‘High School Musical,’ ‘Little Mermaid’ Stars Perform for Disney’s Throwback Concerts at Hollywood Bowl

‘High School Musical,’ ‘Little Mermaid’ Stars Perform for Disney’s Throwback Concerts at Hollywood Bowl

As a huge Disney fan, I was absolutely blown away by the Disney ’80s-’90s Celebration in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl over the weekend. The live performances by so many talented artists who had worked on previous Disney projects was truly a magical experience.


I was thrilled to attend Disney’s nostalgic concert series at the Hollywood Bowl last weekend, where they revisited their classic works from past decades.

As a gamer, I’d describe it like this: I was transported back in time at the Disney ’80s-’90s Celebration in Concert. It felt surreal as I watched live performers sing my favorite tunes from those iconic decades. Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel from The Little Mermaid, captivated me with her powerful vocals. Corbin Bleu, the heartthrob from High School Musical, had the crowd going wild. Bill Farmer, the official Disney voice actor for Goofy and Pluto, brought a touch of nostalgia. Krysta Rodriguez, known for her role in Smash, delivered an electrifying performance. And who could forget Aisha Jackson, Broadway’s Anna from Frozen? Her voice was enchanting. Lastly, Susan Egan, with her roles as Meg in Hercules and the original Belle in Broadway’s Beauty and the Beast, left me speechless. Each performer brought a unique energy to the stage that made for an unforgettable experience.

During the shows, some classic tunes fitting for their eras were played, including “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas, “Circle of Life” from The Lion King, and “What’s This?” from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. An orchestra led by the Los Angeles Philharmonic added to their enchantment with beautiful instrumental melodies.

On Friday, as Benson stepped onto the stage to sing “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid, she reminisced about meeting Howard Ashman beforehand during her professional journey. Ashman had motivatingly urged her to try out for the role of Ariel’s voice in the movie.

“I unexpectedly secured the part of Ariel, and I’m humbled to have played this role for you all for 37 years,” Benson shared with the audience. “It’s a tremendous honor. Howard imparted valuable wisdom on me, but the lesson I’m most grateful for is learning to be authentic on the radio – to be true and open, not striving for perfection, but rather, perfecting myself for Ariel.”

At the same concert, when Bleu went onstage with performer Adam J. Levy to introduce a song, Levy playfully poked fun at Bleu’s role as Chad in “High School Musical” by singing a short excerpt of “Get’cha Head in the Game.” In response, Bleu jokingly retorted, “Nice one, pal.”

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2024-07-24 13:54