Four Broadway ‘princesses’ take on Disney

Isabelle McCalla (from left), Christy Altomare, Syndee Winters and Anneliese van der Pol are belting out more than 30 songs from various animated Disney films in “Disney Princess: The Concert,” coming Saturday to Little Rock’s Robinson Center Music Hall. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Nathan Johnson-Michael Hull)
Isabelle McCalla (from left), Christy Altomare, Syndee Winters and Anneliese van der Pol are belting out more than 30 songs from various animated Disney films in “Disney Princess: The Concert,” coming Saturday to Little Rock’s Robinson Center Music Hall. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Nathan Johnson-Michael Hull)

You might think something called "Disney Princess: The Concert," a montage of songs from Disney animated movies focusing on Disney princesses, would be strictly for the kiddies.

You'd be wrong.

By all means, bring the youngsters if you want, says Syndee Winters, who played Nala in "The Lion King" on Broadway and is one of the four women who has played princess roles on Broadway who will be belting out those Disney tunes Saturday at Little Rock's Robinson Center Performance Hall.

But the show, she says, is aimed primarily at a particular set of adults: "young people who loved Disney princess movies in the '90s."

"Sure, bring your kids if [you] can't find a baby sitter," Winters says. Definitely come in costume if you want. "Let's celebrate our inner child. It's for the family, ages 3-83."

Winters' cohorts are Christy Altomare, the original Anya in Broadway's "Anastasia"; Anneliese van der Pol, the final actress to play Belle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" (alongside Donny Osmond as the Beast) when it closed at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre; and Isabelle McCalla, who played Jasmine in Broadway's "Aladdin." The cast will also include Adam J. Levy as a charming prince and music director Benjamin Rauhala.

Van der Pol was originally supposed to replace Susan Egan, Broadway's original Belle (and the voice of Meg in the animated film "Hercules") halfway through the tour. She stepped in early after illness forced Egan to withdraw.

The program features arrangements of more than 30 Disney songs featuring 12 Disney princesses, two queens and music from the film — not the Broadway show — "Frozen," says Winters. The list includes "Let It Go," "A Whole New World," "Colors of the Wind" and "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes."

Winters will sing at least one number from "Brave," Tiana's songs from "The Princess and the Frog" and Anna's songs from the movie "Frozen." And, of course, Queen Nala's song, "Shadowland," from "The Lion King."

"I'm excited to sing that," she says. "It's not often sung out of the context of the musical because it's not in the movie."

The performers will appear as themselves in gowns, not in costumes; expect them to "celebrate iconic characters and share ... hilarious and heartfelt behind-the-scenes stories from their time on the stage and screen," supplemented by "larger-than-life animations and theatrical effects," according to a news release.

The show provides "some incredible messages," Winters says, and represents more than just the music: "It's women encouraging women."

It comes in the wake of an earlier 13-week, 60-city predecessor touring show, "Broadway Princess Party," that originated as a cabaret show at Feinstein's/54 Below in New York in 2015 and went on to fill auditoriums coming out of the pandemic. "The joy on those people's faces," Winters exclaims.

"The Lion King" was Winters' Broadway debut. Since then she has also appeared on Broadway in "Motown the Musical," "Pippin" and as all three Schuyler Sisters — one at a time, naturally — in "Hamilton."

On television, she was a part of NBC's live version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" (with John Legend) and interrogated Lt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Harigitay) on her parenting methods on "Law & Order SVU."

Winters has another project on the blocks, a one-woman play with music she wrote for herself: "LENA: A Moment with a Lady." The Lady, of course, is Lena Horne; so far, it has appeared on a small, intimate scale off-off-Broadway, but Winters envisions its scale increasing someday.

"I'm looking forward to bringing that story back to life," she says.

Horne was also an inspiration for her debut jazz album, "Lessons: From a Lady."

And she has also been doing a traveling solo show and is involved in a pop-R&B recording project she's calling "Butterfly Black," partnering with Grammy-winning bass player Ben Williams.

“Disney Princess: The Concert”

  • WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday
  • WHERE: Little Rock’s Robinson Center Performance Hall, 426 W. Markham St. at Broadway
  • WHAT: Four singer-actresses who have played princesses on Broadway perform
  • TICKETS: $31-$56; VIP packages, $106-$216
  • INFORMATION: Ticketmaster.com

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