"Ich Tarzan, du Jane!"
Disney's Tarzan Opens in Germany
The Disney musical Tarzan, which features a score by Grammy
winner Phil Collins, opened at the Theater Neue Flora in Hamburg, Germany,
Oct. 19. Produced by Stage Entertainment, the production co-stars Anton
Zetterholm as Tarzan and Elisabeth Hübert as Jane. Both actors won
their roles via the German reality TV casting program "Ich Tarzan, du Jane!"
which we have been covering in ERBzine News throughout this year. Since
we have attended the two previous opening nights in New York and Holland
we felt very excited and honoured when we received another invitation
from Disney and ERB, Inc. to attend the Hamburg opening night production
and party. Outside of those directly involved with the production, we and
ERB, Inc. president Jim Sullos, are the only people to attend all three
of the opening night shows.
The Hamburg production of Tarzan, according to press notes, is an "immersive
version of the musical, with audience members surrounded by scenic elements
and performers acrobatically swinging through the air." This new interpretation
of the musical has also garnered much acclaim in Holland,
where Tarzan is playing the Circustheatre near The Hague.
Thomas Schumacher, producer and president of Disney Theatrical Productions,
is very proud of the success of the production: "Along with our partners
at Stage Entertainment, it's been a thrill to work closely with Phil Collins,
Bob Crowley (director and designer), Sergio Trujillo and Natasha Katz in
the evolution of Tarzan from its inception in New York to this electrifying
new incarnation in Germany. We're so proud that Tarzan continues to astound
with this heart-stopping version of the show where audiences feel like
part of the action."
Tarzan opened at Broadway's
Richard Rodgers Theatre May 10, 2006, and played its final performance
July 8, 2007, after 35 previews and 486 regular performances. Tony Award
winner David Henry Hwang wrote the musical's book based on both the Disney
film and the original Edgar Rice Burroughs story "Tarzan of the Apes."
The complete cast credits are displayed in ERBzine
2317
Photo by Kerry Morris
ERB, Inc. President, Jim Sullos and Webmaster, Bill
Hillman on the Red Carpet
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