NEW YORK (AP) — Thomas Schumacher, who led Disney Theatrical Group for many years and helped it produce enduring musical theater hits like “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” altering Instances Sq. and Broadway itself, is leaving the corporate.
Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Leisure, introduced the departure in an electronic mail to employees Wednesday, calling it the “end of an era.” Schumacher is because of depart on the finish of September.
Throughout Schumacher’s tenure, Disney exhibits received 20 Tony Award wins and 60 nominations and have three of the 15 longest-running exhibits in Broadway historical past — “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King” and “Aladdin.” The group’s 10 Broadway titles have been seen by 240 million folks.
Bergman mentioned Schumacher made Disney “the most successful stage producer in history by virtually any metric, bringing the magic of Disney storytelling to stages of all sizes, all over the world, for more than 30 years.”
Schumacher has been with Disney theatrical arm because the starting, serving as government vice chairman starting in 1994. He started his work with the group whereas additionally serving as president of Walt Disney Function Animation, changing into the theatrical division’s president in 1999 and transferring to solely give attention to the corporate’s theatrical initiatives in 2002.
Below his management, Disney introduced various its movies to Broadway, together with “The Lion King,” “Tarzan,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Newsies,” “Aladdin” and “Frozen.” Different initiatives embody “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “Aida.”
Earlier than getting into the theatrical area, Schumacher’s producing credit included the animated hits “The Lion King,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Pocahontas” and the unique “Lilo & Stitch.”
In 2023, Schumacher left his function of Disney Theatrical Group’s president and producer, segueing right into a purely artistic function because the division’s chief artistic officer and ceding management to Andrew Flatt, managing director, and Anne Quart, government producer.
“I’m proud that Disney Theatrical will be in the extraordinarily capable hands of Andrew Flatt and Anne Quart, with whom I’ve worked for over 20 years,” Schumacher mentioned in an announcement. “I can’t wait to see how they lead this peerless organization forward.”
