In my opinion, the two greatest art forms that have ever produced human tears are Broadway musicals and Disney films. Both can be found in the 2023 movie schedule, and sometimes you can even see them together in stage adaptations of the studio’s animated masterpieces. Now another one of these cases is heading to the stage, as we’ve learned that Pixar’s beloved and well-regarded movie “Coco” is becoming a Disney on Broadway production.
News about this brand new musical appeared during a performance at the Epcot International Arts Festival. As part of the Disney on Broadway concert series, the stars of the company’s previous musicals entertained park visitors with some of Disney’s greatest hits. Therefore, it was quite appropriate that during a recent set between Mandy Gonzalez from Aida and the veteran of The Lion King, L. Steven Taylor, this important news about Coco was made public.
Take a look at the official announcement shared on Twitter by a fan of the park who was present:
https://twitter.com/ThatDisneyBoi/status/1618021882007261184
Obviously, this announcement is happening at the earliest stage of the process, since there is no information about when we should expect the premiere of Coco on the Great White Way. It is also unclear to what extent composer Michael Giacchino or the songwriting team of Germaine Franco, Adrian Molina, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez will be involved in the adaptation. However, this is normal, because the mere knowledge that “Remember Me” will be sung live on stage is enough to bring tears to our eyes.
The adaptation of another Disney animated musical for the stage is not such a big surprise, especially when it’s a movie like “Coco”. What really seems shocking is the fact that the winner of the 2018 Academy Award for Best Animated Film and Best Original Song was the first Disney/Pixar film to receive such an interpretation. No, the musical “Ratatouille” in TikTok does not count. Still, it would be a good candidate for one of Pixar’s next adventures to get an official book and lyrics from Disney on Broadway.
Technically, Coco has an advantage over the adaptation, since the film received a stage treatment in a different form. Thanks to the special edition of “Feast of Music” by Coco, we have an idea of what a Broadway musical might look like. The only thing missing are more elaborate sets and costumes, as well as a few new songs that can cause even more tears from the crowd.
Although this is a more stripped-down version compared to the magic that the Disney team will create on Broadway to fully play out Coco’s touching story, “Holiday” was still a rough sketch of what could happen. Whatever the final version is, if done right, it will speak with pride to fans around the world.
The Epcot International Arts Festival currently runs through February 20 with an ever-changing cast of Disney performers on Broadway. Meanwhile, if you can’t wait to cry with Coco again, you can watch the movie as well as his performance at the Hollywood Bowl on one convenient platform. With a Disney+ subscription, you can prepare for the day when you go to Broadway to see Coco and cry with a crowd of like-minded people.
