Tarzan (musical)

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Tarzan is a musical by the British musician , songwriter and record producer Phil Collins and the American writer David Henry Hwang . It is based on the animated film Tarzan of the Walt Disney Studios in 1999 and the American US by writer Edgar Rice Burroughs invented character Tarzan . It premiered on May 10, 2006 at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City .

background

The musical Tarzan is based on the animated film Tarzan of the Walt Disney Studios in 1999 and about the stories of the American US by writer Edgar Rice Burroughs invented character Tarzan . The libretto for the musical was penned by David Henry Hwang , the music was contributed by the British musician, songwriter and record producer Phil Collins , as was the case for the film . Some pieces from the film, which, in contrast to the musical, were not sung by the characters but by Collins himself, were taken over, but most of them were rewritten especially for this purpose.

The musical premiered on May 10, 2006 at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City . With the 486th performance, Tarzan was dropped there on July 8, 2007. In this period of about 14 months the musical produced according to the New York Times a loss of twelve million dollars . As a result of this failure, Disney sold the license for Tarzan to Stage Entertainment . From April 15, 2007, the musical was produced in the Circustheater in Scheveningen, the Netherlands, for the first time outside of the United States. It was a co-production by Disney and Stage Entertainment. Dernière was on May 24, 2009. From 2008 to 2009 Tarzan played in Kristianstad , Sweden , and in Manila in the Philippines in June and July 2013 . From 2010 the musical toured the United States.

The German version of Tarzan was first performed on October 19, 2008 in the Neue Flora in Hamburg . The production cost around 20 million euros even before the premiere. Bob Crowley was responsible for the direction, set and costume design, and Pichón Baldinu was responsible for the technical execution of the aerial acrobatics . During the performances, the artists were secured by around 50 employees behind the stage and using complex rope technology. The Dernière of Tarzan in Hamburg found after almost five years of playing time instead of on October 2, 2013. In December 2012, it was announced that the musical would move from Hamburg to the Apollo Theater in Stuttgart for autumn 2013. The premiere was on November 21, 2013, Dernière on August 28, 2016. Tarzan premiered on November 6, 2016 at the Metronom Theater in Oberhausen . Dernière was on September 23, 2018.

action

first act

A young British couple and their newborn son are shipwrecked off the coast of Africa . The family manages to save themselves to the beach, where a tree house in the adjacent jungle offers them protection and shelter. A little later, she is attacked by a leopard who kills the couple. The child remains as the only surviving family member. It is found by the gorilla lady Kala ( Two Worlds ) through its screams . When she and the child return to her family after a fight against the leopard, the silverback Kerchak, her husband and leader of the gorilla family at the same time , orders her to abandon the human child because he sees him as a danger to the clan due to his origins and because he the boy, which he and Kala had previously lost to the leopard, could not replace either. Kala refuses the order, adopts the boy and baptizes him with the name "Tarzan". She promises Kerchak that he will hardly notice the boy ( you own my heart ). From then on she raises him as her son in the midst of the clan.

A few years later, Tarzan, who is now around ten years old, made friends with the male gorilla, Terk, who, along with his foster mother Kala, is the only gorilla he really gets along with. One day he makes a spear so that he can use Terks to get to the sweet fruits in a tree top ( you need a friend ). When Kerchak sees the weapon, he sees the time when the boy in the gorilla family could become dangerous as he gets older, and therefore drives him away. Thereupon Kala decides to separate from the clan in order to be able to continue to support the young Tarzan, whom the silverback no longer wants to let near them. Kerchak is plagued by remorse, but believes that for the sake of the safety of his family he has "no choice" ( no choice at all ). Kala finds Tarzan looking for a reason for Kerchak's behavior ( why, why? ). For the first time he asked Kala about his origin. The gorilla replies evasively and explains to him that despite all the differences, he is not that different.

Some time goes by and the young Tarzan becomes a young man ( such a man ). Kala meets the aged Kerchak while playing with the children of the gorilla family. She says that Tarzan would do anything to make Kerchak proud one day. They remember old times when they fought life side by side. Kerchak asks Kala to come back to him, but she makes it clear to him that she would still not come alone, but only with Tarzan ( like sun and moon ). A little later, Tarzan's plan to make use of fire works and he succeeds in killing the leopard. With this he wins Kerchak's respect, who then accepts him back into the group. When a gunshot is heard in the jungle , he is instructed by Kerchak to return to the rest of the clan with him and Kala. After a brief struggle with himself, however, out of curiosity about the unknown sound, Tarzan decides not to follow Kerchak, but rather to move in the direction from which the shot could be heard. Instead, he asks Terk to protect Kala.

Shortly afterwards, Tarzan meets a young woman named Jane Porter, whom he initially observed unseen from the trees and followed. Jane gives in to her enthusiasm for the beauty of the creatures in the jungle ( I waited for this day ) before she is attacked by a giant spider . Tarzan rushes to her aid and drives the animal to flight. He succeeds in making human noises and, after Jane was initially inclined to flee from him, he notices the external similarities between them, for example in terms of hands and heartbeat, but is not sure how to interpret them Has. The latter also applies to Jane ( unknown ).

Second act

Led by Terk, some gorillas devastate the camp of the expedition team, of which Jane is also a member, before she and Tarzan return to the camp ( crash in the camp ). When a shot rang out, the gorillas and Tarzan flee. Jane tells the other expedition members, including her father, a professor , and the arrogant-looking expedition leader Clayton and his henchman Snipes, about her encounter with Tarzan and the clan. In this way, she could confirm her father's assumption that gorillas live in groups. It turns out Clayton's real plan, contrary to the exclusively good intentions of the porters, to catch some gorillas in order to be able to sell them back home for expensive money to zoos and circuses . Meanwhile, Tarzan, reunited with the gorillas moving away from the people, ponders his real origin in view of the encounter with Jane. When Kala and Kerchak refuse to give him an answer, even when asked, he decides to return to the people's camp. Kerchak makes it clear to Kala that she must tell her foster son the truth about his story in order to prevent him from leading the people to the gorillas. However, Kala fears Tarzan will leave her if he learns where he is from.

Tarzan and Jane get closer and meet again and again, in spite of the persistent communication difficulties. When Professor Porter asks his daughter about it, he realizes that she has fallen in love ( like no man in this world ). Tarzan appears in the camp and is introduced to the other expedition participants. For the first time Clayton asks him to bring them to the gorillas, which Tarzan refuses to do. As he shows Jane the jungle, he too becomes aware of his feelings towards her. He introduces her to his foster mother Kala ( strangers like me ). While Terk is plagued by jealousy towards Jane because of his mate's constant absence, Kala worries that Kerchak might find out that he is with the people during his daily outings. Tarzan and Jane each think about their feelings towards each other ( all at once ) before the ship arrives to bring the expeditors back to England . Professor Porter sees his goal of observing that gorillas live in groups or societies like humans, as achieved, even if, unlike his daughter, he has never seen one himself.

Jane tells Tarzan about her upcoming departure and asks him to come with her to find out the truth about his origins. Tarzan's hope of being able to return one day, however, has to be shattered as not realistic, but initially refuses to stay here alone with Tarzan. Clayton, taking advantage of Tarzan's desperation, tells him that Jane will be driving safely if you don't see any more gorillas. Tarzan then asks Terk to watch out the next time Kerchak is out so that he can bring the people to the clan ( you need a friend (recapitulation) ). Kerchak, however, returns while humans are still with the gorillas. Tarzan can stop him from attacking her further. The silverback tells him that people had wiped out his family in his youth and confronts him with the decision of belonging to the people or to the gorillas. Kala then leads him to the tree house where she once found him as a toddler. His ten-year-old alter ego appears to Tarzan , he finds, among other things, a picture of his birth parents and he finally becomes aware that he is a person ( who I really am ).

Kala realizes that she can no longer hold Tarzan. However, he assures her that she will be his mother forever ( you own my heart (recapitulation) ). When Tarzan goes to the people, Clayton sees the time has come to sell the jungle man Tarzan instead of a gorilla and to throw the porters overboard. He threatens Tarzan with his rifle. Kerchak tries to help him, but is shot by Clayton. In the ensuing fight, Tarzan is on the verge of killing Clayton, but is stopped by Porter, who promises to find other ways to punish Clayton. Kerchak accepts Tarzan as his son for the first time and gives him the job of looking after the clan in his place in the future; he dies in the arms of Tarzan and Kala ( Like Sun and Moon (recapitulation) ). With the words to Jane, “having no choice”, Tarzan returns to the jungle with the gorillas. A little later he appears on the ship one last time to say goodbye to the porters. Jane now decides to stay with him alone because she has everything she needs here. Tarzan promises her that this will be her home ( Two Worlds (Finale) ).

Track list

First act:

  1. Two Worlds  - Two Worlds  - Tarzan, Kala and Ensemble
  2. You own my heart  - You'll Be in My Heart  - Kala and Ensemble
  3. You need a friend  - Who Better Than Me?  - Young Tarzan and Terk
  4. No choice at  all  - No Other Way - Kerchak
  5. Why?  - I Need to Know  - Young Tarzan
  6. Such a man  - Son of Man  - Tarzan, Terk and Ensemble
  7. Like Sun and Moon  - Sure As Sun Turns to Moon  - Kala and Kerchak
  8. I've been waiting for this day  - Waiting for This Moment  - Jane and Ensemble
  9. Unknown  - Different  -Tarzan and Jane

Second act:

  1. Krach im Lager  - Trashin 'the Camp  - Terk and Ensemble
  2. As no man in this world  - Like No Man I've Ever Seen  - Jane and Professor Porter
  3. Strangers like me  - Strangers Like Me  - Tarzan, Jane and Ensemble
  4. All at once  - For the First Time  - Tarzan and Jane
  5. You need a friend (reprise)  - Who Better Than Me? (Recapitulation)  - Tarzan and Terk
  6. Who I Really Am  - Everything That I Am  - Young Tarzan, Tarzan and Ensemble
  7. You Own My Heart (Reprise)  - You'll Be In My Heart (Reprise)  - Tarzan and Kala
  8. Like Sun and Moon (Reprise)  - Sure As Sun Turns to Moon (Reprise)  - Tarzan and Kala
  9. Zwei Welten (Finale)  - Two Worlds (Finale)  - Ensemble

The songs Two Worlds , Such a Man , Noise in the Camp , Strangers like me and the chart success You own my heart were already part of the animated film. So far not part of the musical was the song Who am I? ( Who am I? ) From the sequel Tarzan 2 . The song Leaving Home (Find My Way) , also from the sequel, was rewritten especially for the musical version and under the new name Why, why? ( I need to know ) used.

Overview of stations

  • Richard Rodgers Theater (May 2006)

  • New Flora (November 2010)

  • Apollo Theater (April 2014)

GermanyGermany Germany

NetherlandsNetherlands Netherlands

PhilippinesPhilippines Philippines

  • Manila : June 14, 2013 - July 7, 2013

SwedenSweden Sweden

United StatesUnited States United States

occupation

Germany

Venue Actor (first cast)
Tarzan Jane Kala Kerchak Terk porter Clayton
Hamburg Anton Zetterholm
Alexander Klaws
Gian Marco Schiaretti 		Elisabeth Hübert
Ina Trabesinger
Merle Hoch 		Ana Milva Gomes
Peti van der Velde
Melanie Ortner 		Andreas Lichtenberger
Kevin Kraus
Ethan Freeman 		Rommel Singson
Emanuele Caserta		 Japeth Myers
Jeff Shankley		 Rudi Reschke
Stuttgart Gian Marco Schiaretti Merle high Melanie Ortner-Stassen
Willemijn Verkaik
Anna Thorén		 Andreas Lichtenberger
Jan Ammann 		Emanuele Caserta
Arcangelo Vigneri		 Japeth Myers
Maik Lohse		 Rudi Reschke
Léon Roeven
Oberhausen Alexander Klaws
Josh Strickland
Anton Zetterholm		 Tessa Sunniva van Tol Sabrina Weckerlin
Sophia Wezer		 Patrick Stanke
Andreas Lichtenberger		 Massimiliano Pironti
Jeffrey Socia		 Japeth Myers Patrick Imhof
Rudi Reschke

The actors of the main characters Tarzan and Jane for the premiere of the musical in Germany in October 2008 - Anton Zetterholm and Elisabeth Hübert  - were featured between February and May 2008 in the casting show Ich Tarzan, Du Jane! Which was broadcast on Sat.1 in cooperation with Stage Entertainment . determined with moderator Hugo Egon Balder . In May 2010 Anton Zetterholm was replaced by Alexander Klaws . He made his debut as Tarzan on May 25, 2010. From December 1, 2011, Ina Trabesinger played Jane , whom she had played for a few weeks in place of Hübert the year before. Trabesinger was already a participant in Ich Tarzan, Du Jane! started for the role where she was defeated Huebert in the final. Klaws and Trabesinger said goodbye to production on June 2, 2013. Her successors up to the Hamburg Dernière in October 2013 were Gian Marco Schiaretti and Merle Hoch . Both took over the roles for the entire Stuttgart season from November 2013 to August 2016. In Oberhausen, Alexander Klaws slipped again as the first cast in the title role, as Jane Tessa Sunniva van Tol could be seen. After six months of playing, Josh Strickland followed Klaws in May 2017 . Strickland had already played Tarzan in the original version on Broadway. Anton Zetterholm later took over the title role again from August to November 2017, who was replaced again by Josh Strickland from the end of November 2017 to the Dernière in September 2018.

In 2008, Ana Milva Gomes and Andreas Lichtenberger took on the first cast of the "monkey parents" Kala and Kerchak . Both left production in 2009 and were replaced by Peti van der Velde and Kevin Kraus . In 2011 Melanie Ortner and Ethan Freeman took over the roles. In June 2013 were Ethan Freeman and Rommel Singson, of the since the premiere Terk had played, replaced by the returning Andrew Lichtenberger and Emanuele Caserta in the first cast. Ortner, Lichtenberger and Caserta moved to Stuttgart with the musical in autumn 2013. From July 2014 Jan Ammann played the Kerchak and from June 2015 Arcangelo Vigneri played the Terk . At the end of August 2015, Melanie Ortner-Stassen (formerly Ortner) said goodbye to the musical after four years as the first cast of the Kala in Hamburg and Stuttgart. Her successor was Willemijn Verkaik . At the beginning of June 2016 Anna Thorén and again Andreas Lichtenberger took over the roles of Verkaik and Ammann for the final months of the production in Stuttgart. In Oberhausen, Sabrina Weckerlin played the kala , Patrick Stanke the Kerchak and Massimiliano Pironti the terk . The trio was replaced in September 2017 by Sophia Wezer as Kala , again Andreas Lichtenberger as Kerchak and Jeffrey Socia as Terk . Lichtenberger paused for two months from March to May 2018 and was represented by Stanke during this period.

The smaller supporting roles of Professor Porter and the villain Clayton were played with interruptions at all three locations of the musical by Japeth Myers and Rudi Reschke respectively. If Reschke stayed with the Hamburg production for the entire season, Myers was replaced by Jeff Shankley and returned to the role in 2013. In Stuttgart, alongside Myers and Reschke, Maik Lohse played Porter and Léon Roeven played Clayton . In addition to Myers as porter , Patrick Imhof initially took on the role of Clayton in Oberhausen , before he was replaced by Reschke in September 2017.

United States

The original line-up on Broadway included:

  • Josh Strickland as Tarzan
  • Jennifer Gambatese as Jane
  • Merle Dandridge as Kala
  • Shuler Hensley as Kerchak
  • Chester Gregory as Terk
  • Daniel Manche and Alex Rutherford as Young Tarzan
  • Timothy Jerome as Porter
  • Donnie Keshawarz as Clayton

Differences between film and musical

While Terk is a female gorilla in the animated film, the role in the musical is a male part. The character of the elephant Tantor , with whom Tarzan befriends in the film, is omitted in the musical. In the situation in which Tarzan and Jane first meet, he saves them from baboons instead of a giant spider in the film . The Clayton is clearly in the musical Americans instead Briton and it will be romantic interest in Jane. In the final fight with Tarzan he hangs himself from a creeper in the film, whereas in the musical he is overwhelmed by Tarzan and then locked in the belly of the British ship.

reception

A studio recording with the original Broadway cast entitled Tarzan: The Broadway Musical was released on June 27, 2006. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 . A German-language recording followed in October 2008 with the Hamburg premiere cast. The Dutch production was nominated for the John Kraaijkamp Musical Award in 2007 and 2008 . In 2007, Tarzan actor Ron Link received the award for “Breakthrough Talent” of the year and Terk actor Clayton Peroti received the award for best supporting actor. In 2008 Tarzan was named the best full-length musical.

Sylke Wohlschiess from Musicalspot wrote in her review of Tarzan in Stuttgart:

“Despite the catchy music, especially the hit“ You own my heart ”, which is also known from the pop charts, the musical lives first and foremost from the successful interaction of stage technology, acrobatics and diverse equipment. In this respect it is not so important that [...] only eight musicians act live and the sound is quite synthetic due to the many keyboard samples. The prehistory runs in time lapse: ship accident, scarce rescue, killing of parents by the leopard and Tarzan's rescue by gorilla Kala. Diffuse blue-gray light and fog deceptively simulate the depths of the sea through which Tarzan's parents sink before they save themselves on the shore. The stage design is optically tilted, a beach is upright, the actors attached to ropes go down at a 90-degree angle - a great effect. [...] "Tarzan" in Stuttgart is a fascinating mixture of breathtaking flight scenes, a tremendous rush of colors, an overwhelming wealth of images and [...] terrific actors. "

Dominik Lapp from Kulturfeder described Tarzan in Oberhausen as "entertaining entertainment":

“The piece already begins impressively, although it has not really started yet. Because on the curtain you can see a projected ship drifting off the African coast. Waves and jungle noises get the audience in the mood for what they will see in the next two and a half hours even before the performance. Compared to other Disney musicals, "Tarzan" does not have the most elaborate stage design, but that is not necessary because the ensemble has a lot of space for acrobatic performances. [...] The music of Phil Collins [...] is catchy and extremely pleasing pop music, which is easy to catch and has many catchy tunes ready. […] Ultimately, “Tarzan” in Oberhausen is still a well-made experience show and should continue to prove to be a crowd puller for Stage Entertainment. The Disney musical offers a successful mixture of comedy, drama and romance [...]. The consistently strong cast makes the visit worthwhile in any case. Entertaining entertainment guaranteed. "

Web links

Commons : Tarzan (Musical)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

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  2. ^ Tarzan by Phil Collins and David Henry Hwang. Broadway Musical Home, accessed March 16, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Klaus Irler: The feeling amplifier. The daily newspaper, November 23, 2014, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  4. ↑ a b Marcel Auermann: Now it's official: Musical "Tarzan" is coming. Voice.de, December 13, 2012, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  5. ↑ Gisela Schütte: “Tarzan” becomes a musical of superlatives. Welt, August 11, 2008, accessed March 16, 2020 .
  6. ↑ a b Tarzan's Jane can also do without Alexander Klaws. Schlagerplanet, July 13, 2013, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  7. ↑ Matthias Ring: When hearts are conquered in flight. Stuttgarter Zeitung, November 22, 2013, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Dominique Leibbrand: “Tarzan” says goodbye with record numbers. swp.de, August 30, 2016, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  9. ↑ a b c d Christoph Gedon: Main actor for "Tarzan" known in Oberhausen. Musicalzone, April 26, 2016, accessed March 16, 2020 .
  10. ↑ Dirk Hein: Tarzan leaves Oberhausen - farewell to the musical is certain. Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, February 28, 2018, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  11. ↑ a b c d Tarzan. Monkey king. Musicalzentrale, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  12. ↑ a b Tarzan. My heart is yours. Musicalzentrale, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  13. ↑ a b c Tarzan. You need a friend Musicalzentrale, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  14. ↑ Maike Jansen: Asparagus tarzan triumphs in casting show. Die Welt, May 3, 2008, accessed June 5, 2020 .
  15. ↑ Alexander Klaws becomes the new musical Tarzan. tz, May 10, 2010, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  16. ↑ Jennifer Binder: Lübeck's Jane gives Tarzan the pass. LN Online, December 7, 2011; accessed June 9, 2020 .
  17. ↑ Trabesinger again as Jane in "Tarzan" in Hamburg. Musicalzentrale, December 6, 2011, accessed June 4, 2020 .
  18. ^ "Schuh des Manitu": New job for Alexander Klaws. T-Online, January 22, 2013, accessed March 16, 2020 .
  19. ↑ Cast changes in "Tarzan" in Hamburg. United Musicals, June 5, 2013, accessed June 9, 2020 .
  20. ↑ Felix Ehring: "Ich Jane!" Die Zeit, May 29, 2013, accessed on June 4, 2020 .
  21. ↑ Main actor presented in Stuttgart. Stuttgarter Zeitung, April 25, 2013, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  22. ↑ Silke Heidenblut: Josh Strickland as Tarzan in the Metronom Theater: Broadway feeling in Oberhausen. Wochenanzeiger, May 17, 2017, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  23. ↑ Zetterholm follows Strickland as Tarzan in Oberhausen. Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, July 7, 2017, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  24. ↑ Simone Gerdesmeier: Another cast change: Josh Strickland comes back to TARZAN. Musical1, November 15, 2017, accessed March 16, 2020 .
  25. ↑ a b Barbara Kern: A new dimension - Tarzan in Hamburg. United Musicals, October 20, 2008, accessed June 5, 2020 .
  26. ^ Ana Milva Gomes. Musical1, accessed June 5, 2020 .
  27. ↑ Christian Demme: Interview with an ogre - Andreas Lichtenberger in an interview. Musical1, January 7, 2015, accessed June 5, 2020 .
  28. ↑ Simone Gerdesmeier: Willemijn Verkaik will be the new kala in TARZAN. Musical1, July 2, 2015, accessed June 5, 2020 .
  29. ↑ Stefanie Müller: Anna Thorén and Andreas Lichtenberger new at TARZAN. Musical1, May 6, 2016, accessed June 5, 2020 .
  30. ↑ Silke Heidenblut: Disney's Musical Tarzan: Ten Years Two Worlds, One Family. Wochenanzeiger Oberhausen, June 29, 2018, accessed on June 9, 2020 .
  31. ↑ Carolin Zaniewicz: "Tarzan". Focus Online, January 14, 2016, accessed June 9, 2020 .
  32. ↑ Complete Cast Announced for New Broadway Musical Tarzan. Broadway.com, December 8, 2005, accessed March 16, 2020 .
  33. ↑ Sylke Wohlschiess: Welcome to the jungle: Review of “Disney's Tarzan” in Stuttgart. Musical spot, accessed on March 16, 2020 .
  34. ↑ Dominik Lapp: Entertaining entertainment: "Tarzan" in Oberhausen. Kulturfeder, August 11, 2017, accessed on March 16, 2020 .