Drawn to Life Opens Today

Today November 18th, is officially opening day for Drawn to Life at Disney Springs. There have been Cast Member previews, but this is the first showing that is open to Guests. We have media event tickets tonight and will tomorrow give our review of the show.

Imagineer Zach Riddley shared on his Instagram some photos and stories about the new show.

Today marks the world premiere of “Drawn to Life” a collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering.

As WDI Portfolio Executive for Walt Disney World, I had a front row seat to the development of this show. I watched as artists from around the world came together to bring concepts of animation – so long the foundation of The Walt Disney Company – into being through performance, athleticism, visual poetry, magie nouvelle, lifetimes of training and sheer will.

I remember one of our creative trips to the Cirque headquarters in Montreal. It’s a surreal place – part office, part costume atelier, part Olympic training center. Our conference room on the 2nd floor looked out onto a rehearsal studio. Performers would fly by practicing high wire acts and trapeze. You appreciate the practice and the mental focus this art requires. I was standing there in awe while eating a muffin … and realizing my gym game is amateur hour compared to this crew.’

One evening after our meetings we went for dinner. I was sitting next to Eric Goldberg – the famed animator of Genie from Aladdin, Phil in Hercules and the co-director of Pocahontas. (He also worked with our team on EPCOT to produce four minutes of new hand drawn animation for Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico). Eric created new sequences of hand drawn animation for this show. As Eric described his process over pasta I was humbled by how lucky I was to be listening and learning from a true master of his art form.

Making art requires years (lifetimes) of training to hone your skill – to put something original into the world that makes people feel, smile and remember. It is vulnerable to put something so deeply personal out there for all to judge and to feel. All more so while dangling by one hand high above an audience fixed on your every move.

Drawn to Life is a love letter to creative will. Every performance is a testament to the power of the creative act – whether by pencil, paintbrush, tumbling or unicycle. You will feel Disney differently after this show. And that’s the highest praise any artist can hope for.

@cirquedusoleil
@waltdisneyimagineering
@disneyanimation

Keep up with all the latest Disney information on Disney Tips and like our Facebook Page.