The Wonderful World of Disney Musicals

press release: Coming soon to a library near you: The Wonderful World of Disney Musicals!

The Wonderful World of Disney Musicals explores the history of the animated features that we love and the stories that they tell. Beginning with the groundbreaking film Snow White (1937), Disney animated features have connected with audiences not just with clever characters and entertaining stories but with memorable songs. And when The Little Mermaid was released in 1989, a whole new generation of fans—and songwriters—were swept up into the magic of Disney musicals. This program from Four Seasons Theatre uses some of the best local performers to bring you the Disney songs that you know and love, and to explore how those songs brought both animated features and Broadway productions to life.

The program includes three parts—stay for all three, or come for the parts that interest you most!

• Sea Creature Craft (30 minutes): Kids of all ages can craft an underwater animal from “Under the Sea” that might live in the world of The Little Mermaid. We’ll provide the materials, and you provide the imagination!
• Disney Out Loud (30 minutes): Performers bring you the music of Disney animation, spanning the decades from Snow White to Frozen. We’ll invite any crafters who want to show off their creations to join us for a sing-along of “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid.
• Getting to the Source (30 minutes): Professor Scott Mellor or Professor Claus Elholm Andersen lead a discussion of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and other tales. Learn about the origins of these tales and participate in a talk-back exploring the meanings and adaptations of these stories.

This event is made possible by Four Seasons Theatre with support from the Beyond the Page program, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Madison Community Foundation. This presentation is free and open to the public.