On March 12, 2020, the show had its final performance before Walt Disney World Resort closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 outbreak's impact on Florida. However, following Walt Disney World Resort's reopening, a new reimagined version of the show entitled Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond! premiered on June 13, 2022, as part of Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration.[1]
History[]
The stage musical Tarzan Rocks! occupied the Theater in the Wild at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida from 1999 to 2006. When the musical closed in January 2006, it was rumored that a musical adaptation of Finding Nemo would replace it.[2] This was confirmed in April 2006, when Disney announced that the musical adaptation of Finding Nemo, with new songs written by Tony Award-winning Avenue Q composer Robert Lopez and his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, would "combine puppets, dancers, acrobats, and animated backdrops" and open in late 2006.[3] Years later, Anderson-Lopez explained that she had written a compact 15-minute a cappella version of the story of Oedipus; someone at Disney read it and recognized her talent for condensing material, and offered her the opportunity to make a pitch for the Finding Nemo project.[4]
Tony Award-winning director Peter Brosius signed on to direct the show, with Michael Curry, who designed puppets for Disney's successful stage version of The Lion King, serving as leading puppet and production designer.[5]
Anderson-Lopez said that the couple agreed to write the adaptation of "one of their favorite movies of all time" after considering "the idea of people coming in [to see the musical] at 4, 5 or 6 and saying, 'I want to do that'....So we want to take it as seriously as we would a Broadway show".[6] To condense the feature-length film to 30 minutes, she and Lopez focused on a single theme from the movie, the idea that "the world's dangerous and beautiful".[6]
The 40-minute show (which is performed six times daily) opened on January 2, 2007.[5] Several musical numbers took direct inspiration from lines in the film, including "In The Big Blue World", "Fish Are Friends, Not Food", "Just Keep Swimming", and "Go With the Flow".[5] In January 2007, a New York studio recording of the show was released on iTunes, with Lopez and Anderson-Lopez providing the voices for Marlin and Dory, respectively.[5]Avenue Q star Stephanie D'Abruzzo also appeared on the recording, as Sheldon/Deb.[5]Finding Nemo was the first non-musical animated film to which Disney added songs to produce a stage musical as well as the first Pixar film to be turned into a stage musical.[5] In 2009, Finding Nemo – The Musical was honored with a Thea Award for Best Live Show from the Themed Entertainment Association.[7] In 2019, a 60 minute version of the show's script would be licensed for children's theater companies as Finding Nemo Jr.: The Musical.[8]
On July 25, 2020, following Walt Disney World's reopening after being temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all stage shows such as Finding Nemo: The Musical, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!, and Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage have not returned due to a dispute between the Actor's Equity Association and Walt Disney World. [9]
On September 14, 2021, it was announced that a "reimagined" version of the show would open in 2022.[10] However, on November 19, 2021, it was announced that the show would be replaced by a new show entitled Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond!. [11] The show features a new framing story of the Tank Gang telling Nemo's story to fish at the Marine Life Institute after they were taken in for rehabilitation after the post-credits scene of Finding Dory.
Differences from the Film[]
The prologue scene was shortened.
In the movie, Marlin and Coral's eggs are red, while in the musical, they are green.
The scene where Nemo tells Marlin about how old sea turtles are takes place outside of anemones instead of the other reefs.
The way Mr. Ray sings "Let's Name the Species" is slower upon his entry, but only the first line is sung.
Nemo, Sheldon, Pearl, and Tad are the only students in Mr. Ray's class.
The scene of Nemo and his classmates riding on Mr. Ray was removed. While they are shown leaving, it goes straight to the scene where Nemo and his classmates see the boat.
When Marlin has his argument with Nemo, he is below the ledge Nemo, Pearl, Tad, and Sheldon are standing on.
While Nemo is able to reach the boat and touch it with no problem in the movie, he is captured before reaching the boat in the musical.
Mr. Ray is not present when Nemo goes to the boat.
Sherman is never shown, but his eyes are shown on a screen and his voice is heard.
The scene where Marlin and Dory get chased by the anglerfish was removed and the anglerfish is absent too.
The school of moonfish never mocks Marlin in the musical.
The whale scene was removed as the whale is never present in the musical; instead the sign that says "Sydney" appears as Marlin and Dory wanders throughout the ocean.
The serial communication scene is very different from the film. The film features the green fish, lobsters, swordfish, dolphins, and pelicans talking each other about Marlin's story, while the musical features the octopuses mom and baby, lobsters, swordfish, and penguins talking about news about Nemo.
The scene where Nemo and the Tank Gang try to escape was removed; it instead happens offstage.
The scene where Gerald tries to eat Marlin and Dory was removed.
The scene where Nigel, Marlin, and Dory escape from the seagulls was removed. The seagulls themselves are absent as well.
The scene where Nemo is flushed down the toilet is removed, and it instead shows Nemo emerging from a drain pipe and reuniting with Marlin.
Squirt, Bruce, Anchor, and Chum are not present at the ending in the musical.
