Toy Story: The Musical was a rock musical based on the critically acclaimed Pixar film Toy Story. The show was created by Disney Live Entertainment for Disney Cruise Line, replacing the earlier Hercules: The Muse-ical. After a year of pre-production and workshops, it had a soft premiere on board the Disney Wonder in March 2008, with an official opening in April 2008. The show is performed in the Walt Disney Theatre, the grand showplace located on Deck 4. Production of the show closed for the last time on May 7, 2016.
The show was directed by Los Angeles-based director, Stefan Novinski, and choreographed by New York-based choreographer, Warren Adams. Throughout the 55-minute musical, there are 6 original songs, written by Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn. It also features one song from the original soundtrack of the animated feature, "You've Got a Friend in Me," written by Randy Newman. Music direction and arranging was handled by Los Angeles-based music director, David O. The book was written by New-York based playwright, Mindi Dickstein, who penned the lyrics and book for "Little Women The Musical," on Broadway. Sets were designed by Los Angeles-based set designer, Sibyl Wickersheimer, costumes were created by Los Angeles-based avant garde costumer, Ann Closs-Farley, lighting was designed by New York-based designer, Jason Kantrowitz, and sound design was by Los Angeles based designer Drew Dalzell.
Toy Story: The Musical, follows the film's storyline faithfully, with certain theatrical liberties taken, especially in the scenes involving Sid and the mutant toys.
Some minor toys from the film were removed. As such, some minor scenes involving them were not present in the musical.
The scene where the soldiers spy on the party was removed.
The scene where Woody is knocked under the bed was removed; he gets knocked under the bed offstage.
Buzz's cardboard box had a red button that had to be pushed.
Buzz is startled by Woody in the film and Rex in the musical.
The scene where Buzz and Woody argue about Buzz thinking he is a space ranger was shortened. One showing, however, made it longer, with the scene of Woody saying, "Buzz, look, an alien!" being added.
In the original film, Buzz, for most of the time, has his helmet closed, whereas in the musical he only has it closed for a short time before keeping it open for the rest of the show. (This was likely done to give way for the rope attatched to the hook seen on his helmet area hanging his actor in the air to represent him flying).
Buzz Lightyear's wings only retract from the sides as apposed to swinging out (similar to the 1995 toy release of him).
Despite Buzz in the musical claiming that he has a wrist communicator and looks at it, it doesnt really open (once again similar to the said toy release of him).
The scene where Buzz shows the toys he can fly was shortened.
The song "Strange Things" was removed.
In the original film, Woody wears his hat while knocking Buzz out the window. In the musical, Woody does not.
The scene with the Magic 8 Ball was removed; instead, Woody gets the idea to knock Buzz down behind Andy's desk during the song "One Toy" where, halfway through the song, he accidentally makes a pencil fall under the desk.
In the original film, Woody used RC to set in motion a chain reaction, which accidentally sends Buzz out of the window. In the musical, Woody never uses RC; instead, Buzz notices the remote control in Woody's hands and Woody accidentally makes a lamp fall, which makes Buzz fall.
The part where Woody tries to explain that he did not mean to make Buzz fall was shortened.
In the original film, Woody and Buzz fight at the gas station until the car leaves. In the musical, Woody and Buzz never fight during the car scene in the musical. The scene also takes place with the car at Pizza Planet's entrance rather than a gas station. Also, the car does not leave in the musical; instead, Woody explaining to Buzz he is a toy takes place in the car instead of the gas station.
When Woody and Buzz enter Pizza Planet, Woody convinces Buzz that he found a spaceship in the original film, but first, Woody and Buzz get into a van to Pizza Planet. In the musical, Woody and Buzz go to Pizza Planet when Buzz mistakes the restaurant for a space shuttle, leaving the van scene unaccounted for.
The scene where Woody and Buzz sneak into Pizza Planet was removed.
Sid never gets a Little Green Alien in the musical.
Hannah, Sid's sister, was absent. As such, Sid gets the rocket right away.
Sid never uses the magnifying glass on Woody. Instead, he sings his own song, before being called down by his mother to scratch her back, and Sid leaves to go downstairs, but not before finishing his song beforehand.
Sid's reaction to the rain was changed.
"I Will Go Sailing No More" was removed. Instead, Buzz is unconvinced he is a toy and Woody enters just in time to see Buzz on a crate. When Woody asks Buzz what he is doing, Buzz replies he is doing what he is born to do and then jumps from the crate in an attempt to fly, but fails. Woody also notices Buzz's broken arm. The arm is repaired afterwards by the mutant toys.
Because of the change above, the tea party scene and the scene where Woody tries to convince the toys that Buzz is okay were removed. The latter scene was replaced with a scene that shows Andy playing with his toys without Buzz or Woody, leaving Andy disappointed that Woody is missing along with Buzz.
The scene where Woody uses Buzz's karate chop function was removed.
Scud was not seen. He was mentioned and barking and growling been heard by audience though.
The scene where Woody and Buzz are talking in Sid's room has changes regarding Woody telling Buzz about his functions as a toy and how he is a cool toy while coming to terms with his own resentment towards Buzz. In the film, Woody says, “You've got wings, you glow in the dark, you talk, your helmet does that...that...that whoosh thing. You are a COOL toy…as a matter of fact, you’re too cool.” In the musical, Woody instead sings, “You got the super-duper L.E.D. that lets loose laser light. You got the carbon alloy blaster C that glows all through the night. You got the helmet and those nifty wings, though they're not so good for flight. You're the coolest toy Andy's ever had, and your future looks real bright. In fact, you're so much cooler than I can ever hope to be…and when we get you back to Andy, there won't be any room for me.”
The scene where Woody and the mutant toys scare Sid was changed a bit.
The scenes where Woody gets to the moving truck, thrown off the truck by the toys, Woody rushing to get RC, and Woody and Buzz using the rocket with the sun's light were changed. The truck part was removed, and RC is not present for the rest of the musical. Instead, when Woody realizes that the truck left without Woody and Buzz, all hope seems lost for Woody. Buzz, however, gets the idea to use the match and tells Woody to grab onto Buzz and prepare for liftoff. One of the mutant toys lights up the fuse to the rocket, and Woody and Buzz sing the verse "To infinity and beyond" and then they fly into the sky and out of Sid's backyard.
The "falling with style" scene was shortened.
Woody and Buzz enter the car in the film and the back of the moving truck in the musical.
Woody and Buzz are greeted by the other toys in the moving truck in the musical. In the film, the other toys realize their mistake and tried to help Woody and Buzz to get on the moving truck.
The Christmas ending scene was removed.
Trivia[]
Toy Story is the second Pixar film to be turned into a musical, the first being Finding Nemo.
Possibly intentional, Buzz Lightyear's suit design in the musical is very similar to his original 1995 toy release of him, as he has his wings retracting from the sides as apposed to swinging out in the film, and the lack of a flapping wrist communicator (despite the actor pretending to have it).
The figures of Woody and Buzz on stage, (when the physical actors of the toys are not performing), use thier 1995-mid 2000s toy releases.
Buzz's 2001 release by Hasbro (which has the utility belt, despite this of course being set in the original film), is used when Sid's actor is holding him. The figure is missing his jetpack and wings though, which is common for these figures by said brand.
