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Disney News Stories
January 2011

Radio Disney's Ernie D. aboard the AquaDuck. Love his "freak out for nothing" moment near the ride end.

Walt Disney Studios President of Marketing-MT Carney, Walt Disney Studios President of Production-Sean Bailey and Walt Disney Studios Chairman-Rich Ross at Comic-Con Celebrating TRON: Legacy (c) Disney

As reported earlier on LaughingPlace.com the Walt Disney Studios earned 12 Oscar nominations. Five nominations for Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3, including for the coveted title of Best Picture; three for Alice in Wonderland, and one each for Day & Night, Tangled, The Tempest (a Touchstone film) and TRON: Legacy.

“2010 was a banner year for The Walt Disney Studios, and we are thrilled that the Academy has chosen to recognize both our animated blockbusters Toy Story 3 and Tangled and our live-action hits Alice in Wonderlandand TRON: Legacy for their artistry, technical achievements and storytelling,” said Rich Ross, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.

Each year the Disney Company donates $1 million to select charities based upon the votes of kids around the world through the Disney Friends for Change website. The charities that have earned the top 5 prizes this quarter have been announced. This is the third round of award voting, and the first to include international votes.

Producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh are pleased to announce that Steffanie Leigh will star as “Mary Poppins” in the North American tour of MARY POPPINS.  Leigh, who previously understudied the title role in the touring production, replaces Caroline Sheen, who will play her final performance in Omaha at the Orpheum Theatre on Sunday, February 6th.  Leigh officially takes over the role in Omaha on Tuesday, February 8th before the show arrives at the Opera House in Boston on Thursday, February 17th for a limited engagement of five weeks through March 20th.  The opening night is Friday, February 18th at 8pm.  The Boston engagement of MARY POPPINS is presented by arrangement with Broadway Across America - Boston and is a subscription offering of the Lexus Boston Area Dealers Broadway Across America – Boston Series.  Ticketing information may be found at the end of the release.

Leigh, a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, has previously been seen on stage in productions of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Beauty and the Beast, 42nd St., Into the Woods, Grease, Mame, and Les Miserables.

Official check presentation to take place at Sail-Away Celebration Later Today

Disney Cruise Line is making dreams come true for thousands of Central Florida children through a special “Benefit Preview Cruise” bringing community leaders and invited guests together to raise $750,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida. The special two-night voyage takes place onboard the newest Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Dream, sailing today from Port Canaveral to Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, and returning Sunday, Jan. 23. Disney Cruise Line leaders will present Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida with the official check at a special sail-away celebration this afternoon aboard the new ship in Port Canaveral.  The event will include children from Boys & Girls Clubs who will be sailing on the Benefit Preview Cruise, along with Disney Channel stars representing Disney’s Friends For Change, a multiplatform initiative that empowers kids and encourages them to help the planet.

Tokyo DisneySea® Park will be celebrating its 10th anniversary with the “Be Magical!” special event starting April 23, 2011. Every time guests visit the Park during this yearlong event, they will find “Be Magical” experiences—from major new entertainment programs and attractions to seasonal special events, merchandise, menus, decorations and more!

Princess Jasmine Sings "To Be Free" at Disney's California Adventure (LaughingPlace.com)

Recently LaughingPlace.com shared Broadway World's report that a new stage musical version of Aladdin featuring the songs of Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice was coming to Seattle. Now comes official word that a new Aladdin stage musical featuring all of the beloved songs from the film’s Oscar®-winning score plus never-before heard Menken/Ashman songs restored from early drafts of the score will begin previews on July 7 and runs until July 31, 2011 at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Librettist Chad Beguelin who wrote the books for The Rhythm Club, Wicked City and The Wedding Singer, which made its premiere at The 5th Avenue in 2006 will contribute additional lyrics.

The new Aladdin musical will be a loving homage to the Hope-Crosby road pictures, which was the author's original vision and will feature a score invoking the jazz sounds of stars like Cab Calloway and Fats Waller.

Steve Fickinger, VP Creative Development and Licensing for Disney Theatrical Productions, said, “Responding to extraordinary demand from our licensing customers for a full length, two-act version of Aladdin, Alan Menken brought to us the idea of returning to the highly theatrical vision he and Howard Ashman had originally conceived but that had proved unsuitable for the film.  Our goal with this pilot production of Aladdin at The 5th Avenue is to launch this title for inclusion in our innovative professional and regional theatre licensing catalog.”

 Tickets for Aladdin are available by calling 206-625-1900/toll-free 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849), at the box office at 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, or online at 5thavenue.org.

Disney/Touchstone has released new production stills from the upcoming film Gnomeo and Juliet released February 11. Click below to view them.

The 19th Annual "A Night at Sardi's," a star-studded benefit for the Alzheimer's Association on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at the Beverly Hilton, will honor The Walt Disney Company's President and CEO Robert A. Iger for his contributions in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. 

Mr. Iger will receive the Abe Burrows Entertainment Award, which is presented to an individual who has shown an extraordinary commitment to the mission of the Alzheimer's Association. 

In perhaps the biggest upset in Walt Disney World Marathon history, Fredison Costa of Brazil upstaged fellow countryman Adriano Bastos to win the Disney Marathon on Sunday and abruptly end Bastos’ six-year dominance at Disney. Leah Thorvilson from Little Rock, Ark., was the top women’s finisher (2:42:11), celebrating her 32^nd birthday by pulling a mild upset of her own in halting Lisa Mizutani’s streak of back-to-back Disney Marathon women’s victories.

ESPN will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a multiplatform weeklong initiative, “Content of Character”, starting tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 11, and ending on the national holiday, Monday, Jan. 17. Highlights include a two-hour “town hall” discussion about the current image of the black athlete with director Spike Lee and other prominent panelists, special segments on SportsCenter and Outside the Lines, SportsNation on location at Morehouse College (Atlanta, Ga.) and Southern University (Baton Rouge, La.) and vignettes featuring prominent sports figures speaking about the impact of Dr. King’s legacy. Other highlights will include special themed segments on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning (simulcast on ESPN2) and The Herd with Colin Cowherd (simulcast on ESPNU), dedicated content in ESPN the Magazine and a Sports Career Panel for students at Morehouse College on Friday, Jan 14.

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) today announced that up-and-coming Disney stars Bridgit Mendler and Adam Hicks will participate in the second annual SchoolJam USA, where the nation's top 10 teen bands will perform for the title of the nation's best teen band on Saturday, January 15. SchoolJam USA is a national program that rewards aspiring teen music makers, between the ages of 13 and 19, and their respective school music programs with music funding and prizes, as well as the opportunity to perform live before the public and a panel of music industry professionals. This year's event will take place at the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., during the weekend of the popular NAMM Show, the largest musical instruments and products trade show in the world.

What do you get when you combine a hibachi chef, a pastor, one “mum,” two Canadians, two non-profit workers, four teachers, three stay-at-home moms and one special aunt with a passion for Disney and a touch of pixie dust?  The 2011 Walt Disney World Moms Panel!  Announced today, 15 new panelists hailing from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom were named official members of the 2011 Walt Disney World Moms Panel www.disneyworldmoms.com. As the popularity of the Moms Panel site grows, 30 alumni panelists will continue offering their park-savvy smarts to guests planning Disney vacations.

The Official Disney Fan Club, today announced a host of new and continuing money-saving discounts and special offers, all designed to bring fantastic opportunities to D23 Members throughout the coming year.  D23 is also launching http://Disney.com/D23Offers, a URL dedicated to the most up-to-date information on all benefits and discounts.

In celebration of selling its millionth Butterbeer inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort shared 1,000 complimentary Butterbeers with guests on the streets of Hogsmeade. Butterbeer appears as a favorite drink inside the Harry Potter books and films and is only available inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  It is a nonalcoholic, frothy drink reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch and is served cold or frozen. 

The Walt Disney Studios announces plans to release at least 15 films for home viewing on Blu-ray 3D in 2011. Among the films coming in 3D are the animated classics "The Lion King" and "Beauty and the Beast" as well as recent theatrical releases including "TRON: Legacy" and "Tangled". View the full story for more titles coming in 2011.

On January 16th the Disneyana Fan Club Show & Sale at the Crowne Plaza in Garden Grove, California will offer a variety of fabulous Disney merchandise from the past and present. Among their special guests will be Margaret Tinker Bell Kerry and Mark Silverman, the Voice of Rod Serling in the Tower of Terror and numerous vendors including the Disney Studio Store with select exclusive merchandise and Mickey's of Glendale (The company store at Walt Disney Imagineering)

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