Two of the greatest art forms to have ever mined human tears, in my opinion, are Broadway musicals and Disney movies. Both can be found on the 2023 movie schedule, and sometimes you can even see the two mixed together through stage adaptations of the studio’s animated masterpieces. Now, one more of those instances is headed to the stage, as we've learned that the beloved and well-reviewed Pixar film Coco is becoming a Disney on Broadway production.
News about this brand-new musical came during a performance at Epcot’s International Festival of Arts. As part of the Disney on Broadway Concert Series, stars of previous musicals from the company have been entertaining parkgoers with some of the greatest Disney hits. So it was only fitting that during a recent set between Aida’s Mandy Gonzalez and The Lion King vet L. Steven Taylor, this big Coco news was released into the world.
Take a look at the official announcement, which was shared on Twitter by a park fan in attendance:
Here’s the full announcement section in between songs!!! pic.twitter.com/9ILblwEWjMJanuary 25, 2023
Obviously, this announcement comes during the earliest step of the process, as there’s no information as to when we should expect Coco to premiere on the Great White Way. It’s also equally uncertain how involved the composer Michael Giacchino or the songwriting team of Germaine Franco, Adrian Molina, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez will be in the adaptation. That’s OK though, because just knowing that “Remember Me” will be sung live on stage is enough to start bringing tears to our eyes.
Adapting another Disney animated musical for the stage isn’t all that much of a surprise, especially when it’s a movie like Coco. What does seem like a shock is the fact that 2018’s Academy Award winner for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song is the first Disney/Pixar film to receive this treatment. No, the Ratatouille TikTok musical doesn’t count. However, that wouldn’t be a bad candidate for one of the next Pixar adventures to get an official book and lyrics treatment from Disney on Broadway.
Coco technically has a leg up on the adaptation game, as the movie has received the stage treatment in another form. Thanks to the special A Celebration of the Music from Coco, we have an idea of what a Broadway musical could look like. All that's missing is more elaborate sets and costumes, as well as some new songs that will have the potential to draw even more tears out of the crowd.
While it’s a more stripped-down version compared to whatever magic the Disney on Broadway team will create to fully stage Coco’s heartwarming story, the Celebration was still a rough sketch of what could be coming. Whatever the final version looks like it’ll be something that if done right, will speak to the proud corazon of fans worldwide.
Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts is currently running through February 20, with a rotating lineup of Disney on Broadway performers. Meanwhile, if you can’t wait to cry with Coco again, you can revisit the film, as well as its Hollywood Bowl performance, on one convenient platform. With a Disney+ subscription, you can prepare yourself for the eventual day you head to Broadway to see Coco and sob along with a crowd of like-minded people.
