Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show A New Way to Experience Disney Magic
Disney Live! Unveils Making Books Appear Wherever We Go Benefiting First Book and Literacy Programs Around the Country
 Led by Master Magician Mickey, an all- star cast of Disney celebrities will step into the spotlight today for the world premiere of Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show.
In partnership with First Book -- an international non-profit organization dedicated to making sure every child has the opportunity to read and own their first new book -- Disney Live! will kick off Making Books Appear Wherever We Go at a special VIP reception prior to the opening night performance. Through Making Books Appear Wherever We Go, Disney Live! will promote literacy and raise funds to provide new books to children across the country.  The program will begin with an initial donation of $5,000 to Washington, DC-based First Book, and over the course of the show's run, this national partnership will donate more than $40,000 to First Book programs to fund thousands of new books for children in need.
Disney's fabulous five -- Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy -- take the stage with professional illusionists Brad Ross and Alex Gonzalez, and together they showcase a stunning sequence of magical acts. From the breathtaking levitation of Minnie and Aladdin's Princess Jasmine to the transformation of Cinderella's rags into riches, the illusions will astound children and adults alike.
"Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show gives children the opportunity to believe, to wonder and to imagine a world where anything is possible," said Kenneth Feld, producer of the Disney Live! shows and producer of the most successful live illusion show of all time, Siegfried & Roy. "And, because of our partnership with First Book, not only will our show give families a whole new way to experience Disney magic, it will also give children the chance to discover the magic of reading."
"We're thrilled to partner with Disney Live! to promote literacy throughout the country," said Kyle Zimmer, president of First Book. "Disney has been a core supporter of First Book throughout our history, and we're excited about this latest facet of our relationship. Partners like Disney help us to get those vitally-needed books into the hands of underserved children."
The importance of this issue is paramount. A 2006 study by Susan B. Neuman and David K. Dickinson indicated that only 1 out of 300 children from low-income families own a book of their own, versus an average of 13 books owned per child from middle-income families. Additionally, research by Jeff McQuillan shows that children who own their own books have much higher literacy rates.
To bring Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show to the stage, Kenneth Feld had the talents of an elite creative team up his sleeve. The team consisted of:
Director Jerry Bilik, who has been a member of the creative team for every Disney On Ice and Disney Live! production since their inception, and has been involved in the creation of each new edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey(R). Bilik is the recipient of the Annual Composers' Award from ASCAP and has scored songs for the movies Real Life and Best Man. A former professor, he arranged music for a number of television series, including "Starsky and Hutch" and "Charlie's Angels";
Production Designer James Youmans who has constructed sets for Broadway, off-Broadway and Regional productions, in addition to Barry Manilow's Showstoppers tour and NBA all-star halftime shows;
Costume Designer Scott Lane, whose credits include Disney On Ice -- Disney presents Pixar's The Incredibles in a Magic Kingdom Adventure, Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar's Monsters, Inc., and seven years with the Tournament of Roses Parade;
Lighting Designer John Morgan, winner of two Emmy(R) Awards for Outstanding Lighting Direction and six Emmy(R) Award nominations, whose projects span from awards and comedy shows, live events, and concerts to the Olympic Games, Fox's American Idol, and shows for magicians David Copperfield, Brett Daniels and Lance Burton.
Illusion Designer Jim Steinmeyer, who has consulted for such talents as Siegfried & Roy, David Copperfield, and Lance Burton. In addition, Steinmeyer has earned critical acclaim for his work in Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway and was the youngest person ever to receive The Creative Fellowship award by "The Academy of Magical Arts;" and
Choreographer Bart Doerfler, a former dancer whose work extends from television, music videos and tours to film and stage; he recently coordinated the movements in the 134th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey.
|
To find out more about Disney Live! presents Mickey's Magic Show, including tour dates and locations, the public should visit http://www.disneylive.com/.
Feld Entertainment, Inc., is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 25 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in 50 countries and on six continents to date and include Disney On Ice, Disney Live! and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey(R).
For more information about Disney Live!, members of the media should visit our Press Room at http://www.feldentertainment.com/.
First Book is an award-winning international nonprofit that gives books to children from low-income families. In neighborhoods across the country, First Book Advisory Boards unite leaders from all sectors to provide books to children in literacy programs, housing project initiatives, after-school programs and other community-based efforts reaching children living below the poverty line. The First Book National Book Bank, a subsidiary program of First Book, is the first centralized system enabling publishers to donate large quantities of new books and educational materials online to reach millions of children in need. First Book has provided more than 40 million new books to children in need in thousands of communities nationwide. For more information on First Book, please visit http://www.firstbook.org/.
|