Here’s a second installment of animated comics, movies or shows made into musicals.
Pokemon
Pokémon Live! was a musical stage show that toured the United States on September 22, 2000 to January 19, 2001 including a run at Radio City Music Hall. Plans for some 2002 performances in the United Kingdom were also made, but later canceled. Despite that, Pokémon Live! was invited to perform in Dubai, U.A.E. at Al Mamzar Park in the duration of March 2001, coinciding with the annual Dubai Shopping Festival. The musical was based on the Pokémon anime series, using similar characters, clothing, and story elements. Approximately 90 minutes in length, it told the story of Ash Ketchum, Misty and Brock as they travel to a contest to win the much sought-after Diamond Badge. The event turns out to be part of a plan by the evil organization Team Rocket and its diabolic leader Giovanni to take over the world. The music of the show consisted of songs previously released on the Pokémon anime soundtracks Pokémon 2BA Master and Totally Pokémon, as well as new songs.
The show was successful, but it was largely ignored by critics. It has never received a video release, even though Pokémon’s official site contained a statement for quite some time implying that such a release would appear. A cast recording CD of the show, however, had a limited release.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
To capitalize on the Turtles’ popularity, a concert tour was held in 1990, premiering at Radio City Music Hall on August 17and sponsored by Pizza Hut. The “Coming Out of Their Shells” tour featured live-action turtles playing music as a band (Donatello, keyboards; Leonardo, bass guitar; Raphael, drums and sax; Michelangelo, guitar) on stage around a familiar plotline: April O’Neil is kidnapped by the Shredder, and the turtles have to rescue her. The story had a very Bill-n’-Ted-esque feel, with its theme of the power of rock n’ roll literally defeating the enemy, in the form of the Shredder (who only rapped about how he hates music) trying to eliminate all music. A pay-per-view special highlighting the concert was shown, and a studio album was also released.
Tarzan
Tarzan is based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios 1999 film of the same name. The songs are written by Phil Collins with a book by David Henry Hwang. The musical mostly follows the plot of the Disney film: Tarzan is raised by gorillas, meets Jane, a young English naturalist, and falls in love. Jane’s entourage plans to kill the gorillas, and Tarzan’s loyalties are tested.
The musical began previews on Broadway on March 24, 2006, and officially opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on May 10, making it the only Disney Theatrical production without an out-of-town tryout. Bob Crowley designed the sets and costumes and directed the original Broadway production; choreography was by Meryl Tankard and lighting by Natasha Katz. Danton Burroughs, grandson of Edgar Rice Burroughs, attended the opening night party, as did Phil Collins. The production was nominated for a Tony award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Natasha Katz). But, due to poor ticket sales, the show closed on July 8, 2007 after 35 previews and 486 performances.
Anastasia
Anastasia is a musical with music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and a book by Terrence McNally. Based on the 1997 film of the same name, the musical tells the story of the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, which claims that she, in fact, escaped the execution of her family. Anastasia, who appears in the plot as an amnesiac orphan named Anya, hopes to find some trace of her family, but sides with con men who wish to take advantage of her likeness to the Grand Duchess.
The musical opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on March 23, 2017 in previews and officially on April 24, 2017. The musical was nominated for the Drama Desk award for Best Musical, among other award nominations. The production was met with mixed reviews by critics, citing uneven subplots and an overly long running time as primary issues.
