This year, Central Florida Community Arts is presenting a season of Disney-themed programming to celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company.
Central Florida Community Arts “exists to serve and build community through the arts” according to their mission statement. The non-profit has the largest community choir and the largest community orchestra in the country, and many Cast Members participate in the programs. This year’s Disney-themed programming includes youth theatre presentations of “Mary Poppins” and “Aladdin Jr.,” concerts, and a celebration of jazz and animation.
Mary Poppins, April 22-23
One of the most popular Disney movies of all time is capturing hearts in a whole new way: as a practically perfect musical! Based on the books by P.L. Travers and the classic Walt Disney film, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins delighted Broadway audiences for over 2,500 performances and received nominations for nine Olivier and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The jack-of-all trades, Bert, introduces us to England in 1910 and the troubled Banks family. Young Jane and Michael have sent many a nanny packing before Mary Poppins arrives on their doorstep. Using a combination of magic and common sense, she must teach the family members how to value each other again. Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical and memorable adventures, but Jane and Michael aren’t the only ones upon whom she has a profound effect. Even grown-ups can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that “Anything can happen if you let it.”
Tickets start at $20.
Once Upon a Dream: 100 Years of Musical Magic, May 4-5
This spring, experience a concert 100 years in the making as the CFCArts Community Choir presents Once Upon a Dream: 100 Years of a Musical Magic. Featuring nearly 250 voices, this immersive extravaganza will be a musical revue of Disney animated and live-action films from the last century. Featuring music from the early animated days of the 1920s to the animated renaissance of the 1990s, the recent smash hits of the last 20 years, and even a celebration of spectacular live entertainment from Disney Parks and destinations.
Ticket pricing:
- Standard $10
- Prime $15
- Prime Plus $20
- Premium $25
- Premium Plus $30
- Lap-held Children 3 and Under Free
- Groups of 8 or more save 20% off regular pricing
Aladdin Jr., May 12-13
Disney’s Aladdin Jr. is based on the 1992 Academy Award®-winning film and the 2014 hit Broadway show about the “diamond in the rough” street rat who learns that his true worth lies deep within. The story you know and love has been given the royal treatment! Aladdin and his three friends, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim, are down on their luck until Aladdin discovers a magic lamp and the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes. Wanting to earn the respect of the princess, Jasmine, Aladdin embarks on an adventure that will test his will and his moral character. With expanded characters, new songs, and more thrills, this new adaptation of the beloved story will open up “a whole new world” for you!
Ticket pricing:
- Standard Child (12 & Under) $10
- Standard Adult $12.50
- Premium Child (12 & Under) $12.50
- Premium Adult $15
- Lap-held Children 3 and Under Free
- Groups of 8 or more save 20% off regular pricing
Hand-Drawn Jazz: A Celebration of Music and Animation, June 17-18
From The Jetsons to The Simpsons… From The Incredibles to Cowboy Bebop… For as long as animators have been bringing stories and characters vibrantly to life, they have looked to innovative jazz composers to lend a sense of energy, improvisation, and unexpected whimsy to their creations. Why do these two colorful and kinetic art forms have so much in common? Join us for Hand-Drawn Jazz to find out!
Featuring over 30 incredibly talented local musicians in the CFCArts Big Band, Hand-Drawn Jazz will be an exploration and a celebration of the intersection of jazz and animation. With music from so many of your favorites like The Pink Panther, Toy Story, Looney Tunes, The Lion King, The Jungle Book, Aladdin, and Encanto, this will be a family-friendly concert experience full of great music, lots of laughter, and even a few creative surprises.
Don’t miss the biggest, baddest Big Band in town as they perform music from your favorite cartoons and animated movies as you’ve never heard them before!
Tickets start at $20.
Beauty and the Beast in Concert, September 7-8
Step into the enchanted world of Broadway’s classic, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, an international sensation that has been produced in 37 countries worldwide. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of the timeless songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice. The original Broadway production ran for over thirteen years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. This concert version will bring you right into the magic!
The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.
Ticket pricing:
- Standard $10
- Prime $15
- Prime Plus $20
- Premium $25
- Premium Plus $30
- Lap-held Children 3 and Under Free
- Groups of 8 or more save 20% off regular pricing
Which Disney-themed Central Florida Community Arts performance do you hope to attend? Let us know in the comments.
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
