THE LITTLE MERMAID Opens in Rotterdam, 6/16; in Moscow, 10/6

Chairman of Stage Entertainment, Joop Van Den Ende and Producer and President of Disney Theatrical Productions, Thomas Schumacher announce two premiere productions of THE LITTLE MERMAID. The Holland production is currently in previews in Groningen and opens on June 16th, 2012 in Rotterdam. The Moscow production of THE LITTLE MERMAID will make its debut on October 6th, 2012.

THE LITTLE MERMAID in Holland is an entirely original version of the show. The tour will begin previews in Groningen and open in Rotterdam on June 16th, with plans to play seven additional engagements throughout the country. The production is being helmed by a creative team including director Glenn Casale (Beauty and the Beast) and set and costume design by five-time Tony® Award winner, Bob Crowley (Tarzan, Mary Poppins, Aida) who join composer Alan Menken, lyricist Glenn Slater and book writer Doug Wright.

According to Roel Vente, Managing Director at Stage Entertainment, “After the successful collaboration between Stage Entertainment and Disney Theatrical Productions on the musical Tarzan in Holland and Germany, we are now continuing with Disney’s The Little Mermaid. We are looking forward to bringing an entirely new version of this well-known, timeless story to the stage for the first time in the Netherlands.”

Thomas Schumacher, Producer and President Disney Theatrical Productions, said “We are thrilled to be embarking on this venture with our treasured partner Stage Entertainment, bringing one of Disney’s most beloved stories to Holland. The Little Mermaid is a musical of undeniable power and with the incredible talents of Alan Menken and the exceptional team of talented creatives involved in the project, we are delighted to be making our European debut in Groningen.”

Stage Entertainment also announced that the first musical production to be presented in the ROSSIA Theatre on Pushkin Square in Moscow will also be this same new version of THE LITTLE MERMAID. This production will feature a local, all-Russian cast and is produced by Stage Entertainment in collaboration with Disney Theatrical Productions. Opening Night is scheduled for Saturday October 6, 2012. Beauty and the Beast was previously a great success in Moscow, running for two years with an audience of over 400,000 Muscovites.

Disney Theatrical Productions, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, was formed in 1994 and operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. Worldwide, its eight Broadway titles have been seen by over 103 million theatergoers, grossed over $7.4 billion and have cumulatively run a staggering 189 years. With 15 productions currently produced or licensed, a Disney musical is being performed professionally somewhere on the planet virtually every hour of the day.

The company’s inaugural production, Beauty and the Beast, opened in 1994. It played a remarkable 13 year run on Broadway and has been produced in 28 countries worldwide. In November 1997, Disney opened The Lion King, which received six 1998 Tony® Awards including Best Musical and recently became the highest grossing show in Broadway history. The show continues in its 15th smash year, having welcomed over 64 million visitors worldwide. The Lion King can also currently be seen on tour across North America and in London’s West End, Hamburg, Tokyo and Madrid. A UK tour is scheduled for fall 2012.

Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida opened on Broadway next, winning four 2000 Tony® Awards, and spawning productions around the world. Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, opened in London in 2004 and has established itself as one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge in recent years. The Tony Award®-winning Broadway production opened in 2006 at Disney’s New Amsterdam Theatre, where it continues to delight audiences. Mary Poppins can also be seen on tour across North America and in Australia.

Tarzan®, which opened on Broadway in 2006, is now an international hit with an award-winning production in Germany.

In January 2008, The Little Mermaid opened on Broadway and was the #1-selling new musical of that year. Its success continues with these upcoming debuts.

Other successful stage musical ventures have included King David in concert, the national tour of On The Record, several touring versions of Disney’s High School Musical, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin and the premiere of the stage adaptation of Aladdin at The 5th Avenue Theatre.

The Tony nominated new American musical Newsies, is now playing a limited engagement on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre. Peter and the Starcatcher, which set box office records at its 2011 New York Theatre Workshop run, opened to acclaim on Broadway in April. Between them, the shows received 17 Tony nominations.

In addition, DTP licenses stage performance rights to more than a dozen Disney musicals around the world through Music Theatre International.

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