A talented group of Okotoks and area singers are bursting with excitement to bring beloved Disney characters to life.
The Big Rock Singers is preparing a captivating performance of much-loved songs from seven classic Disney movies in its performance Be Our Guest at the Foothills Centennial Centre May 6.
“There will be hundreds of costumes, lots of brilliant lights and great choreography,” said Nairn Nerland, marketing director. “I’m pretty excited about this one. It’s going to be spectacular.”
The 51 singers will don elaborate costumes to portray dozens of the Disney characters.
“The costumes are over the top – they’re amazing,” he said. “We’ve got full costumes – head pieces, Timon and Pumba, candlesticks and clocks. We have a complete costume team that’s made these phenomenal costumes. The costumes and the music are going to be amazing.”
Audiences will recognize songs from The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Aida and The Princess and the Frog, said Nerland.
“We move through the songs quickly through large medleys so you get a taste of every song that’s a highlight from the show,” he said. “With Aladdin, for example, it’s a 15 minute medley of various songs from the entire movie. It moves you through the story as you move through the songs.”
Nerland said the Disney theme was instantly embraced by members of the Big Rock Singers.
“They are pretty excited because everybody loves to sing Disney,” he said. “It’s tremendously fun music to sing and everybody is excited because it’s such a broad appeal. Our ticket sales are going really well.”
Musical director Carey Gruber, who selected only Disney classics performed on Broadway, said the enthusiasm among the singers had been infectious.
“We have well over a dozen people who are new to the group this season so it makes them feel instantly at home because everybody else is having a great time,” she said.
“They are bubbling over with excitement. When we talk about what it’s going to be like in front of an audience likely filled with children, they are like children themselves. They are just giddy.”
For the first time ever, the Big Rock Singers is hosting two performances.
“Because it has such a broad appeal we felt it was time to have two performances,” Nerland said. “We put in such a great amount of effort. It’s exciting for us as performers to do two shows.”
The performances take place in the afternoon at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.
When the doors open, ticketholders will be greeted by Disney princesses. Audience members are encouraged to join in the fun and dress as their favourite Disney characters.
Tickets to see Be Our Guest range from $4 to $48 and are available online at bigrocksingers.com. Half of the ticket sales will be split between the Sheep River Health Trust and Foothills Country Hospice.
