Anderson, Moses, et al. Set for DISNEY ON CLASSIC Japanese Concert Tour, Begins 10/8

Another group of U.S. performers has arrived in Tokyo, Japan to begin Harmony Japan's 8th annual Disney on Classic concert tour. This year's concert features seven American singers, the world-renowned Tokyo Philarmonic Orchestra, and music from Disney's animated classic Beauty and the Beast as well as selections from The Lady & the Tramp, Mulan, as well as a suite from the 2010 Disney film The Prince of Persia. The 2010 cast, led by director Tony Clements, includes Broadway's Carey Anderson, Kate Margaret McCann, Jen Zappola, Chad Coudriet, Michael Di Liberto, and Norman Moses. Brad Kelley conducts the Tokyo Philharmonic "Neverland" Orchestra.

The ever-expanding tour begins performances October 8nd and continues through December 18th playing over 33 locations including Sapporo, Osaka, Yokohama, Hiroshima, and Okinawa. The schedule includes four sold-out performances in the 5000-seat Tokyo International Forum, and culminates in a gala performance at Tokyo's Suntory Hall, considered Japan's "Carnegie Hall."

Anderson has appeared on Broadway in Avenue Q and Mamma Mia! (where she holds the record as the longest-running Sophie.) She recently recorded two albums - Middle of Three, her first solo album, and Summer of the Soda Fountain Girls with her band The Blue Bottle Collection.
McCann recently finished a run as Maureen in the Skylight Opera's highly acclaimed production of RENT. She toured Europe for two years with Jesus Christ Superstar, the United States for over a year with Smokey Joe's Cafe, and has since been working extensively in esteemed music venues and theatres in New York City and across the country. Zappola hails from Cleveland, Ohio, and currently resides in New York City where she has spent the last few years performing as well as teaching. She is currently appearing as Missy in The Marvelous Wonderettes at Vermont's Weston Playhouse.

Di Liberto recently closed a successful production of The 39 Steps in the Adirondack Mountains and has toured the U.S. in productions of Annie, Cinderella, and Strike Up The Band. Coudriet recently completed a highly acclaimed run of Les Miserables at The Fulton Opera House and has worked in New York theatres and regional theatres throughout the U.S.A.

Moses, an actor, singer, director in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for over 30 years, returns to Japan after spending 5 weeks in Toga, Toyama Prefecture and in Tokyo City with the Suzuki Company of Toga's bilingual production of the Bacchae in 1981. Clements most recently directed Sunday in the Park with George at Marquette University and Hula Hoop Sha-Boop for JK Productions / West 30th Productions. He spent two years playing Sam Carmichael in the North American tour of Mamma Mia.

Disney On Classic was conceived eight years ago by Katsunori Kusakabe, producer and owner of Harmony Japan, Inc, and Akitoshi Nakata, head of Disney Music Group Japan. Since then the two have worked closely to develop the project into a highly-anticipated annual event. What began in 2002 as three performances featuring guest soloist Jodi Benson has since grown into a three month, 40 performance tour that in 2008 included a week in Seoul, South Korea and has plans for future stops in other Asian countries. Tomoki Takahashi is the tour's company manager. The DISNEY ON CLASSIC website features tour schedule and further concert information: http://www.disney.co.jp/onclassic/

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