June 28, 2007: Animazement - The Musical

[Werner Weiss]

This week, I added a new Yesterland entry about Animazement - The Musical, a live show at Disneyland's Fantasyland Theatre. The show ran from 1998 to 2001,which was a long run for a stage show at Disneyland.

Link to Animazement - The Musical at Yesterland.

Please discuss the show and the article here.

[BassBone]

Quite a nice job, Mr. Weiss. I do enjoy Yesterland immensely. It makes me wish I'd been alive for the first year of Disneyland.

Though you spelled Quasimodo wrong.

[cellarhound]

I didn't get an oportunity to see the show, but is it my imagination or did they recycle some of this concept and material "It Starts With a Sketch" for the street show in DCA that was in front of the Animation Attraction - and was later moved to the stage after DUH left?

[JJ61]

Quick fact check: Wasn't there a show called 'Mickey's Detective School' (or something like that) just prior to Snow White? I thought I took my nephew there about 4 years ago.

[sjdimon]

Ah yes - Animazement! Disney's answer to "Out of the Woods" by Stephen Sondheim - another attempt to mix up the characters from very different stories and blend them into one (hopefully) cohesive one. I, like many others, felt that the sets and the performers were top-notch, but that it was just too blatent an attempt at forcing too many different things into one production (for the purpose of merchandising!) Looking at what they have done now in the Fantasyland Theater - it almost makes you want them to bring back Animazement (or ANYTHING that has a more broad appeal). I thought one of the intents of Disneyland was to create a place where the whole family could go and do things together - not a place where you would split up and meet 6 or 7 hours later once everyone had done their own little things. <sigh>....

[TheManator]

This show was a disappointment all around. It really felt forced. Glad you reminded me of the title, because I had forgotten some time ago.

[danyoung]

Al can take his nasty ol' negativity and shove it on this one - I LOVED Animazement! Especially, the Quasi/Herc/Poc trio - just a stunning number, well sung and never failed to give me chills, and a nice merge of 3 songs from 3 different movies. Other elements were a little hit and miss, but overall I enjoyed this show just as much if not more than the previous shows (Beauty & Pocahontas).

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by JJ61

Quick fact check: Wasn't there a show called 'Mickey's Detective School' (or something like that) just prior to Snow White? I thought I took my nephew there about 4 years ago.

You are corrent.

The show between "Animazement - The Musical" and "Snow White - An Enchanted Musical" (not counting holiday shows) was "Mickey's Detective School - A Musical Toondunit."

I've updated the article.

Doe anyone have pictures of "Mickey's Detective School - A Musical Toondunit" for Yesterland?

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by danyoung

I LOVED Animazement! Especially, the Quasi/Herc/Poc trio - just a stunning number, well sung and never failed to give me chills, and a nice merge of 3 songs from 3 different movies.

I agree that the scene with Hercules, Quasimoto, and Pocahontas was very good and delivered what "Animazement" promised.

My biggest complaint about "Animazement" is that most of the show ignored its own premise, which was to bring different movies together. If 90% of the show was going to be a series of production numbers based on individual movies, then the framework should have been different. In fact, the scene with Hercules, Quasimoto, and Pocahontas seemed out-of-place within the context of the other scenes.

Essentially, the show announced, "we're going to bring movies together in the same scenes" -- and then didn't do so (except for a few exceptions).

[AtomicBear]

I liked the show more then I thought I would and the song with the three was the highlight. I also liked how some of the people were really singing the songs vs. lipsincing completely. I only know this since one actor playing Quasi had a British accent.

I thought the sets were really well done, but as mentioned recycled lots of stuff from other shows. Which is fine. I liked how they used one piece, the steps and redressed and moved it around to created different settings.

It seems to me, with the parks all busy and crazy that a show like this, well done, would be needed.

In Japan they have "One Man's Dream" which from what I can see is the same kind of review type show, but done really really well.

[Cousin Orville]

Next season they are planning do use the same premise, but use 4 TV Executives with white boards and live action disney channel celebs. "Hannahmazement".

[DisneyPrincess4590]

I loved Animazement and was so sad when it left (of course, I was also very young....) Mickey's Detective Agency was awful. I loved Snow White and was equally sad when it left, only to see it replaced with the Disney Princess Fantasy Faire.

[sir clinksalot]

Originally Posted by sjdimon

Ah yes - Animazement! Disney's answer to "Out of the Woods" by Stephen Sondheim - another attempt to mix up the characters from very different stories and blend them into one (hopefully) cohesive one.

It was actually "Into the Woods" and if it's a good production, it's actually quite good.

I really enjoyed Animazement, certainly better than what's there now.

[Professortango]

Nothing will ever top the Dick Tracy show they had, that wowed me back then. As for Animazement, my family all found it a dissapointment after the clever and wonderfully done Spirit of Pocahontas. And SJdimon...the show is "Into the Woods."

[Ex-SmallWorld CM]

I thought ANIMAZEMENT was a great production as well as THE SPIRIT OF POCAHANTAS. This was still a high point of the Fantasyland Theatre stage up until the end of SNOW WHITE. I wish I had video of this show as they had great singers and dancers. To me, it was a mix of past Disneyland parades and shows put together. I just wished it could have included some characters from the Walt era as well. Oh, well! You can;t win them all!