Descendants (musical)
| Disney's Descendants | |
|---|---|
| The Musical | |
| Music | Madeline Smith |
| Lyrics | Nick Blaemire |
| Book | Nick Blaemire |
| Basis | Descendants (franchise) by Josann McGibbon, Sara Parriott, and David Lawrence |
Search Descendants (musical) on Amazon.
Disney's Descendants: The Musical is a stage musical with music adaptation by Madeline Smith and lyrics and a book by Nick Blaemire[1] as a part of Disney Theatricals. Adapted from the Disney Channel Original Movies, Descendants,[2] it tells the story of four children of Disney villains who travel to the fictional kingdom of Auradon to try to blend with the "good" characters from fairytales. They at first refuse the idea of blending with princesses and princes but grow to like it and eventually stay and overthrow their evil parents.
No notable productions have been performed because of its new arrival to the world of musical theatre, but Music Theatre International released the rights to a one act version of the production on February 6, 2020 with an optional intermission and entr'acte.[3]
Development[edit]
Talk of a Descendants musical has been around since the first film came out but official talk of the show came about in December 2019.[4] Talk of bringing the show to Broadway had also been rumored but no official news has been put out yet. However, Dove Cameron, who played Mal in the film series, confirmed that she would love to reprise her role if the show ever got to New York. It was soon after announced that writer of Glory Days, Nick Blaemire, would be writing the book and additional lyrics for the show.[5] It was also announced that he would be working alongside Madeline Smith who would write new music to add to the show.
While the musical uses several songs from the second film and two from the third, the main plot line is from the first film. It also cuts characters Uma, Lonnie, Harry, Gil, Dizzy, Dude, Hades, Celia, Squeaky, Squirmy, Dr. Facilier, Lady Tremaine, Smee, and Queen Leah. The show additionally uses two songs written for the spin-off web show Descendants: Wicked World.
Plot[edit]
Act 1[edit]
Soon to be prince, Ben writes a speech for his coronation ("Better Together (Prelude)"). His parents, Belle and Adam, meet him in his room. He tells them of his news to invite four children of villains to come to Auradon. They are taken aback and at first refuse to allow it. But after some compromise, they agree, warning him that if this is a mistake, he will not become king. On the Isle Of The Lost, the four villain children (Mal, daughter of Maleficent, Jay, son of Jafar, Evie, daughter of Queen Grimhilde, and Carlos, son of Cruella de Vil) lament their lives on the island, whilst wreaking havoc on the citizens ("Rotten To The Core"). A royal page informs the "evils" that they've been invited to attend Auradon Preparatory School. At first reluctant to go, they run to tell their parents of the news. But when Maleficent hears of the invitation, she forces Mal to go, in order to obtain Fairy Godmother's magic wand and rule both the island and Auradon. She shows Mal a spellbook and promises that if Mal goes, the two will work together to spread evil, one of Mal's biggest dreams ("Evil Like Me"). The evils go to the school where they are met by the school's choir, welcoming them to the land of Auradon ("Be Our Guest"). The Fairy Godmother, also the headmistress of Auradon Prep, welcomes them along with the help of Cinderella's son Chad. Also in attendance are Ben, his girlfriend Audrey (daughter of Aurora) Jane (daughter of Fairy Godmother), and Doug (son of Dopey).
The students are immediately overcome with hate from Auradonian students who are scared of the evils and their parents ("Good Is The New Bad"). Evie soon develops a crush for Chad, ignoring Doug's warnings. To win over Chad's affections, Evie uses her magic mirror to answer a chemistry question. He soon approaches her about dating, but first asks if she could do his homework for him. Thinking this is a good first step, she agrees, though Doug, who secretly has a crush on her, tells her that Chad is just using her. The evils begin to formulate a plot to get the wand so that they can go back to the isle as soon as possible. They find out that it is located in The Museum Of Cultural History and begin to go. Jane sees them sneaking out after curfew and follows them to the museum. At the museum, they see a security guard but Mal quickly puts him to sleep using the spellbook. After getting in, they find the wand but find it is protected by a barrier. Jay attempts to sneak through it, but he sets off the security alarm on accident. Carlos saves the group by calling campus security and saying that it was a false alarm. They run out, followed by Jane, who just saw their plan to get the wand.
During "Remedial Goodness class," Fairy Godmother arranges for a video call with the evils' parents, but it quickly goes south as the parents critique the children and the school. Back on the Isle of the Lost, the villain parents vow to take revenge on the school ("Rotten To The Core (Parents Revenge)"). Jay and Carlos both tryout for the Tourney Team but are not accepted by the other players ("Goal"). However, after gameplay, the coach brings both of them on the team, telling them that they have to learn to play on the team and not just for themselves. Jane tries to tell her mother about the evils in the museum, but just gets ignored. Ben stops by their dorm room and tells the evils that they are all invited to his coronation. Mal, seeing an opportunity, asks if she could sit up front near the wand, but he tells her that "up front, it's just me, my folks, and my girlfriend." After he leaves, Mal formulates a plan to become Ben's girlfriend through the use of a magical cookie. They soon discover that the recipe calls for a human tear, which they acquire from Jane after she tells them about her mother's neglectfulness. They bake the cookie and Mal gives one to Ben the next day, who eats it and immediately falls for Mal ("Did I Mention"). He asks her to the coronation dance and she agrees, coming one step closer to her plan. On their first date, sparks fly, and Mal realizes that she may actually be falling for Ben. However, Ben soon finds the spellbook and sees that she's used many spells to change things about herself. He gets defensive claiming that she is just like her mother, and she runs off ("Better Together (Prelude 2)").
Act 2[edit]
Mal storms into her dorm room, confessing to Evie that he found out her secret and Evie comforts her by telling her, the two will always be friends ("Space Between"). Unknowingly, Evie convinces Mal to go back to the isle and she warns Ben of Mal's decision. She, Carlos, and Jay tell him that if he wants to go after her, he has to learn how to act like a villain and the make their way to the isle ("Chillin' Like A Villain"). Back in Auradon, Ben's parents and Fairy Godmother worry that Ben has not been seen anywhere and Chad blames the evils. Audrey and Chad begin a plan to get the whole school against the evils, for Audrey to get her boyfriend back, and for Chad to become captain of the Tourney Team. On the Isle, the other evils find Mal and confront her about leaving without any warning and bring Ben into the room. However, as Ben is about to ask for forgiveness, Mal hides everyone when Maleficent comes in. Her mother reassures Mal that this is the right thing to do for everyone on the Isle, but Mal questions the decisions she's already made ("If Only"). Ben, having overheard the conversation between Mal and her mother, realizes that the evils had planned to steal the wand and tells them all to go back through the portal to Auradon.
Once arrived, Ben meets his parents to tell them that he's okay, not telling them that he went to the isle. Meanwhile, Evie's mirror has been confiscated by Maurice, the chemistry teacher, thanks to Chad's revealing of her secret. Audrey and Chad try to convince Maurice to expel Evie and the rest of the evils, but Doug proclaims that she can do the work and that she was just checking her answers. Maurice agrees to this, but Evie freaks out at Doug for putting her up to this. However, Audrey and Chad still try to convince Ben to get rid of the evils and a fight breaks out on campus. Beast and Belle show up, and blame the evils for starting the fight, telling Ben that the idea was a mistake ("Ways To Be Wicked").
Later, at Ben's coronation, the villains watch from the Isle while Mal rides to the ceremony with Ben. The villains see Mal in a dress holding hands with Mal and Maleficent vows that she has to do something. She uses her scepter to transport herself into Auradon, planning to crash the coronation and get the wand herself. Back at the coronation, the party begins with another welcome song sung by the school choir ("Go the Distance"). Evie also completes her test with a high grade and is given back her magic mirror. She asks Doug to the coronation in return for his kindness. Mal reveals to Ben that she spelled him into loving her but he tells her that the spell wore off eventually and he actually does love her. During the ceremony, Ben is almost crowned king when Jane steals the wand, worried that the evils would have first, but finds that she can't control it and begins shooting magic all over the cathedral. Mal grabs the wand away from Jane but then refuses to give it back to Ben, realizing she has completed her task. The crowd moves away in fear and her friends try to convince Mal that they can now run away and go back to the isle. But Ben tells Mal that she doesn't have to do everything her mom makes her. All of a sudden, Maleficent appears and grabs the wand from Mal and attempts to grab Ben's crown but Mal jumps in front of him. Maleficent tells Mal that "love is weak" but Mal tries to force against it ("Evil Like Me (Reprise)"). The four evils fight Maleficent and steal the wand from her but nothing works. Until Mal stands in front of her mother, stares her down, and chants that love will win all. Maleficent, overrun, disappears against her will and the crowd applauds the evils. The Fairy Godmother tells them that their combined love worked and Ben embraces Mal. They then tell the school how they did it and invites the school to do the same ("Better Together"). As his first official proclamation, Ben opens the portal for good, inviting everyone into Auradon for good. All, including Audrey and Chad, rejoice at the new world they've created ("Break This Down").
Characters[edit]
| Character | Description |
| Mal | Daughter of Maleficent and Hades (a subplot from Descendants 3) |
| Evie | Daughter of Queen Grimhilde and Mal's best friend |
| Jay | Son of Jafar |
| Carlos | Son of Cruella De Vil |
| Ben | Son of Belle and Beast and prince of Auradon |
| Maleficent | Evil fairy and absentee mother of Mal |
| Fairy Godmother | Headmistress of Auradon Prep |
| Audrey | Daughter of Aurora and Prince Phillip and granddaughter of Queen Leah |
| Jane | Daughter of Fairy Godmother |
| Chad | Son of Cinderella and Prince Charming |
| Doug | Son of Dopey |
| King Beast | King of Auradon, husband to Belle, and father to Ben |
| Queen Belle | Queen of Auradon, wife to Beast, and mother to Ben |
| Queen Grimhilde | Mother of Evie |
| Jafar | Father of Jay |
| Cruella De Vil | Mother of Carlos |
| Maurice | Auradon Prep's chemistry teacher and father of Belle |
| Coach | Coach of the Tourney Team |
| Royal Page | Royal messenger to Belle and Beast |
| Royal Guard | Security guard at Auradon's museum |
| Snow White | Reporter at Ben's coronation |
| Ensemble | Isle Citizens, Auradonians, Auradonian Choir |
Musical Numbers[edit]
|
|
* New song
† Pre-existing song from another Disney film
Instrumentation[edit]
Complete instrumentation has been said to be released on MTI's website in June 2020.
Recordings[edit]
A recording of the full soundtrack was released through DTG Licensing on YouTube and attached to MTI's website.[6]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Disney's Descendants: The Musical". Music Theatre International. 2019-01-25. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
- ↑ "Disney Channel's "Descendants" Has Been Officially Adapted for Stage Productions!". Inside the Magic. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
- ↑ "Read Disney's Descendants: The Musical for Free and License Today". Music Theatre International. 2020-02-06. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
- ↑ Desk, BWW News. "DISNEY'S DESCENDANTS Kicks Off The Children's Theatre Of Cincinnati's 101st Season". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
- ↑ "Nick Blaemire on Writing "Glory Days", the National Tour of "Falsettos" and How to Search for Balance". OnStage Blog. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
- ↑ "DTG Licensing". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
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