Thomas Schumacher: President of Disney Theatricals

Thomas Schumacher has spread his infectious enthusiasm for theatre from coast to coast and everywhere in between. He started his career in Los Angeles, working at the Mark Taper Forum and co-producing the 1984 Olympics Arts Festival, which sent shockwaves through a city where great theatre is rarely celebrated. In 1987, he began working with Disney, at first helping to develop animated projects including The Rescuers Down Under and The Lion King, transitioning to the theatrical side of things in 2002. He now oversees the development, creation and execution of all Disney live shows on Broadway and beyond, including The Lion King, Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, and most recently, Newsies and Peter and the Starcatcher, which have both made a splash on Broadway this season, receiving a combined 17 Tony nominations. Schumacher also travels all over the country teaching theatre to students, and recently wrote the book How Does the Show Go On: An Introduction to Theatre. Schumacher joins Elvis in New York City to talk about the Disney legacy of telling stories about the power of the individual, the challenge of translating the highly cinematic to the stage, and the truth about Disney's dark side.

Banner image courtesy of Disney Theatricals