Sing along with the Disney princesses

Audiences in Makati, Cebu, and Davao encouraged to dress up like royalty for Disney Princess – The Concert

FOR THE FIRST time in forever, the music of Disney’s princesses will go beyond being the soundtrack to many Filipinos’ lives and come to life on stage in Disney Princess – The Concert.

“We’ve got five powerhouse voices, our four princesses and our prince, and they’re going to get out there and sing all the Disney princess songs you love,” music director Benjamin Rauhala told ����ý at a recent press conference about the show, which is currently touring Asia.

“We also try to make a couple of tweaks to the script every day about the local place, try to get a couple of local references in to make sure the audience knows that we see you and appreciate you,” he said.

“I think the challenge is making sure I identify what things are iconic about these songs, what details you want to really sustain throughout, and which are the parts everyone brings their own personality to,” he added.

Presented by Disney Concerts and Wilbros Live, the quartet of Broadway and television stars will not be portraying specific characters, but they will be celebrating the music from every Disney princess.

The concert will feature larger-than-life animation and theatrical effects, to “immerse the audience in pure Disney magic,” while the stars sing songs and share funny and heartfelt behind-the-scenes stories from their time on the stage and screen.

Audience members (whether they are children or children-at-heart) are invited to dress up in royal attire and sing along — basically to be “part of that world.”

Anneliese Van Der Pol, who sings Belle and Elsa songs, said that the biggest challenge for the performers is that they have to sound as clean and perfect as a record 

“It’s hard when you add choreography to it, but that’s the challenge. We’re constantly on our toes,” she said.

For Aisha Jackson, who sings Tiana and Anna songs, their lighthearted tales about previously portraying princesses on stage or on screen will complement the powerful message these characters can impart.

“All the princesses remind us to go full force after dreams, that sometimes we might fall but we got to get back up and lead with kindness and love,” she explained. “We all need those reminders through our life.”

When it comes to any surprises for Philippine audiences, Krysta Rodriguez, who sings Moana, Mulan, and Jasmine songs, teased that something magical may happen in the concert.

“There’s a little magic at the end if everyone sings loud enough,” she said with a wink.

Disney Princess – The Concert has performances on Nov. 18 and 19 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati, on Nov. 22 at the Waterfront Hotel Cebu City, and on Nov. 21 at the SMX Convention Center Davao.

Tickets are available via TicketWorld.com.ph and TicketWorld outlets for the Manila show, and SMTickets.com and SMTickets outlets for the Cebu and Davao performances. — Brontë H. Lacsamana