Re-Imagined AIDA Will Not Premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse; Plans Underway for German Production in 2022

As BroadwayWorld first reported last year, a new North American tour of Elton John and Tim Rice's Tony-winning Broadway smash Aida was previously set to premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2021. Plans have changed however. BroadwayWorld has learned that the musical will no longer be a part of the upcoming Paper Mill season. A rep confirmed: "We look forward to continuing our partnership with Disney on Aida and other projects in the future."

Just yesterday, Disney Theatric Productions President Thomas Schumacher revealed to the New York Times that Aida will open in Germany in 2022.

The production was previously set to play Charlotte, Chicago, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., among other cities following its run at Paper Mill.

The new production, updated and re-imagined, retains the beloved Tony and Grammy-winning score and features a book revised by David Henry Hwang, who co-authored the acclaimed original production with Linda Woolverton and Robert Falls.

The new Aida is directed by Schele Williams (a member of the original Broadway cast) and choreographed by Tony-nominee Camille A. Brown. Sets and costumes are by seven-time Tony winner Bob Crowley, and lighting is by six-time Tony winner Natasha Katz, who both won Tonys for their work on Aida in 2000. The music department includes Tony Award-recipient Jason Michael Webb (musical supervision), Tony Honor recipient Michael McElroy (vocal arrangements and co-incidental arranger), Jim Abbott (orchestrations) and Tony-winner Zane Mark (dance arrangements).

A passionate and timeless story for today's audiences, Aida is the compelling tale of star-crossed lovers belonging to feuding nations, torn between their conflicted loyalties to their countries and to each other. With its stirring contemporary score and its powerful love story, Aida reveals that we have the power to change history, but only when we make brave choices and embrace our destiny.

Aida, which opened at the Palace Theatre on March 23, 2000, went on to become one of the biggest hits of its decade, closing in its 5th year on Broadway on September 5, 2004 after nearly 2000 performances. It received five Tony nominations, winning for Score, Set, Lighting and Actress. A tour played 53 North American cities from 2001 to 2003.

Its worldwide reach is greater still. Nine replica productions played 20 countries in 14 languages.