Rediscovering the SNOW WHITE Musical You Probably Don't Know About

Snow White, the live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1937 animated classic, is finally in theaters. Led by Rachel Zegler and featuring new songs by songwriting team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the iconic story of the first Disney princess continues to be retold, nearly ninety years after it first wowed moviegoing audiences around the world.

As Disney’s first animated feature, the characters, its music, and numerous elements of the story- a beautiful castle, an evil stepmother, and memorable songs- laid the foundation for what is now deeply engrained within the fabric of the company.

Even in 2025, the Disney property is beloved by audiences everywhere, both due to its important place in history and its stunning achievements as a film. As the first animated feature for the studio, it was a monumental success, winning Walt Disney an Honorary Academy Award for his groundbreaking work. The success later continued in the theme parks, with Snow White-themed rides still found around the world and the inclusion of Snow White, the Evil Queen, and the Seven Dwarfs as meet-and-greet characters.

Of course, many people know all of this. There has not been a lack of Snow White in media over the years. But Snow White on the stage is a different story. Though a stage adaptation debuted as early as 1969, the musical remains a somewhat niche piece of Disney musical theater history, probably because it hasn't been performed since 1980. 

Even so, Snow White is notable as the first major Disney property to make its way to the New York stage. Years before the Disney Theatrical Group was created and the hit stage version of Beauty and the Beast premiered on Broadway, Snow White was staged at the prolific Radio City Music Hall after a previous run at The Muny.

Known for such extravaganzas as The Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, the venue was faced with troubling times during the 1970s. Attendance was down, and Bob Jani was tasked with revitalizing the space by staging grandiose event productions that would appeal to general audiences.

Jani was a former Disney executive and, though he didn't come from a strictly theater background, he had been successful in spearheading spectacular entertainment events for Disney company, including the much-loved Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland. With Snow White, he was in charge of bringing the beloved animated film to the stage on a grand scale.

To achieve a successful production of the Disney musical, talented costume designers, lighting designers, and a diverse group of performers were assembled in an attempt to replicate the magic of the film for New York audiences. For the coveted role of Snow White, the production embarked on a nationwide casting search. After auditions at the Disney Studio in Burbank and followed by stops in New York and Chicago, Mary Jo Salerno, a singing cocktail waitress, was tasked with the herculean job of portraying Walt Disney’s first princess.

The original songs were already well-known to audiences and remained musically appealing. Within those songs, one can see the workings of a musical theater piece, specifically in Snow White's first song "I'm Wishing," which functions as an "I Want" number. Still, it was necessary to find a new way to introduce the characters and provide some backstory. A brand-new opening number was written which serves this purpose. "Welcome to the Kingdom" introduces the infant Snow White and provides new information about the Evil Queen, including where she originally came from. Another new song, titled “Will I Ever See Her Again?” is sung by the Prince after Snow White has arrived at the Dwarf's cottage. The whole show is concluded with a grand finale number, utilizing new themes along with reprises of the original musical motifs.

These new songs were penned by Jay Blackton, who had deep roots with Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, serving as the orchestrator for the original production and the musical director of the 1979 revival. He also won an Academy Award for his work on the film adaptation. Joe Cook wrote the book for the stage version, also contributing lyrics for the new songs.

Most of the cast were not Broadway stars, except for Anne Francine who played the Evil Queen. Francine was a formidable stage presence, appearing alongside Angela Lansbury in Jerry Herman's Mame and, later, in 1987's Anything Goes starring Patti LuPone.

Snow White officially opened at the Radio City Music Hall in October 1979, becoming a huge success for the venue and selling out its initial four-week run. Shortly after, the production embarked on a tour that included a visit to Washington D.C.'s National Theatre where then-President Jimmy Carter attended a performance. It later returned to New York in January of 1980 for three more months, closing on March 9. But before concluding, the production was recorded, receiving both an official cast recording and a live video capture that aired on HBO and the Disney Channel. 

45 years later, the recording of this production is still the only way to experience Disney's Snow White on the stage. The adaptation is not an available title with the Disney Theatrical Licensing and has never been revived in any official capacity. Though the new movie includes some of the original numbers from the animated classic, the stage production remains a closer adaptation of the 1937 film.

Perhaps the success of the new reimagining will kick off a larger resurgence of popularity in the material, finally bringing a revised stage version to fruition. With the recent news that The Greatest Showman will be adapted for the stage, only time will tell if Disney's Snow White could be next. In the meantime, take a look at the Radio City production of the musical below!