with the strong branding of disney, every girl would grow up reading about one of the princesses. after the books, comes the movies but even on broadway, the disney princesses are making their mark as well. disney theatrical productions limited, also known as disney on broadway, is the flagship stageplay and musical production company of the disney theatrical group, a self-contained division of the walt disney company.
founded in 1993, as walt disney theatrical, the division has gained a reputation within the industry for creating professional and popular (both critically and financially) performances, starting with the acclaimed beauty and the beast in 1994 and most recently with newsies in 2012. the company is a division of disney theatrical group, led by thomas schumacher.
right now, on broadway, two princesses have graced the stage. they are belle from beauty and the beast and ariel from the little mermaid. here's a collection of their outfits from animation to theme park and finally onto stage.
so what do you think? which version is your favourite? the next disney princess set to make her mark on broadway will be princess jasmine from aladdin. however, before the magic carpet ride, glass slippers are so back! a little teaser for all aspiring princesses...
the phantom of the opera opened in the west end in 1986 and on broadway in 1988. it won the 1986 olivier award and the 1988 tony award for best musical. michael crawford (in the title role) won the 1986 olivier and 1988 tony for best performance by an actor in a musical. it is the longest-running broadway show by a wide margin (celebrating its 10,000th performance on broadway on 11 February. 2012), the second longest-running west end musical and the third longest-running west end show overall.
with total worldwide box office receipts of over $5.1 billion (£3.5 billion), including a record-setting broadway gross of $845 million, phantom is the highest-grossing entertainment event of all time and the most financially successful theatrical show in history. it had been seen by over 130 million people in 145 cities in 27 countries by 2011, the most successful entertainment project in history.
at the helm of the costumes is maria björnson. björnson worked for many theatres around the world, designing sets and costumes both for straight drama and for opera. some of her more notable commissions were for the royal shakespeare company, andrew lloyd webber's the phantom of the opera, which won her the tony award for best scenic design, the drama desk award for outstanding set design, and the drama desk award for outstanding costume design, and the trevor nunn production of aspects of love.
the show has, of course, been remade into film with slightly more elaborate costumes. like what i mentioned, i like the idea that stage costumes are often hand-sewn and each piece is unique in its own way. for the phantom of the opera, i will just compare a few of christine's looks. if you want the full comparison, do click here.
1) hannibal slave girl
the first time we see christine she is wearing a slave girl costume. both versions of this costume are revealing but in different ways. in the stage show it has a plunging neckline and rope skirt. velvet panels make up the bodice and gold cording cover the seams. there is a lot of beaded elements around the neckline and around the shoulders. she also wears a crown. in the movie the costume has an expose midriff. It has a floral print on the bodice. the neckline and waistband appear to be made out of leather with some metal details. the skirt is a lightweight fabric.
2) white dressing gown
after christine's triumphant debut she wears a white dressing gown with ruffles. this dressing is wore during the show's most memorable moments; going through the mirror, the phantom of the opera, music of the night and the first unmasking. in the stage show christine wears a long white robe with long sleeves. it has lots of ruffles at the neckline, cuffs, hem and along the opening. the hannibal corset underneath the gown adds a pop of color. in the movie christine 'dressing gown' is more like lingerie. it consists of a sheer dress with high slit, a white corset, and white robe with ruffles and pink sequins.
3) wedding
the wedding dress is a gown that phantom forces christine to wear. both dress features diagonal elements. in the stage show it's the ruffles on the skirt and an overlay draped at an angel in the movie. however beyond that the dresses are different.
the stage show has a lots of lace and ruffle details, a wide waistband, a sweetheart neckline neckline, 3/4 sleeves, buttons and a bustle. it's a very opulent dress and a great dress to end the show. the movie dress has the same spirit. the dress features an off shoulder neckline with short sleeves. the bodice is identical to an earlier dress in the movie ('think of me'). it has a asymmetrical overlay on the front and drapes around the side and covers the skirt which has ruffles much like the stage show. it's not as opulent as the stage version.
if you read the review, the stage costumes are chosen over the movie dresses. in theatre, with the constraint of time, costume changes have to be swift. the stage fashion is practically part of the cast, contributing to the narrative of the production. love the musical and adore the fashion.
victorian fashion comprises the various fashions and trends in british culture that emerged and grew throughout the victorian era and the reign of queen victoria, a period which would last from june 1837 to january 1901. covering nearly two thirds of the 19th century, the sixty-three year reign would see numerous changes in fashion.
in the 1840s and 1850s, women's gowns developed narrow and sloping shoulders, low and pointed waists, and bell-shaped skirts. corsets, an ankle-length chemise-like skirt, and layers of flounced petticoats were worn under the gowns. by the 1850s the number of petticoats was reduced and the crinoline was worn; as such the size of the skirts expanded. day dresses had a solid bodice and evening gowns had a very low neckline and were worn off the shoulder with sheer shawls and opera-length gloves.
in the 1860s, the skirts became flatter at the front and projected out more behind the woman. day dresses had wide pagoda sleeves and high necklines with lace or tatted collars. evening dresses had low necklines and short sleeves, and were worn with short gloves or fingerless lace or crocheted mitts.
in the 1870s, uncorseted tea gowns were introduced for informal entertaining at home and steadily grew in popularity. bustles were used to replace the crinoline to hold the skirts up behind the woman, even for "seaside dresses".
in the 1880s, riding habits had a matching jacket and skirt (without a bustle), a high-collared shirt or chemisette, and a top hat with a veil. hunting costumes had draped ankle-length skirts worn with boots or gaiters. clothing worn when out walking had a long jacket and skirt, worn with the bustle, and a small hat or bonnet. travelers wore long coats like dusters.
in the 1890s, women's fashion became simpler and less extravagant; both bustles and crinoline fell out of use and dresses were not as tight as before. corsets were still used but became slightly longer, giving women a slight S-curve silhouette. skirts took on a trumpet shape, fitting closely over the hip with a wasp-waist cut and flaring just above the knee. High necks and puffed sleeves became popular. the silhouette changed once again as the victorian era drew to a close. the shape was essentially an inverted triangle, with a wide-brimmed hat on top, a full upper body with puffed sleeves, no bustle, and a skirt that narrowed at the ankles. the enormous wide-brimmed hats were covered with elaborate creations of silk flowers, ribbons, and above all, exotic plumes; hats sometimes included entire exotic birds that had been stuffed. Many of these plumes came from birds in the florida everglades, which were nearly entirely decimated by overhunting. well, i hope that you've 'hat' enough victorian fashion for today...
