Barricades outside the Fantasyland Theater promote the new show. Photo
by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Although Disneyland’s Snow White – An Enchanting New Musical
is not scheduled to open until Monday, February 23, “soft opening”
performances of the park’s newest entertainment offering are now underway.
We expect to publish a review of show itself once it has its official
premiere; in the meantime, be one of the first to enjoy these images from
the show.
After cast members were told that two performances would be held on Tuesday
and Wednesday this week, word began to spread to park guests. Curious
fans who stopped by the theater before 4:15 p.m. show were disappointed
to learn that the performance was reserved for Disney executives and VIPs.
The 6:00 show, however, was open to the general public, and a park-wide
announcement alerted guests to the special opportunity.
The Fantasyland Theater is transformed into an enchanted forest. Photo
by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The 1200-seat theater has been transformed into an “enchanted forest,”
with large screens of “leaves” hiding the overhead light fixtures
and speakers.
Anne Hamburger greets the audience at the first public performance. Photo
by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Just prior to the show, Annie Hamburger, executive vice president of
Creative Entertainment for Disney’s Parks and Resorts, greeted the near-capacity
crowd with a welcome to the show’s first public performance.
As the Magic Mirror looks on, the Evil Queen looks down upon her kingdom,
and her stepdaughter. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The show opens with a monologue by the Magic Mirror, voiced by actor
Patrick Stewart. Snow White is seen on the forest floor, with the Evil
Queen watching from her tower.
Snow White sings with her forest friends. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Snow White sings “Whistle While You Work” as she dances with
her forest critter friends. The Seven Dwarfs offer a counterpoint to this
theme, singing “Heigh Ho” as they enter the theater through
the audience, and pass upstage.
An instant attraction smites Snow White and the Prince. Photo by Adrienne
Vincent-Phoenix.
Snow White’s voice draws the attention of a passing royal traveler, who
quickly makes her acquaintance. In the compressed realm of theater, the
duo fall madly in love within moments, and the Prince asks Snow White
to come away with him.
The Evil Queen reacts to news of Snow White’s new friend. Photo by Adrienne
Vincent-Phoenix.
Of course, the show would end right there if Snow White agreed, so she
regretfully declines, warning him of the terrible power of her stepmother.
He leaves, promising to return for the princess, but not before the Evil
Queen learns of the intruder.
The Hunter urges Snow White to seek shelter in the forest. Photo by Adrienne
Vincent-Phoenix.
Furious with Snow White, the Evil Queen orders her loyal huntsman to
kill the princess. Instead, the hunter urges Snow White to flee into the
forest to escape.
Snow White and friends clean up after the Dwarfs. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
After a flight through the dark forest, Snow White comes upon a cottage
in the woods and wonders aloud to her forest friends, “Who could
live here?” She peeks inside the round front door—looking for
Hobbits, perhaps?—and remarks that the house is messy and likely
populated by a family with a lot of children.
She hits upon the strategy of cleaning up the house, in the hopes that
the occupants will allow her to stay. During this dialogue, the cottage
facade turns 180 degrees, and now we see the interior.
The Dwarfs return to their cottage and discover an intruder inside. Photo
by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
As Snow White cleans the cottage, with the help of the forest critters,
she launches into another verse of “Whistle While You Work.”
This is the cue for the set to turn around again, and for the Seven Dwarfs
to once again take the stage singing “Heigh Ho.”
The Seven Dwarfs introduce themselves to their house guest. Photo by Adrienne
Vincent-Phoenix.
There is no mine set in this show. Instead, the Dwarfs “mine the
whole day through” at audience level, and hike back onstage at the
end of their day. Hearing the noises inside their cottage when they arrive
home, they fear that a robber is inside. They quickly discover that it’s
just Snow White, who has cleaned the cottage, set the table with flowers,
and prepared dinner for the seven men.
A bubble effect completes the bath scene. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Introductions are made all around, and Snow White sends the Dwarfs to
wash up before dinner, giving the director an excuse to shower bubbles
onto the audience as the Dwarfs sing their way through their baths.
Snow White sings the Dwarfs to sleep. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
After dinner, the Dwarfs cheer Snow White with “The Silly Song,”
and she lulls them to sleep with a beautiful rendition of “Someday
My Prince Will Come.”
The Evil Queen brews up a potion in her dungeon. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Meanwhile, back at the castle, the Magic Mirror has ruined the Evil Queen’s
night by telling her that Snow White is alive—and living with friends.
She hatches a plot to disguise herself as an old beggar woman, and poison
Snow White with a magic apple.
The Magic Mirror narrates as the Old Hag rows off to find Snow White.
Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The Queen races downstairs to her dungeon, where she brews a potion to
change her appearance, and spikes the glowing red apple. She steps into
a rowboat and heads off to find Snow White. Overhead, the Magic Mirror
explains that the Old Hag has forgotten one very important feature of
this spell—it can be broken by love.
The forest critters try to warn Snow White to send the visitor packing.
Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
As the Dwarfs leave the cottage the next morning, they warn Snow White
not to let in any strangers. Of course, they said nothing about creepy
old women selling fluorescent fruit, so Snow White eventually accepts
a gift of an apple from the crone. After taking a bite from the fruit,
Snow White crumples lifelessly to the ground. Her forest friends run for
help, bringing the traveler and the Dwarfs, who chase the Old Hag back
to her castle.
A broken tower and a scream provide the only clues to the Queen’s demise.
Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
After a great deal of running in circles amid flashes of light, the Old
Hag runs to the top of her tower. The tower crumbles, and we hear the
witch scream as she (presumably) falls to her death. Cast members tell
us that this effect was not working properly, and the scene will be much
different when the show premieres.
Dwarfs, Prince and critters mourn Snow White. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Revived by the kiss from her Prince, Snow White awakens. Photo by Adrienne
Vincent-Phoenix.
The crowd reconvenes in the forest, where Snow White is laid out on a
carved table, seemingly dead. When the Prince leans over to kiss her,
however, the spell is broken, and she awakens. They sing a final duet,
and the performance ends in a shower of rose petal-shaped confetti.
A shower of confetti means the show is over. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
The crowd gave a standing ovation to this first performance, and then
filed out of the theater and past the requisite souvenir cart.
The audience gives a standing ovation after the first performance. Photo
by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
Additional soft-opening performances of Snow White – An Enchanting
New Musical are tentatively scheduled through February 23, but showtimes
have not been announced.
Snow White souvenirs are conveniently available just outside the theater.
Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
