Disney Cruise Line is sharing new details about the Moana show that it will debut on its new Disney Treasure ship this December.
"Disney The Tale of Moana" will be one of three musicals playing in the Walt Disney Theatre on Disney's new cruise ship, which sets sail from Port Canaveral later this year. This won't be Disney's first crack at a live-action Moana musical. "Moana - A Homecoming Celebration" has been playing in Hong Kong Disneyland's Adventureland since 2018. But having seen that rather humble show during my visit to the park in November, I am eager to see Disney take another go at this material, on a larger scale.
And that is what the new DCL version of the musical promises. The production will repeat the storyline from the popular Disney animated movie, this time using puppets to recreate some characters. Disney Cruise Line's has teamed up with Michael Curry, who co-designed the puppets for Disney's "The Lion King" on Broadway, for the new production. The highlight promised to be a fiery Te Kā puppet, promised to be "of a scale Disney Cruise Line has never before produced."
Another example of ambitious stagecraft that Disney promises for this show will be the transformation of the stage from the island of Motunui into the open ocean, with a glowing manta ray soaring above the audience as Moana begins her journey.
The production also will feature the first staging of "Warrior Face," a Lin-Manuel Miranda song that was cut from the original film.
Other productions on the ship will be "Disney Seas the Adventure," which debuted aboard Disney Wish, and "Beauty and the Beast," which debuted on Disney Dream. Disney Treasure will sail seven-night itineraries from Port Canaveral in Florida, starting in December. For more about the new ship, please see Here's what cruise fans will find aboard the new Disney Treasure.
* * *
To keep up to date with more themed entertainment news, please sign up for Theme Park Insider's weekly newsletter.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
