Disenchanted, the musical comedy satire that presents Disney's princesses as real women fed up with "the exploitation they've suffered in today's films, books and dolls," opens Off-Broadway this week for its first fully staged New York City production. The musical's lineup of grown-up princesses includes a "[b]rassy and ballsy, sassy and self-assured" Snow White, a "Mel Brooksian, Wagnerian singing monster" called Rapunzel, a Belle who, "[r]aving about singing teapots and candle sticks…has been confined to a straight jacket [sic] in a mental institution," and a Mulan whose "battle is against stereotypes."
Directed by Fiely A. Matias, Disenchanted has a book, music and lyrics by Dennis T. Giacino, musical staging by Drama Desk and Olivier Award nominee Matt West, and costumes (all-important) by Vanessa Leuck.
The cast playing Snow White and her posse of disenchanted princesses includes Jen Bechter (national tours of Elf the Musical and Disney's Beauty and the Beast), Becky Gulsvig (Hairspray on Broadway) and Michelle Knight (Jersey Boys Broadway and national tour).
Since its first workshop performances some five years ago, Disenchanted has appeared in various configurations around the country. Its longest run before now was in Tampa, FL between January and April 2014, where the Tampa Tribune hailed it for "snappy dialogue, catchy tunes and an adult dose of humor" and the Bradenton Herald called it "[s]mart, very funny and even subversive."
Subversive princesses are my favorite kind of princesses.
Disenchanted runs November 26, 2014 through January 25, 2015 at Theater at St. Clement's, 423 West 46th Street at 9th Avenue, Manhattan.
