Sunrise Sports and Entertainment announced today that magic is coming your way when Feld Entertainment, the worldwide leader of live touring family entertainment, sets the stage for its most compelling Disney compilation to date with Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic coming to BB&T Center on Feb. 26. Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy as they step into mysterious portals throughout the Disney universe, entering the enchanted lands of more than 20 of your favorite Disney characters and encountering surprises at every turn of the doorknob.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Dec. 18 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.
Audience members will be transported to unforgettable moments showcased in the animated features Disney’s Tangled, Aladdin, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia and Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story. Orchestrating the creative collaboration for a production that fuses together these Disney stories and theatrical illusions is Feld Entertainment Executive Vice President and Disney Live! Producer Alana Feld. By bringing a team together that includes seasoned and emerging industry experts, Feld was able to build a dynamic, multi-layered experience that is sure to engage families around the world.
“This show is about bringing to life the magical places and moments that exists with the world of Disney in a very authentic and modern way,” says Feld. “By using magic and illusions, we’ve reimagined iconic scenes and enhanced them, creating a great connection to the characters and stories for our audiences.”
Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic opens with a burst of color, high-energy choreography and an original song titled “Magic is Here.” For Director and Choreographer Fred Tallaksen, everything from the pop and funk infused soundtrack to the diverse choreography was essential in capturing the vitality of the show and differentiating it from a traditional re-telling of classic tales. “What makes this show extraordinary are the adventures Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy have every time they enter a different whimsical doorway and the amazing things they do in each world they visit,” says Tallaksen. “One moment Mickey and Minnie are jumping rope alongside the Toy Story gang in Andy’s room and the next they have traveled to Agrabah to unleash the power and comedic antics of Aladdin’s Genie.”
Scripting the journey are writers Adam Wilson and Melanie Wilson-LaBracio. Along with integrating memorable scenes, including Cinderella’s stunning gown transformation and Mickey’s command over a lively set of brooms, the brother-sister writing duo get the audience to interact with Disney characters using magic words given by Tinker Bell. When Mickey and friends encourage families to wiggle their fingers, stomp the ground and make some magic all around, the resulting fantastical feats assist in moving along the plot and immerse the theater in Disney magic.
Elevating the production to new heights are illusions designed by Magic Consultant Jim Steinmeyer. Steinmeyer barely had the opportunity to brush the pixie dust off his hands after designing illusions for Broadway before starting on Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic at Feld Entertainment Studios in Ellenton, Fla. A pioneer and master in all things magic, his knowledge and talent for creating mesmerizing visuals have set the scene for the spectacular stage debut of Tangled’s Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder as they levitate in a starry sky amidst the floating lanterns. “When the Disney characters present the illusions rather than a magician, something special happens,” says Steinmeyer. “Not only is the audience experiencing this genuine moment within the Disney stories, but the characters add to it with their presence and unique personalities.”
Scenic Designer Christine Peters and Lighting Designer Sam Doty were entrusted with the task of developing the landscape and its illumination. This came not only with the usual challenges of dreaming up a believable environment but also highlighting the illusions appropriately. The solution for both was finding innovative ways of using a vibrant color palette and a 75-foot rolling curtain that bridges the animation styling from Walt Disney’s first animated feature Snow White and Seven Dwarfs to the fiftieth, Tangled. “The design process always starts with a central idea,” says Peters. “For this show, it was the image of doorways and the hints they give as to what adventures lie behind them. From the asymmetrical shapes of the doors themselves to the way the curved portals frame the stage, we are able to convey a fun-house vibe full of intrigue and excitement.”
Using various techniques and effects, Lighting Designer Sam Doty energizes the powerful doorways that transport the Disney characters and emphasizes all of the phenomenal happenings on stage. Among the candescent features are stars made from ultramodern, luminescent paper that are worked into the proscenium and a light-and-mind bending laser routine performed by Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear. “Christine Peters has provided a beautiful set that doesn’t require much coloring to make it show ready,” says Doty. “Instead we were able to focus on incorporating a variety of methods to draw awareness to the choreography and general flow of the production, further enhancing the naturally magical stories.”
Complementing that movement with an array of richly-toned fabrics is Costume Designer Leon Dobkowski. Utilizing bold shapes, colors and textures, Dobkowski has updated the traditional looks for Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy and clothed the ensemble in everything from the colorful assymetric attire of the opening number, to the ornate draping featured in the Aladdin segment. “It was important for the costuming to be familiar but contemporary so it is relatable to Disney fans young and old,” says Dobkowski. “The challenge with the ensemble garments is finding silhouettes and colors that balance the overall collection yet still provide an authentic representation of each story.”
“What’s exciting about this show for me personally is that it’s the first Disney Live! I have produced since becoming a mom,” says Alana Feld. “Now when I’m deciding on content, I automatically think how my daughter will respond to it and how everything created by our amazing team of professionals is geared toward making Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic a way for families to fall in love with Disney all over again.”
To discover more about Disney Live!, go to DisneyLive.com.