A spokesperson for the production confirmed that the new musical is slated for a spring 2006 Broadway berth at a theatre to be announced. No casting has been set, although the musical will boast a company of 34.
Tarzan will feature direction as well as set and costume design by Bob Crowley, choreography by Meryl Tankard with aerial movement by Pichon Baldinu of De La Guarda fame. Natasha Katz will design the lighting with sound design by John Shivers.
Phil Collins, who penned the score for Disney's animated "Tarzan" film, has written several additional songs for the stage version. The musical will also feature a book by David Henry Hwang, adapted from the film's screenplay by Tab Murphy, Bob Tzudiker and Noni White and based on the novel "Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
The 1999 animated Disney film of "Tarzan" featured songs by Phil Collins. Collins, in fact, won an Oscar for the tune "You'll Be In My Heart." The film employed the voices of Tony Goldwyn (Tarzan), Minnie Driver (Jane Porter), Glenn Close (Kala), Brian Blessed (Clayton), Nigel Hawthorne (Porter), Lance Henriksen (Kerchak), Wayne Knight (Tanor), Alex D. Linz (Young Tarzan) and Rosie O'Donnell (Terk).
* A Jan. 30, 2004, workshop of the musical featured Daniel Manche as the Child Tarzan and The Light in the Piazza's Matthew Morrison as the Adult Tarzan. Former Rent-er Adam Pascal sang the role of the Tarzan Storyteller. The remainder of the workshop cast included Everett Bradley (ensemble), Laura Bell Bundy (Jane), Will Chase (Clayton), Dwayne Clark (ensemble), Aisha de Haas (ensemble), Chris Fitzgerald (Adult Terk), Kristen Lee Kelly (ensemble), Joshua Kobak (ensemble), Anika Larsen (ensemble), Cass Morgan (Kala), Doug Storm (ensemble), Travis Walters (Child Terk), Alton White (Kerchak) and Paxton Whitehead (Porter).