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This week Disneyland will debut the newest stage show to hit the Fantasyland Theatre featuring Mickey Mouse and a cast of beloved Disney characters. It’s called “Mickey and the Magical Map” and it will take guests on a series of musical adventures through the magical powers of a sorcerer Yen Sid’s map when it debuts on May 25.
“Mickey and the Magical Map” presents Mickey in his timeless role as the sorcerer’s apprentice as Yen Sid directs his Mapmakers, a singing-dancing ensemble cast that paints a giant map on stage, serving as the show’s backdrop.
In addition to featuring songs from “The Jungle Book,” “Pocahontas,” “Mulan,” “Tangled,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Lilo and Stitch,” the show adds an original song, “Journey of the Imagination.”
“Mickey and the Magical Map” is produced by Ray Coble with music produced by Bruce Healey, supervised and arranged by Timothy Williams and supervised by Matt Walker.
A few weeks ago, we offered a first look at the newly redesigned Fantasyland Theatre and a preview of “Mickey and the Magical Map.”
Now, in the first video below, Coble offers a behind-the-scenes look at the recording of the orchestral music featured in the show as well as a trip backstage as Disneyland assembles the Mapmakers’ costumes and brings it all together through a rehearsal performance of ““I Wan’na Be Like You” featuring King Louie. Then see a few clips from an on-stage dress rehearsal leading up to this week’s official debut.
Video: Making-of “Mickey and the Magical Map”
Video: “Mickey and the Magical Map” dress rehearsal preview
“Each new show we create is a chance to push storytelling in a new direction,” said Michael Jung, Theatrical Development Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment. “At Disney, we love the challenge of continuously looking at our classic tales and most recent stories to see how we can bring live entertainment and excitement to today’s audiences.”
Fantasyland Theatre, a classic Disneyland venue, was inspired by the original Fantasyland Theater (former spelling) which showed Disney cartoons and Mouseketeer footage from 1955 to 1964. The current theatre debuted in 1985 as Videopolis, a dance location, which quickly drew crowds for stage productions including “One Man’s Dream,” “Dick Tracy Starring in Diamond Double Cross,” “Mickey’s Nutcracker,” and one of Disney’s first stage productions of “Beauty and the Beast.”
In 1995, the venue was renamed Fantasyland Theatre with the debut of “The Spirit of Pocahontas.” “Animazement – The Musical” enjoyed a popular three-year run and “Snow White—An Enchanting Musical” played for two years. The theatre was then converted to an area where guests could meet Disney Princesses.
Come back to Inside the Magic this Thursday, May 23 for a first look at the debut of “Mickey and the Magical Map” in a special preview performance.
