BWW Blog: Remy the Ratatouille - The Tik Tok Musical Craze

Remy may be the next Disney star to shine on Broadway, or at least on TikTok. For the past month, musical theatre fans have been collaborating on TikTok to compose and write a musical based on Disney Pixar's Ratatouille. People are not only creating new songs, but they are also designing sets and costumes as well as covering the viral songs as an attempt to audition for the production. One TikToker (@siswij) even designed Playbill art (featured in the cover image) for a Ratatouille musical. Although the logistics of the project are not entirely worked out, and the project is in no way associated with The Walt Disney Company due to legal matters, there are plans to first create a concept album then put on a virtual production.

The obsession over Ratatouille all began when Em Jaccs (@e_jaccs) wrote and sang a love ballad about Remy:

After this song went viral, Daniel Mertzlufft (@danieljmertzlufft) composed an ensemble version of the piece that could be the show's finale:

Tik Tokers are writing songs not only about Remy, but also for Colette, Linguini, and other characters. For instance, Blake Rouse (@blakeyrouse) wrote a Ratatouille Tango where Colette teaches Linguini about cooking in a restaurant. Watch his performance as Linguini with another Tik Toker (@aaacacia_) as Colette:

Even Broadway stars like Kevin Chamberlin, best known for playing Betram on the Disney Channel show Jessie and originating the role of Horton in Seussical, are writing and performing songs. Watch Chamberlin take on the role of Gusteau in his song "Anyone Can Cook":

With a growing repertoire and fanbase, designers began to draft set models, costume sketches, and more. One account that has not ceased to come up on many people's For You Page is Shoebox Musicals (@shoeboxmusicals). The theatre fan behind this account has built stage models by hand that perfectly recreate iconic shows including Wicked, Beetlejuice, and Mary Poppins. These stage models are dynamic as they imitate all the technical abilities of a normal Broadway theatre. This account has produced multiple models of set ideas for Ratatouille that have garnered hundreds of thousands of likes and comments:

Josh Abram, a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University with a BA in Musical Theatre and Communications, has taken the lead on this project. If you want to get involved, follow RatatouilleTheTikTokMusical (@ratatouillemusical) on Tik Tok and email him at RatatouilleTheTikTokMusical@gmail.com. Tik Tokers are encouraged to tag the account on their videos with concept art, original song ideas, or design models. Prospective actors and designers with intentions to email Josh's team are encouraged to include a resume, portfolio, or links to their website and other materials. In addition to the search for a creative team and cast, the project is also looking for legal advice.

Tik Tokers have a long workshop process ahead of them to develop a Ratatouille musical, and somehow gain legal rights to creating this project. With the upcoming addition of Remy's Ratatouille Adventure Ride to Epcot in Walt Disney World, the current creative team hopes this project may be able to take the stage in one of the Disney Parks. Major publications such as BuzzFeed, Rolling Stone, the New York Post, and the Guardian have also given recognition to the project which may spark the interest of Disney Theatrical Productions. Additionally, celebrities have recognized the project including Patten Oswalt, the voice of Remy in the film, and Brad Bird, the director of the film. People all over the world have clearly demonstrated that they will do what it takes to bring French cuisine and Disney's favorite rat to Broadway.

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