Warm Summer nights are made for enjoying great music outdoors at the Hollywood Bowl where cool breezes, the stars, and the moon all play their part during memorable family adventures. And what better way to entertain kids of all ages than with guests from Disney musicals singing popular hits of the ’80s and ’90s? With Sarah Hicks leading the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, performers included Jodi Benson, Corbin Bleu, Bill Farmer, Aisha Jackson, Arielle Jackson, Arielle Jacobs, Adam J, Levy, Krysta Rodriguez, with special guest Susan Egan (the original Belle from Broadway’s Beauty and the Beast), whose presence added a touch of classic Disney nostalgia to the festivities. Members of LA’s DC6 Singers Collective brought their gospel choir talents into several of the songs. And to make it even more perfect, clips from iconic Disney films are broadcast on large screens to assist in remembering the exact scenes in which those songs appear.
Or perhaps if you are like me who never saw many of the Disney films from those years but know the songs well, the scenes will encourage you to finally watch the movies when you witness how the faces of children light up when their favorite scene or song is performed. And Disney movies are such a big part of kids’ lives, I was not surprised to see many Belles walking among the crowd since every little girl dreams of growing up to be a Disney Princess.
Opening the show was a Menken-Ashman medley of “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast,” “Prince Ali” from Aladdin, and “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid. Next was Matthew Wilder and David Zippel’s “Reflection” from Mulan in which a young girl disguises herself as a boy and learns to be a better warrior than anyone else. Menken and Zippel’s “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)” from Hercules saluted the power women have over even the strongest of men.
Two selections from Randy Newman followed; “A Bug’s Life Suite” and the much-loved “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story which begged to be a sing-along. Two songs from The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken followed; “God Help the Outcasts” and “Out There.” No doubt those with disabilities identify with the main character feeling like no one will ever care about him simply because he acts differently.
After Andy Thompson’s “Disney Afternoon Block Party” arranged by Deke Sharon, came Ashman and Menken’s “Part of Your World” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from The Little Mermaid, leading into a spectacular “Newsies” medley by Jack Feldman and Alan Menken at the end of the evening’s first half, leaving me craving more as soon as possible due to the overwhelming positive environment in which I found myself.
Act 2 started with Bryce Healey’s “Fantasmic” accompanied by spectacular lighting effects on display inside and around the Bowl’s shell. In fact, the entire second half of the evening was astoundingly entertaining, with the following selections: David Zippel and Alan Menken’s “Muses’ Gospel Medley” from Hercules; Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken’s beautiful “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas; Danny Elfman’s “What’s This?” from Tim’s Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas; Jalacy Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You” from Hocus Pocus arranged by Marc Shaiman; Barry Mann and Howard Ashman’s “Once Upon a Time in New York City” from Oliver & Company highlighted by amazing projections of the city; Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens “Journey to the Past” from Anastasia; Jack Feldman and Tom Snow’s “On the Open Road” from A Goofy Movie performed by Bill Farmer, the voice of the film’s Goofy in his first-ever Hollywood Bowl appearance; a Toy Story 2 Suite by Randy Newman which included “When She Loved Me”; Ashman and Menken’s title song “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World” from Aladdin; the much-anticipated Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Circle of Life” from The Lion King (darn, we didn’t get a parade of large animal puppets crossing through the audience); with the evening’s final song by Patrick Deremer and Roy Freeland, “I2I” (pronounced “Eye to Eye”) from A Goofy Movie, performed by every singer, dancer, and choir member from the evening’s roster backing up Bill Farmer who beamed throughout the magical evening.
Another star of the evening was wardrobe stylist Katherine Schiebel’s sparkling form-fitting gowns for the ladies and classy evening wear for the men. Special kudos to conductor Sarah Hicks and the Hollywood Bowl orchestra, musical director Benjamin Rauhala, choreographer Anna Aimee White, and creative producer Brannon Fells of Disney Concerts and creative producers/directors Adam J. Levy and Susan Egan from 10th & Main Productions for bringing such a magical entertainment to the most iconic location in Los Angeles to enjoy an evening under the stars.
for more info and tickets to upcoming concerts and events, visit The Hollywood Bowl
coming up on August 30 at 8pm is the Marvel Studios Infinity Saga Concert Experience, offering a great way to celebrate your entire family’s favorite Marvel characters from its 23 films, all under the stars with the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.