice… I didn’t think they could get him, to be honest, but they did.” Together the pair wrote the soundtrack for the Disney film and, to this day, The Lion King remains the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ highest-grossing film. It’s also estimated to be the biggest-attended animated movie of the last 50 years. Elton and Tim Rice had known each other for years and Elton had already written a song to a Rice lyric, Legal Boys, on the 1982 Jump Up album. Elton said that he jumped at the chance to write for The Lion King because he felt immediately connected to the story line and the team. He said, “This project was exciting and challenging because I had to write differently from what I would write for myself. I think that The Lion King is the funniest movie Disney has made since Jungle Book.

In fact, I probably think it’s the funniest movie they’ve ever made.” Composer/Arranger Hans Zimmer brought Elton and Tim Rice’s songs to life by adding African flavour, choral symphonies and filling them with the raw emotion that the film evokes. Zimmer recalls, “Elton was a very courageous man to just give me his demos and leave me to do whatever I wanted with them. I work like an animator, in a way. I do this sort of black and white sketch on a piano and then I start filling in the colours as I go along.” At the 67th Annual Academy Awards in 1995, three John/Rice compositions from The Lion King — Hakuna Matata, Circle of Life and Can You Feel The Love Tonight — were nominated for Best Song. Can You Feel The Love Tonight took the Oscar, and after receiving his trophy from Sylvester Stallone, an emotional Elton said, “I’d like to dedicate this award to my grandmother, Ivy Sewell. She died last week, and she was the one who sat me down at the piano when I was three and made me play.

So I’m accepting this in her honour.” Circle of Life has turned out to be the anthem of the film. It is a song that reminds us of the invaluable part that everyone, from tiny ant to mighty lion, plays in the greater scheme. Recently Elton has included in the set list for his Las Vegas show The Million Dollar Piano, where scenes from the film project across the enormous stage at The Colosseum with dramatic flair and intensity. Background to the Film The Lion King © Disney 1994 The Lion King as we now know it is the product of many years of thought, refinement, re-imagining and re-writing. Its germination began in the time dubbed as the Disney Renaissance, but unlike several other tales such as Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland, The Lion King was an original story. Story head Brenda Chapman said, “Writing an original story is definitely more challenging, because there is nothing to fall back on. The story changed quite a bit during the process. It was our job to make the main characters likable and sympathetic.” Screenwriter Irene Mechhi described the process of writing an animated feature as, “Writing in layers.

You are constantly going back and putting another layer on.” The team, along with directors Roger Allers and Robert Minkoff, were also attempting to create a story which at its crux is not a love story like other Disney classics Beauty and the Beast or The Little Mermaid, but a story about the relationship between father and son. Minkoff said at the time, “It is just as crucial and interesting in its own way, but a real different subject and a change of pace from other Disney films.” Initially, the saga was entitled King of the Jungle, but this was changed as the team realised that the African Savannah was the perfect setting for the epic. Story head Brenda Chapman found real inspiration during her research trip to Kenya. It enabled her to understand the relationship between the animals and their environment which translated into the script. It was in Kenya that she discovered the popular saying “Hakuna Matata,” one of the most iconic and oft-repeated slogans in the film, as well as Rafiki’s nonsense rhyme “Asante Sana. Squash Banana. We We Nugu. Mi mi Apana,” which originated as the nonsense chant her tour guide used to sing.

The Story and the Animation The story of The Lion King follows Simba, heir to the pride lands, on a journey of self-discovery. He grows into a cocky young cub, but is forced to grow up when his father Mufasa is killed by his villainous uncle Scar. Overcome with guilt over his father’s death, Simba flees the pride lands, only to meet the hilarious duo, warthog Pumba and meerkat Timon. They teach him valuable life lessons, and he eventually finds his true love and returns to rescue the pride, re-claim his rightful place and banish Scar forever. The breathtaking animation in the film was borne from a desire to capture the true essence of the natural habitat. The animation team created what they called fantasy Africa, a vast canvas filled with natural weather and the movement of animals. The team also made a conscious decision to change the landscape depending on the point of view of the characters. For example during the scene where Simba sings I Just Can’t Wait to be King, the backdrop becomes more colourful, flamboyant and childish.

As Art Director Andy Gaskill explained, “This is a lot more time-consuming to animate, but without the subtleties it wouldn’t be as special.” The Lion King © Disney 1994 The Voices The cast of voices in The Lion King would grace any red carpet. Rowan Atkinson was brought in as the pedantic Zazu, secretary bird to the King Mufasa. Matthew Broderick plays the cheeky Simba, and James Earl Jones the magnificent Mufasa. Whoopi Goldberg voices the detestable but daft hyena Shenzi, and Moira Kelly the adult Nala, the love of Simba’s life. Perhaps the most arresting voice is that of Jeremy Irons who plays one of Disney’s most infamous and memorable villains, Scar. Director Roger Allers has said of Jeremy Irons, “He would give us so many different interpretations that it became difficult for us to pick which was the best. He brings to the character an air of incredible intelligence, yet sort of twisted and dark.

He was absolutely brilliant.” Subsequent Projects In 1998, a sequel entitled The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride was released, and 2005 brought the prequel/parallel The Lion King 1 1/2. In 2011, The Lion King was released in 3D to cater to a new generation of cinema audiences, earning £2.8 million in the opening weekend across the UK alone. However, undoubtedly the most successful spin-off from the original film is The Lion King stage musical. The Lion King Onstage The Lion King musical debuted on July 8, 1997, in Minneapolis, MN, at the Orpheum Theatre. It then premiered on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 13, and was an immediate hit, winning six Tony Awards, before moving to the Minskoff Theatre where it still resides, having played well over 5,000 performances. The Lion King musical is directed and co-designed by Julie Taymor, who brought a vast array of disciplines to the production, drawing on her wide experience of various theatrical styles and cultures to tell the compelling tale of Simba, the young lion cub.

Much of the success of the theatre production lies in the use of African masks and puppets created by Julie Taymor and designer Micheal Curry. In the production the masks are worn traditionally above the actors’ faces which clearly represent the characters, yet allow the actors to make full use of their human emotions and expressions. The production also incorporates Bunraku puppetry, where a puppeteer visible to the audience controls a life-sized puppet on the stage. By leaving the puppeteers visible, much in the same way the actor’s faces are left visible, audiences can concentrate on the character as well as the skill of the puppeteer, allowing them a complete appreciation of the theatrical event. International Success of the Stage Production The Lion King is the fifth longest-running show in Broadway’s history, and in April 2012 it beat its rival, The Phantom of the Opera, to become the highest grossing show on Broadway of all time, with cumulative gross earnings hit $853.8 million US. In the UK the show debuted in the Lyceum Theatre in the West End on October 19, 1999, and is still running as one of the most popular West End musicals.

On September 13, 2011, the show celebrated its 5,000 performance by donating the sales of 5,000 tickets to charity. More than 65 million people around the world have seen The Lion King, in 15 countries on five continents, and it has been translated into six languages. Besides its original productions in New York and London, The Lion King has been staged in Tokyo, Toronto, Los Angeles, Hamburg, Sapporo, Sydney, The Hague, Melbourne, Seoul, Paris, Honolulu, Johannesburg, Mexico City, Taipei, Las Vegas, Madrid and Singapore, and there are ongoing touring productions in both the US and UK. In 2013 the show will open in Brazil and Sydney, and there are also plans for a production in Russia. Fifteen years after those tentative first shows in Minneapolis, The Lion King musical, featuring Elton John and Tim Rice’s glorious and magical songs, continues to enthrall audiences all over the world. SQUIDS Presents AIDA | SQUIDS Past Productions OUR PATRON Rupert McCall is a distinguished author, MC, radio and television host with a passion for sport and poetry.

He has been described as the poet of our generation. To learn more about Rupert visit his website: om.au SQUIDS Presents AIDA by Chris Cathcart Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida is a musical with music by Sir Elton John, lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, book by Linda Woolverton (who wrote the screenplay for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and co-wrote the screenplay for The Lion King), Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical. The musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, and won four, in 2000 including Best Musical Score. It was named by Time Magazine in 2000 as one of the top ten theatre productions of the year. The 2000 Original Cast recording won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Songs Written in the Stars reached number two in the Billboard US adult contemporary music charts, and number one in the Canadian contemporary charts. Aida is a contemporary musical take on a grand classic tale of the timeless bond between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier. As forbidden love blossoms between them, the young lovers are forced to face death or part forever.

Together, they set a shining example of true devotion that ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between their warring nations, heralding a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity. SQUIDS’ 2013 production of Aida features the talented voices of Sophia Haworth, Sarah Denaro, and Nathaniel Currie; as well as a cast of fantastic singers and dancers. Directed by Julie Jones (Nunsense), Co-directed by Fiona Every-Jassim, the musical features music direction by Michael Di Mauro (The King & I, West Side Story), and choreography by Bridget Ewart (West Side Story) Performance dates Elton John - Billy Elliot Tour Elton John Music The monumental career of international singer/songwriter and performer Sir Elton John is now in its fifth decade. He has released over 40 gold and platinum albums, mostly co-written with his long-term songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin. Among these, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was the first album ever to enter the US Billboard Chart at Number One.

In September 2013, Elton released his 31st studio album, The Diving Board, which debuted at Number 3 in the UK charts, and in March 2014, the 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Elton’s most popular album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, was released. Elton has sold more than 250 million records worldwide, including Candle In The Wind ’97, the biggest selling single of all time. His best-loved hit songs include Rocket Man, Your Song and Sacrifice. Among the many awards and honours bestowed on Elton are five Grammys, a Grammy Legend award, Tony Award, Best British Male Artist Brit Award, induction into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, the Kennedy Center Honor, Legend of Live Award and eleven Ivor Novello Awards. Since 1970 Elton has performed well over 3500 concerts, including an unforgettable appearance at The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace in 2012. He continues to play sell-out shows worldwide, either solo or with his band, including The Million Dollar Piano in Las Vegas.

In the early 1990s he collaborated with lyricist Tim Rice, resulting in the soundtrack to the Walt Disney Pictures blockbuster The Lion King, for which he won an Academy Award. The Lion King produced two top-selling, award-winning singles: Can You Feel the Love Tonight and Circle of Life. In 1997, The Lion King debuted on Broadway, receiving six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. In March 2000, the Tony Award-winning Aida opened on Broadway and the two productions both won Grammys for Best Musical Show Album. With lyricist Lee Hall, Elton co-wrote the music for the international smash hit stage production Billy Elliot the Musical, and had a personal top-five chart hit in the UK with the song Electricity. Along with partner David Furnish, Elton produced the Rocket Pictures animated movie Gnomeo & Juliet, which topped the worldwide box office its second week of release. A follow-up, Gnomeo & Juliet: Sherlock Gnomes, is now in development. Established in 1992, the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) has raised over $300 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention and service programmes in 55 countries around the globe.

Today, EJAF is one of the world’s leading non-profit HIV/AIDS organisations. Elton’s many British accolades include Honorary Doctorate, Royal Academy of Music, 2002 and Fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters and Composers, 2004. In 1998 he was knighted by the HM Queen Elizabeth II who honoured him with the title Sir Elton John, CBE. Tim Rice - Biography - IMDb Biography Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trivia (21) | Personal Quotes (7) Overview (3) 6' 4" (1.93 m) Mini Bio (1) A prolific lyricist and librettist, Tim Rice was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, in the fall of 1944. Rice pursued his university education at Lancing College and, briefly, at l'Universite de Paris - Sorbonne. He was considering a legal career around the time that he met Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1965.

Three years later, the two young men composed a 20-minute pop oratorio that would eventually become "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". The piece was premiered on 1st March 1968 at the Colet Court School in the City of London. During the following months, Rice and Webber lengthened the oratorio to 30 minutes, and a record album of "Joseph" (with Rice singing the role of "Pharaoh") was made at the end of 1968. Remaining in partnership with Webber, his next project was "Jesus Christ Superstar". Introduced to the public as a concept album in 1970, the opera propelled Rice and Webber to international stardom. Staged versions appeared the following year, and their popularity led to the film Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). Following "Superstar", Rice and Webber returned to their previous project and expanded it into (more or less) its finalised form. The concept album for "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" was released in 1974.

Inexplicably eclipsed by his collaborator, Rice may never have received the acclaim that he deserved for his contributions to the partnership. The death-throws of the Rice-Webber collaboration produced a third opera, called "Evita". Its concept album was released in 1976. Rice continued on with a piece called "Blondel", which appeared in 1983. Set to music by Stephen Oliver , "Blondel" was arguably the most comic and witty of Rice's major works. The opera "Chess" followed, with its concept album arriving in 1984. Former ABBA songwriters Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson provided the music for "Chess", and the concept album was an international hit. "Chess" was staged in London in 1986 with great success, but the 1988 Broadway production was radically revised without Rice's knowledge or permission, and it was quickly shut down. In 1991, he was hired to finish the lyrics for the Walt Disney film Aladdin (1992). Disney subsequently teamed him with Elton John for The Lion King (1994).

Rice also composed additional lyrics for the stage version of Disney's film Beauty and the Beast (1991), which opened on Broadway in 1994. A stage version of The Lion King (1994) opened on Broadway in 1997, as he was working with Elton John on two new projects - "Aida", which opened on Broadway in 2000, and the Dreamworks film, The Road to El Dorado (2000). The 1991 to 2000 period also saw a flurry of activity for Tim Rice's earlier works. Major revival productions of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" were staged in many parts of the world. Additionally, there was the film, Evita (1996), as well as the video-films Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (1991), and Great Performances: Jesus Christ Superstar (2000). Apart from theatre and film, Rice has written recurring columns for UK newspapers, as well as having shown up regularly on BBC Radio and Television.

In 1973, he founded a cricket side - The Heartaches - for which he serves as a manager as well as a player. He also makes regular contributions to various cricket magazines. He continues to have projects in development for the theatre and for film. Most anxiously awaited - especially by audiences in Canada and the United States - is, perhaps, a revival of the authentic 1986 London version of "Chess". - IMDb Mini Biography By: Liberty Salinger <liberty_salinger@hotmail.com> Spouse (1) ( 19 August 1974 - present) (2 children) Trivia (21) Was knighted in 1994 Has a brother, Jonathan, often known as Jo Rice , who has written some of the books of the TV series "Keeping Up Appearances" (1990) as well as co-founding The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles with Tim, Paul Gambaccini and Mike Read in 1977. Is a supporter of Sunderland Football Club of the English Premiership Division. Sang lead vocals with a pop group named The Aardvarks (1961-1963).

His first published song, "That's My Story", appeared in 1965, which was the same year he met Andrew Lloyd Webber . Wrote songs with Andrew Lloyd Webber that were not intended for musicals including a song "It's Easy For You" recorded by Elvis Presley in 1976. Is the chairman of The Foundation For Sports and the Arts. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2000 (1999 season) for Best New Musical for The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre. He was nominated for a 2004 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Outstanding Musical Production of 2003 for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Originally wrote the lyrics for the song "Memory" for the Andrew Lloyd Webber - Trevor Nunn stage musical Cats. However, the show's director Trevor Nunn and Lloyd Webber had problems with his lyrics, which eventually led to Lloyd Webber commissioning Nunn to write his own lyrics for the tune. This drove a final nail into the already-splintered relationship between Tim Rice and Lloyd Webber, whose feud dates back to the days of their work on the original Evita concept album.

Has won three Tony Awards: two in 1980, as Best Score, his lyrics with Andrew Lloyd Webber 's music, and as Best Book (Musical) for "Evita;" and in 2000, as Best Original Musical Score, his lyrics with Elton John 's music for "Aida." He was also Tony-nominated five other times: in 1972, as Best Score, him as lyricist and Webber as composer, for "Jesus Christ Superstar;" in 1982, as Best Score, his lyrics with Webber's music, and as Best Book (Musical) for "Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat;" in 1994, as Original Music Score, lyrics by him and Howard Ashman with Alan Menken 's music for "Beauty and the Beast;" and in 1998, as Best Original Music Score, shared with several others, for "The Lion King." Supporter and promoter of the British Conservative Party. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999.

His favorite songs are "Singing The Blues" by Tommy Steele , "Different Drum" by Linda Ronstadt & The Stone Poneys, "Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran , "Pity The Child" by Murray Head , "Runaway" by Del Shannon , "Joanne" by Michael Nesmith , "His Latest Flame" by Elvis Presley , "Hugging My Grudge" by The Boy Least Likely To, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper and "Travelling Light" by Cliff Richard & The Shadows . (Source: BBC Radio 2 "Tracks of My Years"). Father of author Eva Rice (born 1976) with Jane McIntosh .

Question: Elton John co-wrote 5 songs with Tim Rice for which Walt Disney musical?
Answer: The Lion King