D23 Expo 2019: Looking back at 25 years of Disney on Broadway

The Disney on Broadway in Concert: A 25th Anniversary Celebration was a music lover’s dream with exclusive performances of beloved Disney songs.

2019 marks the 25th anniversary of Disney’s foray to the bright lights of 42nd Street and the Great White Way. The Disney on Broadway in Concert: A 25th Anniversary Celebration presentation at the D23 Expo 2019 was a memorable trip down memory lane as legends from Disney’s theatrical productions came together to perform some of the most beloved songs in the Disney songbook.

Music has always been a huge part of Disney magic, whether it’s a song in a beloved animated film to the theme song from a Disney Parks ride, or even the music from one of the many Disney parades. (Main Street Electrical Parade, anyone?) When Disney’s Beauty and the Beast hit Broadway back in 1994 it became an instant classic thanks in large part to the incredible music that originated with the animated feature that launched Walt Disney Animation into a new era.

Since that time, Disney has reimagined several popular films for the stage and the D23 Expo celebration brought those songs to live in a lively and riveting hour of once in a lifetime performances.

Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins!) was the master of ceremonies and he also kicked off the celebration with a rousing rendition of “Be Our Guest.” He was joined by fellow Disney on Broadway icons Ashley Brown, Heidi Blickenstaff, Kissy Simmons, Josh Strickland and Alton Fitzgerald White along with music from a six-piece band with Jim Abbott at the helm.

Over the course of the presentation the audience was treated to songs from Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aida, Tarzan, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid and Newsies. The talented cast previewed the upcoming stage adaptation of Hercules, coming to the Delacorte Theater in New York on August 31. White and Simmons came together for Aladdin’s “A Whole New World” while Blickenstaff sang “11 o’clock” from Freaky Friday. They closed the show out with a performance of the Frozen power ballad “Let It Go”.

There’s no question that Disney’s stage adaptations have left an indelible mark on Broadway and beyond in just 25 short years. With their seemingly endless songbook and plenty of stories to choose from, Disney’s presence on stage is in its infancy yet it has already touched the hearts of millions of guests.