A Little Bit of Everything

MouseStation 93 – A Little Bit of Everything

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A Little Bit of Everything

This week, we’ve got a little bit of everything to hold you through the weekend,
since we won’t be publishing shows over the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Mini-feature: Backstage at Mary Poppins

Mike was lucky enough to get a backstage tour at the New Amsterdam Theater
in New York City, home of Mary Poppins on Broadway.

Over the weekend, Mike was in New York City for a conference. On Saturday
night, he and a companion snagged the last two tickets for that night’s performance
of Mary Poppins. At intermission, the show did a fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity
Fights AIDS with an auction/sale. Mike quickly called his office and arranged
for the company to donate enough to the cause so that he could get a backstage
tour of the theater.

Mike saw the show and really enjoyed it, though he was surprised that it
was much darker than he expected. Mike and Mark chatted a bit about the “Temper,
Temper” number, in particular. Mike referred to the comments made about
the show by Mark and his
son on earlier episodes. But enough about the show. Today, we’re talking
about the backstage tour.

Mike with Ashley Brown, who plays Mary Poppins. Photo courtesy of Mike Demopoulos.

After the show, Mike met a Broadway Cares staffer and donated his company’s
$250. He was then brought backstage, which was much smaller back there than
he expected. After they started looking around backstage, Mike’s group got
to meet Ashley Brown, who plays the show’s title character. He got to chat
with her and ask her a few questions.

Mike with Gavin Lee, who plays Bert. Photo courtesy of Mike Demopoulos.

The group then met Nicole Bocchi, one of the three girls who play Jane Banks
(and who had performed in that night’s show). The young girl really impressed
Mike. They got to chat and ask some more questions. They then got to meet
Gavin Lee, who plays Bert. Mike and Gavin chatted a bit about Minnesota, and
Mike found out that Gavin’s wife is from Minnesota. He also got a couple of
interesting stories about how Gavin got cast in the show.

The show’s set is quiet after the show. Photo by Mike Demopoulos.

Mike’s group also got a close-up look at the stage sets, which are like an
actor in the show themselves.

The various Andrew puppets from the show. Photo by Mike Demopoulos.

But the cause that Mike donated to in order to get his tour struck Mike as
a very good cause, so he decided to help raise more money. So we’re going
to hold a contest to encourage you to donate to Broadway Care/Equity Fights
AIDS. Everyone that donates to the cause through Mike’s
donor page will receive an entry into the random drawing for an “Anything
Can Happen” bookmark signed by Nicole Bocchi and Henry Hodges, who played
Jane and Michael Banks the night that Mike saw the show. The bookmark includes
a nickel-sized star that was part of a costume worn in the show during the
grand finale. The bookmark says “Mary Poppins, Broadway 2007.” This
phase of the fundraising campaign runs through December 4, so you’ve got until
then to donate. It doesn’t matter how much you give. Any donation
will get you entered into the contest.

Your donation to Mike’s donor page for Broadway Care/Equity Fights AIDS could
win you this autographed bookmark. Photo by Mike Demopoulos.

MousePlanetWatch Disney News

Walt Disney World News

• Reggie Williams is stepping
  down as Vice president for Disney Spors Attractions, effective close
  of business today, in order to concentrate on rehabilitating his knees.
• At last week’s annual conference of the International Association of Amusement
  Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) in Orlando, Disney was named the winner of
  two THEA awards by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA).
• Two turkeys received presidential
  pardons from President George W. Bush at the White House yesterday,
  and then they headed off to Walt Disney World, where they will appear in
  tomorrow’s afternoon parade at the Magic Kingdom before retiring to their
  new permanent home in the back yard of Mickey’s Country House.
• Construction Updates:
  • The Kim Possible Interactive Adventure at Epcot, which won a THEA
    award at the IAAPA conference last week, is moving ahead.
  • Permits have been filed for removal and replacement of the stage curtain,
    pleated valences, and related hardware at the American Adventure.
  • Work at Spaceship Earth continues, with permits being filed to rebuild
    the wall between the load and unload areas so that the lower three feet
    can be removed.
  • Permits have finally been filed for the demolition of the Backlot
    Theater at the Disney-MGM Studios.
• Quick takes:
  • MousePlanet’s mailbag editor and endurance series writer Stephanie
    Wien is looking for feedback
    from those planning to run in future races at Disney.
  • Princess Giselle, from Enchanted, will be making appearances before
    the Hollywood Holly Days Parade at the Disney-MGM Studios.

This and other news can be found in this week’s Walt
Disney World Park Update.

Disneyland News

Mark did the Disneyland News as well this weekend, as we had trouble contacting
Andrew down at MousePlanet global headquarters. (Can you tell that it was
recorded waaaay past midnight?)

• Tickets for the Candlelight
  Ceremony and Procession went on sale Monday. They’re not expected to
  last long, so hurry up and place your order!
• There are loads of holiday photos of the park in this
  week’s Park Update, with daytime and nighttime photos, including great
  Sleeping Beauty Castle shots.
• There’s a bit of information about the special character Meet
  and Greet for Disney Visa cardholders at Disney’s California Adventure.
• Dancing With the Stars made
  an appearance at Disneyland last Thursday.
• There are some questions regarding availability of the Disney’s
  Wildfire Heroes Salute program for those firefighters who helped fight
  the fires, but don’t live in Southern California.
• A special Snow White
  anniversary event was held at Disney’s California Adventure. MousePlanet
  reader (and MouseStation listener) Liana Kilgore was there, and we’ll have
  her report on MousePlanet soon.
• This and That
  • Miley Cyrus was at Disneyland filming a segment for the Walt Disney
    World Christmas Parade TV special last week.
  • The World of Disney Store in Downtown Disney will host a Rubik’s Cube
    demonstration, using the new Disney Character Rubik’s Cube, on December
    1.
  • Artist Robert Olszewski will be in hand to sign his new Peter Pan’s
    Flight sculpture Saturday, December 8.
  • Disneyland is introducing its newest Annual Passholder-exclusive watch
    January 18 ? December 29, 2008 at New Century Timepieces.

This and other news can be found in this week’s Disneyland
Park Update.

The Walt Disney Company News

• The Broadway
  strike continues, keeping The Little Mermaid and The Lion King dark.
  Since the New Amsterdam Theater is owned by Disney, they do not have any
  problems with the union there. Disney labor attorney Robert Johnson tried
  to bring the sides together over the weekend, but the two sides failed to
  come to an agreement and the strike continues.
• However, since the shows are not being performed, it’s adversely affecting
  the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS campaign, which makes it more important
  to donate
  through Mike’s page and enter the contest.
• The Writer’s
  Guild of America strike also continues, though the two sides will sit
  down again to talk next week.
• Disney has decided to locate the world headquarters of the Disney
  Mobile Games Studio in Prague, due to the “wealth of indigenous
  programming expertise.”
• Hannah Montana: The Movie is set to begin
  production in January after the Hannah/Miley tour ends.
• Tim Burton will return
  to Disney to do two 3-D live-action feature films, Alice in Wonderland
  and Frankenweenie, the short film that launched his career.
• Disney had another pretty good week at the box
  office this week, with Dan in Real Life in sixth place, Miramax’s No
  Country for Old Men in seventh and climbing, The Game Plan at number 11,
  Miramax’s Gone Baby Gone at number 17, and Ratatouille, Underdog and Tim
  Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3-D also still
  doing well on the charts.

Listener Feedback

Mary Tesch wrote in to wish Mike a happy birthday and to let us know how
she plays along with the Ask the Kid segment by asking her kids the same question.

Her kids had really interesting links.

Mike Walter wrote in with the last piece of the Studios Top 3 list that he
started last week:

• Live Entertainment
  • 3. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
  • 2. Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
  • 1. Fantasmic

Gwen D. from New Hampshire also wanted to wish Mike a happy birthday.

Owen suggested that the reason that “M” sounded familiar to Mike
was because M was the head of MI-3 in the James Bond movie series. (No, actually
it’s because we often sign our emails with our initial, hence “M.”

Dave in San Francisco wanted to wish Mike a Simbariffic birthday.

Madeline from Germany wrote to say that she liked our Six Degrees of The
Lion King test feature on Monday.

Liana from Simi Valley wrote to send us photos of the shirt that she planned
to wear to the Snow White event. The shirt was designed by her friend Carmen’s
daughter Audrey.

The back (top) and front (bottom) of Liana’s T-shirt that she wore to the
Snow White event at DCA. Photo by Liana Kilgore.

Vance Cope called the toll-free feedback line to wish Mike a happy birthday
and to offer up his Top 3 list for the Studios: