Cover Tatler chats with four illustrious cast members behind the spellbinding concert series, set to enchant audiences in Cebu and Davao. (From left) Benjamin Rauhala, Krysta Rodriguez, Aisha Jackson and Anneliese van der Pol
Tatler chats with four illustrious cast members behind the spellbinding concert series, set to enchant audiences in Cebu and Davao. (From left) Benjamin Rauhala, Krysta Rodriguez, Aisha Jackson and Anneliese van der Pol
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Tatler chats with four illustrious cast members behind the much-anticipated Disney-themed concert.
Fresh off a two-day run from November 18 to 19 at Manila’s Samsung Performing Arts Theatre, the cast of Disney Princess: The Concert! gears up for two more enchanted evenings with audiences from Cebu and Davao.
Get ready to be serenaded by acclaimed Broadway and television stars, dazzling Broadway aficionados and Disney fans with spellbinding renditions of your favourite princess, hero and villain songs.
Related: Listen to your favourite Disney princess songs in these concerts in Manila, Cebu, and Davao
The cast members said, “We hope you love it, and we hope you sing along. I’m excited because everyone will be pleased to be there, maybe singing along or dressing up!”
The cast includes six celebrated veterans of the Broadway community, including Anneliese van de Pol, Aisha Jackson, Krysta Rodriguez, Steffanie Leigh and Adam J Levy. Musical director and collaborator Benjamin Rauhala joins them as accompanist and master of ceremonies.
Van der Pol is best known for her role as Chelsea Daniels in the hit TV show That’s So Raven. She has since cemented a lucrative career in musical theatre as the last actress to play Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. She is joined by Jackson, known for being the first Black woman to portray the role of Anna in Broadway’s Frozen.
Rodriguez is an established television actress and singer who portrayed Liza Minnelli in the 2022 Netflix original series Halston, while Leigh made her Broadway debut in the title role of Mary Poppins. The concert’s designated role of “Prince Charming” is filled by Levy, who was part of the first American national tour of Waitress the Musical.
Despite months of endless travel and rehearsals, the cast shares their excitement to perform for a Filipino crowd. “We’ve always had a strong base of Filipino fans. I’m so excited that we finally get to perform here. I feel a strong responsibility to ensure we are in tip-top vocal shape. I’m fortunate to share the stage with these incredible queens,” Rauhala remarks.
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Though they have established careers out of performing live in front of hundreds, the cast are no strangers to the anxiety that stirs up before big performances. Jackson shares, “One of my rituals, if I’m feeling nervous or anxious, is to get to the venue when it’s empty, before everyone else. And I sit down, take a few deep breaths, and try to centre myself. That kind of helps me get out of my head.”
The idea behind Disney Princess: The Concert! started as a small cabaret show in New York about eight years ago. It has since grown into a Broadway-level production with brand-new musical arrangements in four-part harmony to accommodate a quartet of female performers.
Above (From left) Jackson, Van der Pol and Rodriguez perform 'Let It Go' to an exclusive audience at New World Makati Hotel
(From left) Jackson, Van der Pol and Rodriguez perform 'Let It Go' to an exclusive audience at New World Makati Hotel
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There is a reason behind the enduring image of the Disney Princess that, for generations, has enthralled generations with female-forward narratives, quests for true love, and repertoires of spellbinding songs.
Van der Pol remarks, “Disney Princesses encourage us to be ourselves. We want the fantasy of a brand new world full of dreams coming true. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of that in the real world. We want that fantasy and that escapism, but there’s a sense of reality to the Disney films we all watched growing up.”
“They’re not princesses. They’re heroes. It’s really important to have yourself represented, and young girls who aim to drive culture forward see themselves as heroes in those stories,” she adds.
Disney Princess: The Concert! will be held on November 21 at SMX Convention Center Davao and November 22 at the Waterfront Hotel Cebu City.
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About
Julianna has been interested in leading a literary life since she first read Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess at eight. Before working with Tatler, she was an archive intern at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York. She is a textbook Pisces who devotes most of her spare time to her crochet projects, watching classic films, and going through her never-ending pile of unread books. She studied creative writing, global literature and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022. Toni Morrison, Nora Ephron, Clarice Lispector and Jia Tolentino are among her all-time favourite writers.
Work
Julianna writes about fashion, beauty, sustainability, and the arts. She is always keen on conducting interviews with talented women who are changing the game in their respective fields.
For event invites and story leads, hit her up at julianna.cabili@tatlerasia.com
