Behind the Scenes of Disney on Ice: Toy Story 3
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Joe Stewart
While there are projections, on the ice itself and to enhance the set, the bulk of the scenery is tangible. At the true story�s opening the environment is sparse but relatable. A rolling desk chair, laptop computer and cardboard packing box, coupled only with a fabric drop patterned in that recognizable cloud wallpaper, lets us know visually right off the bat that we�re in Andy�s room as he is preparing to head off to college.
�Toy Story 3� is special in the fact that we don�t experience only the third installment of the Toy Story movies on the rink. In Act I, with Andy getting ready for the next phase in his life, the toys reminisce about their past deeds and exploits, allowing us to relive moments from both �Toy Story� and �Toy Story 2� along with them. From Woody�s, Jesse�s and Bullseye�s early television days on �Woody�s Roundup� to Buzz Lightyear�s battle with the evil galactic Emperor Zurg we�ll be taken on a lively romp down memory lane with the whole Toy Story gang.
Disney and Feld Entertainment really seem to be a match made in heaven. Designers, directors and choreographers alike tend to come in for a show then sit down and stay a while. Stewart is no different. Like many of the creative folk tapped by Feld, he has an impressive list of credits and awards to his name. He has worked in television for 30 years, designing for talk shows (�The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson�, �The Tonight Show with Conan O�Brien�, �The Ellen DeGeneres Show�), awards shows (�2007 American Music Awards� multiple �Primetime Emmy Awards�), and the iconic set designs for �Friends� to name but a few. Many of these were collaborations with his design partner John Shaffner.
�I primarily work in television but my original training was in the theatre. I studied stage design at Carnegie Mellon University. And so actually, basically, stage design is the beginning of almost everything.�
Stewart�s favorite toy as a child was one that sparked his imagination, and, in some ways, aided him toward his career path. �It was a little television set that had cardboard scenery inside of it. And you would have magnetic puppets underneath and you could move the magnetic things around and do little shows like Sleeping Beauty, or Goldilocks and you could change the scenery in it. And I thought it was the coolest thing I could ever get. There�s pictures of me playing with it when I was a little boy, I mean, like first grader. And I was just dazzled by it. I�d set up flashlights and turn it on and look at it - and, of course I loved to watch tv for real when I was little - but this was a kind of a funny combination because it was a tv set with theatrical scenery in it. I loved that toy. It was called the �Shirley Temple Dream Theater�
And so, in Feld, found a great place to go back to his roots. �It�s wonderful working with the Felds. I had previously done a circus design with them and I really liked working with them.� Stewart said. �For me the process is absolutely incredible. And then I like the collaboration that we work through, also the process of how it is that we get to our storytelling points.�
Having extensive design experience in musical theatre, as well as designing for the Tournament of Roses Parade and creating couture for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, costume designer Scott Lane also began his time with Feld on a Barnum circus show. Since then he has designed for six Disney On Ice shows, including �Finding Nemo� and �Monsters Inc.�, as well as three Disney Live! Productions.
Scott Lane
�It�s a great organization to be a part of. It�s a very comfortable place. You know, there�s a style between the circus and ice show, sort of what I call �Classical Musical Theatre�, and it takes a certain kind of designer that can do that, and you have to be able to pull off a depth of what I call �broad�, so it can read in the arena. And I think once we find our little home there, as long as everybody gets along with you, you�re kind of roped in. And in a really good way.�