After more than a year of waiting, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products are excited to announce that Drawn to Life is scheduled to open on November 18. The highly anticipated, new family-friendly show coming to Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., is a collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering and will take residency at Disney Springs. Tickets will go on sale at 7 AM ET on August 20 and can be purchased here.
“We are so looking forward to unveil this beautiful, long-awaited creation to the public,” said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “We were moments away from opening night in March of 2020 when performances were paused. Intermission is now over and we cannot wait for Cirque and Disney fans to experience the joy of this love letter to the art of Walt Disney animation.”
“With its combination of Disney animation and awe-inspiring performances, Drawn to Life is a great addition to the Disney Springs entertainment lineup and perfect for all ages,” said Jeff Vahle, President of Walt Disney World Resort. “I’m excited for a new generation of guests to experience this show as part of their Walt Disney World vacations.”
Drawn to Life, written and directed by Michel Laprise with Fabrice Becker as Director of Creation, is a live acrobatic journey telling the story of Julie, a determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift left by her Disney animator father: an unfinished animation. As she dives into the inner world of animation guided by a surprising pencil, Julie embarks on an inspiring quest filled with her childhood Disney memories. Developed in partnership with Michael Jung, Executive Theatrical Development, Walt Disney Imagineering, the story is driven by 10 unique acrobatic acts alongside animation from beloved Disney films as well as all-new animation created by Disney artists led by Eric Goldberg, best known for characters such as the Genie in the animated classic, “Aladdin.”
“It was an honor to have the opportunity to interpret the spectacular works from Disney’s catalog of animation into a live show and we couldn’t be more proud of this production,” explained Diane Quinn, Chief Creative Officer Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “Together with Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering, we have created a stunning show that will inspire audiences to dream and reach for the impossible.”
“Cirque’s world-class creative and production team worked closely with us, getting to know and understand every aspect of Disney,” said Natalie Woodward, Vice President of Production, Disney Live Entertainment. “Our incredible collaboration on Drawn to Life has created a show that celebrates Disney’s legacy in the art of animation in a unique and signature style that is pure Cirque du Soleil.”
“I think guests will be amazed to see how the magic of Cirque du Soleil and the art of Walt Disney Animation Studios have come together to bring life to classic and current characters like Baloo, Baymax, and Cinderella in ways that no one has ever imagined,” said animator Eric Goldberg.
Drawn to Life is the 50th production created by Cirque du Soleil and its premiere coincides with the 50th-anniversary celebrations at Walt Disney World Resort. With an international cast of 64 artists, Drawn to Life will perform Tuesday through Saturday at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort.
