SPOILER ALERT! Recap and Review: BACKSTAGE WITH DISNEY ON BROADWAY Confirms FROZEN Heading to Broadway!

Tonight, the mammoth Disney Theatricals pulls back the curtain on the eight Broadway shows that they have brought to the stage over the past 20 years. BACKSTAGE WITH DISNEY ON BROADWAY: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS will be hosted by Broadway favorite, and ABC Family member, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and will feature performances by Elton John, Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen (from ABC's NASHVILLE), Ashley Brown (Broadway's original Mary Poppins), Darren Criss (GLEE), Adam Jacobs (Broadway's Aladdin), and more.

The special will take viewers backstage with Broadway's LION KING and ALADDIN and the North American Tour of NEWSIES. This is the part of the special that I am most excited about; these productions have become an integral part of Broadway (and Times Square's) revitalization over the past 20 years, and to be able to see some of the magic that goes into making them is incredibly exciting.

I will be live recapping the show tonight, so make sure to come back tonight at 7:00pm ET, and add your thoughts in the comments below, or on Twitter @BWWMatt.

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7:59: Ok, I don't know if that was an official announcement or not, considering there was no time table given, but it sure seems like Jesse Tyler Ferguson just announced that FROZEN was officially coming to Broadway. Come on JTF, not even an ETA?

7:54: I've already admitted to watching NASHVILLE, so I might as well admit that I jumped back onto the GLEE bandwagon last season, so it was neat to see Darren Criss outside of that world. Though his HOW TO SUCCEED run was short, I hope that when his GLEE commitments are finished, he finds him way back to Broadway, maybe in A VERY POTTER MUSICAL!

7:53: I am really glad we are getting to see a good amount of "Friend Like Me," because the Tony Award performance, obviously, couldn't have all of the special effects and pyro that they do at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

7:52: I believe that is a GYPSY reference from the Genie!

7:51: If you have heard James Monroe Iglehart talk about his love for all things Disney, it is extra special to see the joy he has as he performs this role. He tells a great story about getting married, but he and his wife didn't have money for a honeymoon. So, they saved up for a trip to Disneyland, and return there as often as possible. I have a feeling that a few more doors open for him now than as a broke newlywed.

7:51: HOW DO THEY DO THE MAGIC CARPET????

7:50: I still can't get over how cool it is that the original Jafar from the movie is the Jafar on Broadway! I'm sorry, my inner pre-teen is geeking out.

7:48: Casey Nicholaw sighting!

7:45: With NBC doing THE SOUND OF MUSIC and PETER PAN LIVE! and Fox planning GREASE LIVE!, how long until we get a Disney musical live on TV? Even if it is just the broadcast of one of their Broadway or tours, I think it only makes sense for ABC to get in on the mix. After all, they do have the most recognizable family-friendly musicals in the world in their catalog.

7:42: Ok, I am officially excited for the NEWSIES' tour to roll into the Dr. Phillips Center here in Orlando. I'm not saying that I'm going official fansie, but I could!

7:39: Are we getting zero Christian Bale reference during the talk about the original NEWSIES movie?

7:37: Let's play how many SYTYCD alums we can see in the NEWSIES section.

7:35: I have yet to see NEWSIES on stage, but given the passion of the "Fansies", I'm afraid not to love it!

7:32: I'm a little worred that we are over halfway through and all we have seen of AIDA is that little clip of "Strongest Suit." I know this show wasn't based on an existing Disney property, and therefore there is no DVD to sell, but that she is still a major part of Disney Theatricals' history, so I hope we get a little more of Aida and Radames... and maybe a little Micky Dolenz as well.

7:29: As we learned from PETER PAN LIVE!, people still like to throw shade when they can see the wires that help actors fly, but seeing Mary Poppins fly over the audience is still such a magical experience, no matter how it is done.

7:26: Oh my, Ashley Brown singing "Feed the Birds" is still gorgeous!

7:24: Growing up, MARY POPPINS was absolutely one of my favorite movies, and I was apprehensive about the stage version not living up to the very high standards I had set in my mind, especially considering the fact that I knew that the plot and songs had been "adjusted." However, I think that I might like the Mrs. Banks-centered story better than the film itself.

7:18: Despite nodules destroying his vocal range, there is still something special about seeing Sir Elton sing one of his songs, especially this one... goosebumps!

7:16: From my four quarters of Swahili at Ohio State, I can tell you that "rafiki" translates to "friend." Other than other words in THE LION KING, and the safari ("journey") at Disney's Animal Kingdom, I remember nothing else from my swahili classes.

7:14: Without Taymor and THE LION KING there would be no WAR HORSE, no MATILDA, and certainly not nearly as many Disney shows on Broadway.

7:13: I'm not even mad about SPIDERMAN: TURN OFF THE DARK anymore, Taymor could never work again, and she would be a theatrical legend worthy of praise.

7:11: Whoopi is completely right, yes, the human actors are visible the entire time, but all you truly see is the animals. What an incredible feat for Taymor and Disney.

7:10: As I said before, when I first saw THE LION KING on Broadway, I was completely taken by the ingenious stagecraft of the whole thing. Next level creativity is nothing new in the theatre, but what Julie Taymor and company did legitimately changed the game for what a family-friendly Broadway show could be, and seeing the opening on TV is still captivating.

7:06: Look, I get cross-promotion, I am even willing to admit that I have seen every episode of NASHVILLE, but I am disappointed that Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen are singing this song. Considering that there are two legitimate Broadway stars on their very show, it would have been nice if Will Chase and Laura Benanti would have been given the chance to sing this classic.

7:04: What's the over-under on how many GALAVANT and INTO THE WOODS commercials we see tonight?

7:02: I haven't seen THE LION KING since I saw the Original Broadway Cast in 1998, but that is still one of the most spectacular experiences that I have ever had in a theatre.

7:00: If Jessee Tyler doesn't sing at some point tonight, I will be angry!

Photo Credit: Rick Rowell

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