Mouse music extravaganza

 

“It was all started by a mouse.” And now more than 80 years later, the world’s most amiable character is on a whirlwind international rock tour, making a welcome stop in Abu Dhabi. Together with Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy, the fab four will be lighting up the stage in next month’s musical spectacular.

Mickey’s Music Festival will see your favourite Disney characters in an all-singing, all-dancing, all-Disney performance as Mickey and his mates turn into rock stars. Joined by the cast of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Disney Pixar’s Toy Story, the lively show promises to be interactive, energetic and magical.

Ahead of the all-star show, we brush up on our Disney trivia and take a look behind the scenes at who’s responsible for bringing the magic to life.

So grab your magic carpet and ride on over to Mickey’s Music Festival. You’ll find us front row with our mouse ears on and pull-string cowboy sheriff in hand.

The history of Mickey

Since his birth, Mickey Mouse has undergone many makeovers, but the lovable mouse has always stayed true to his character.

Serving as the mascot for The Walt Disney Company, the 2’ 3” black mouse in his little red shorts, oversized yellow shoes and crisp white gloves, is one of the world’s most recognisable characters. He stands for goodwill, fun and laughter and even former US president Jimmy Carter once commented: “Mickey Mouse is the symbol of goodwill, surpassing all languages and culture. When one sees Mickey Mouse, they see happiness.”

Mickey was originally created as a replacement for Walt Disney’s Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Mr Mouse, as he’s affectionately known, was originally going to be called Mortimer Mouse, before Walt’s wife suggested the more likable name of Mickey.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse met in their first animation ‘Plane Crazy’ which debuted in May 1928. However, it was the success of ‘Steamboat Willie’ that marked Mickey’s birthday on November 18 of the same year.

Throughout his series of black and white short cartoons, Mickey continued to remind audiences why they fell in love with him. Even when faced with a number of sticky situations, the comical mouse made the most of it with his musical prowess.

Mickey had his first makeover in 1935 when he and his gang were introduced to Technicolor. Aside from adding a splash of colour to his cartoon creation, Walt Disney also changed Mickey’s face and body, adding more detail to bring the mouse to life.

The fab four

Since her first appearance with Mickey, the sweet and fun-loving Minnie Mouse has stayed loyal. The caring Mrs Mouse was musically introduced in 1929 as Mickey’s ‘sweetie’, who’s ‘neither fat nor skinny’. The song firmly established the two as a couple but it wasn’t until several years later that Walt confirmed in an interview that he always imagined the two as married.

Goofy – otherwise known as Mr Goofy Goof – was the first to join Mickey and Minnie, making his debut in 1932. ‘Mickey’s Revue’ introduced Goofy under the name of Dippy Dawg and though the character was mischievous, that’s where the similarities ended. Sitting in the audience at one of Mickey’s shows, the 1932 Goofy was an elderly fellow who annoyed other audience members by obnoxiously cracking peanuts and laughing. The annoying laugh stuck and later became Goofy’s distinctive ‘ah-hyuck’ chuckle.

Known for being foolish and clumsy, Goofy quickly became a popular character in his own right, going on to star in ‘A Goofy Movie’ and its sequel ‘An Extremely Goofy Movie.’ Silliness aside, the joker is also helpful, considerate, a great sports player and a caring dad to son Max.

Donald Fauntleroy Duck – who was described by Walt as the trouble child in the family – completed the fab four in 1940. Shortly after, Goofy and Donald took over the mischief while Mickey asserted his reputation as a better-behaved, model mouse.

The squawky white duck with his unmistakable voice is known for his uncontrollable temper. Despite being a loyal friend, Donald Duck can be a bit of a show-off, getting himself into trouble for his constant bragging. The brash bird is known for many phrases including ‘Aw, phooey!’, ‘What’s the big idea?’, and ‘Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!’.

Behind the scenes

While we all know and love the fab four and their fellow cast mates, there are a number of talented names working behind the scenes to bring the lovable characters to life.

The choreographer

Multiple award-winning director and choreographer Fred Tallaksen has an impressive array of top performances under his belt. The winner of two Emmy Awards, an Espirit Award, a Latin Grammy Award and numerous Gala Awards, Tallaksen’s career is as dazzling as his dance numbers, and now Tallaksen is taking on Disney.

The talented choreographer has worked with countless dancers, singers, actors, BMX riders, cheerleaders, gymnasts and drummers, as well as top talent including Madonna, Enrique Iglesias, Cee Lo Green, Ben Stiller and Whitney Houston, so working with the Disney stars should be a breeze (although trying to teach Goofy a dance routine must be a challenge).

Costume design

It’s every child’s dream to meet his/her favourite Disney character. Cynthia Nordstrom has one up on that dream: she gets to dress them. Nordstrom is the creative mastermind responsible for bringing your favourite Disney characters to life through their clothing.

Cynthia has jazzed up the fab four with glittery garb that would make Steven Tyler green with envy. Meanwhile, your favourite Disney toys, princesses and sidekicks will be brought to life with costumes that are as hip as the music and dance routines.

Since becoming a finalist at the 1994 International Young Couture Design competition in Paris, Cynthia’s career has blossomed. The creative talent is no stranger to Disney, having designed the attire for more than 15 of the brand’s dance shows at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.

Production design

When you go from under the sea with merfolk to a magic carpet ride over Agrabah to the toy-centric Wild West, scenery is paramount.

Rick Papineau is the man with a plan when it comes to set design, ensuring a seamless transition from one fantasy world to the next as the audience is taken on an enchanting journey.

Papineau works with the entire creative team to help bring their vision to life, creating props, backdrops, floats and special effects that set the stage for the festival.

Brush up on your knowledge of the Disney classics ahead of Mickey’s Music Festival

The Little Mermaid

Released in 1989, The Little Mermaid was based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. The underwater phenomenon features the young Prince Eric, deceiving sea witch Ursula, fishy friend Flounder and crab composer Sebastian. The film’s most appealing songs include “Part of Your World”, “Kiss the Girl” and “Under the Sea”, which won an Oscar for Best Song.

Toy Story

“You are a toy! You’re an action figure!” Everybody’s favourite sheriff made his debut in 1995 alongside astronaut action figure Buzz Lightyear – based on real-life spaceman Buzz Aldrin – and his band of toy pals. After becoming best friends, they later met yodelling cowgirl Jessie and her affectionate steed Bullseye. The film’s signature song “You’ve got a Friend in me” is as contagious as Woody’s various pull-string phrases such as “There’s a snake in my boots” and “You’re my favourite deputy”.

Aladdin

The 31st animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Aladdin tells the folkloric story of a street urchin and his magic lamp. Released in 1992, the film went on to win several awards, mostly for its soundtrack, which includes “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me.” Besides the handsome Aladdin himself, some of the film’s most memorable characters include Princess Jasmine, The Genie, Jafar and Iago the parrot.

Rachael Peacock