D23 Expo 2015 Lights Up With Broadway's Best For Exclusive Concerts

BROADWAY’S BEST LIGHT UP D23 EXPO WITH

EXCLUSIVE CONCERTS

DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS

DISNEY ON BROADWAY’S “THE ORIGINALS”

FEATURING STARS FROM BROADWAY’S MARY POPPINS, TARZAN AND ALADDIN.

BURBANK, Calif. – June 4, 2015 – Following the incredibly warm and rousing reception from D23 EXPO fans in 2013, Disney Theatrical Productions is thrilled to announce a new concert presented exclusively for this year’s D23 EXPO at the Anaheim Convention Center entitled Disney on Broadway’s “THE ORIGINALS.”  In anticipation of high fan-demand, two performances of the concert will be presented on Saturday, August 15^th at 11am and at 2pm in Stage 23.

Disney on Broadway’s “THE ORIGINALS” stars Broadway’s original “Mary Poppins” (Ashley Brown), “Tarzan” (Josh Strickland) and “Genie” (James Monroe Iglehart) from Aladdin.  The “originals” will entertain and delight D23 EXPO attendees by performing favorite musical highlights from the Disney on Broadway catalogue.   Tony Award®-winner James Monroe Iglehart will also serve as host for this 70-minute, live performance that features a five-piece band of Broadway’s best musicians with special behind-the-scenes videos and interviews that promise to enthrall Disney on Broadway fans of all ages.

Ashley Brown originated the title role in Mary Poppins on Broadway for which she received Outer Critics, Drama League and Drama Desk nominations for Best Actress.  Ms. Brown also starred as Mary Poppins in the national tour of Mary Poppins where she garnered a Garland award for “Best Performance in a Musical”. Ms. Brown’s other Broadway credits include Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and she has starred in the national tour of Disney'sOn The Record.  Ms. Brown recently returned to critical acclaim starring in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Oklahoma.   She previously played Magnolia opposite Nathan Gunn in Francesca Zembello’s Show Boat at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Ms. Brown has performed with virtually all of the top orchestras in North America including the Boston Pops, the New York Philharmonic, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at Disney Hall, the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall (four times), the Cincinnati Pops and the Philadelphia Orchestra (two times). Ashley starred in The Sound of Music at the St. Louis MUNY which garnered her a Kevin Kline award and her own PBS special called “Ashley Brown: Call Me Irresponsible” which received a PBS Telly Award.  Other television credits include NBC’s The Sound of Music.  Ms. Brown’s long-awaited album of Broadway and American Songbook standards is available on Ghostlight/Sony. Ashley is a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

Josh Strickland is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. In 2006, Strickland created the leading role of Tarzan in Disney’s Tarzan on Broadway. In 2009, he made his starring Las Vegas debut in PEEPSHOW at Planet Hollywood Casino & Resort while concurrently co-starring in the hit E! reality show Holly's World. Strickland debuted his first single "Report to the Floor", which skyrocketed to the top five on the iTunes Dance Charts the first week of its release, followed by “Last Dance”. Mr. Strickland is currently starring in Vegas! the Show at the Planet Hollywood Casino & Resort in Las Vegas.

James Monroe Iglehart won a 2014 Tony Award® for his performance in Aladdin. He originated the role of Bobby in the Tony-winning musical Memphis. Other NYC: The 25th Annual…Spelling Bee and The Wiz. Film/TV: "Gotham", "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt", "The Good Wife” and “The Electric Company” (the Silent E Soloist). James is a member of the hip-hop improv group Freestyle Love Supreme. His greatest gift is his wife, Dawn. This is an absolute blessing — a real-life wish come true!

Tickets for D23 EXPO 2015 are available at a discounted price for a limited time. Through June 30, 2015, tickets are $67 for a one-day adult admission and $48 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $58 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available. D23 Members can save as much as $188 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for D23 Members and general admission, visit D23EXPO.com.

About DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS

Disney Theatrical Productions operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher and is among the world’s most successful commercial theatre enterprises, bringing live entertainment events to a global annual audience of more than 19 million people in more than 50 countries.  Under the Disney Theatrical Productions banner, the group produces and licenses Broadway musicals around the world, including Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida, TARZAN®, Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, The Little Mermaid, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Newsies.  Aladdin is its most recent Tony Award-winning Broadway hit.  Other successful stage musical ventures have included the Olivier-nominated London hitShakespeare in Love, stage productions of Disney’s High School Musical, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin, and King David in concert.  DTP has collaborated with the country’s leading regional theatres to develop new stage titles including The Jungle Book and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

About D23 EXPO 2015

D23 EXPO—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. For the latest D23 EXPO 2015 news, visit D23EXPO.com.  Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change. To join the D23 EXPO conversation, make sure to follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube, and use the hashtag #D23EXPO.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold and General Membership levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Blu-Ray Review: Tarzan Special Edition

Tarzan is one of my favorite Disney animated films. It  made great use of hand-drawn and CG animation. The vine surfing scenes hold up as well today as they did in 1999. There is also a very smooth flow to the film as it moves from one scene into another. This was the Disney animated film that showed me that Disney could tell a mature story with heart and sensitivity. In a sense, Disney animation had grown up and reached me on several levels. How does the blu-ray look? Well, it's not bad but it's not perfect either. Let's get into the review shall we?

Video Quality:

Sadly the 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation doesn't live up to Disney's usual high standards. There are issues with this transfer such pixilation, macroblocking in the animal fur, and some strange flickering. I had high hopes for another flawless Disney transfer of an animated film that deserved a better presentation. It's not bad but it's not perfect either.

Audio Quality:

Another strange choice here is that Disney decided to go with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 mix instead of remastering the audio and create a 5.1 surround track. I was wondering why there wasn't the powerful thundering sound coming from my speakers as Tarzan fights an enemy or two or when he is vine surfing. Now I know why. The rest of the soundfield is fairly solid as dialogue is clear, directional focus makes this a fun immersive experience, and the songs and score will fill your room. So the audio presentation is good but just not as strong as it should have been. 

Bonus Features:

• Audio Commentary: The same audio commentary from Directors Chris Buck and Kevin Lima and producer Bonnie Arnold that was recorded for the DVD release of the film but still very insightful if you have never listened to it. They cover everything from the design, to the script, to the voice talent, to the animation, to innovations, and the music. They also make reference to the first time that any Tarzan film has shown the progression of Tarzan's famous yell.
• History and Development (SD, 8 minutes): An all too brief look at some of the early development of the movie, "From Burroughs to Disney," "Early Presentation Reel" and "Research Trip to Africa."
• The Characters of Tarzan (SD, 23 minutes): A great look into the character development, featuring "Creating Tarzan," "Animating Tarzan," "Creating Jane and Porter," "Creating Kala and Kerchak," "Creating Terk and Tantor" and "Creating Clayton."
• Animation Production (SD, 14 minutes): I love this look into the "Deep Canvas" innovation for the film. Four segments are presented here, including: "The Deep Canvas Process," "Deep Canvas Demonstration," "Production Progression Demonstration" and "Intercontinental Filmmaking."
• Story & Editorial (SD, 6 minutes): Take a look at the script writing and the storyboarding with these two featurettes: "Building the Story" and "Storyboard-to-Film Comparison".
• Music & More (SD, 41 minutes): Learn more about the score and the songs of Tarzan in these featurettes: "The Making of the Music," "Tarzan Goes International," "You'll Be in My Heart" and "Strangers Like Me" Music Videos, a "Trashin' the Camp" studio session with Phil Collins and N'Sync, and an original Phil Collins song demo.
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 10 minutes): Take a look at several unfinished and deleted scenes along with two scenes with an alternate opening. 
• DisneyPedia: Living in the Jungle (SD, 6 minutes): An educational featurette for kids.
• Publicity (SD, 5 minutes): Three theatrical trailers.

Conclusion:

One of my favorite Disney animated films and I was disappointed by this blu-ray release. The problems with the video and audio are minor though. While not perfect the movie still a lot of fun with great action and heart, great music and some fun bonus features. This still deserves a place on your shelf.

*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided but the review is strictly my own opinion.*

Tarzan Inspired Recipe: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies!

Tantor - Tarzan

"You know, I've been thinking lately that Tarzan may be some sub-species of elephant. I mean, think about it. He enjoys a peanut, I enjoy a peanut..."

What you'll need

• 1 batch Best Fudge Brownies batter, made without nuts
• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 1/2 ounces soft cream cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup sugar

How to make it

1. Line 18 to 20 cups of a standard muffin tin with bake cups. Combine the filling ingredients in a medium-size bowl and beat them with an electric mixer until evenly blended. The texture should be like whipped peanut butter. If it's not stiff enough, add a little extra peanut butter.
2. Fill each muffin cup about halfway with brownie batter. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of peanut butter filling into the center, pushing it down slightly into the batter. Cover the filling with another spoonful of batter, making sure that the cups are no more than about two thirds to three quarters full.
3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, just until well risen and cracked on top. Then transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Remove the brownies from the pan and place them directly on the wire rack to finish cooling (they'll sink as they do) before serving. Makes 18 to 20 Peanut Butter Cup Brownies.

Source: http://spoonful.com/recipes/peanut-butter-cup-brownies