Disney’s Wal-Mart Gambit

Disney is rehearsing a new theatrical venture, and it’s decidedly different from the usual Disney fare. “On the Record represents an entirely different kind of project for Disney Theatricals — it’s cheap to do. And it relies utterly and completely on the public’s love for existing Disney songs such as “Under the Sea” or “A Spoonful of Sugar.” That affection — and familiarity — is both global and also widely found in smaller and midsize American cities that might never get to see “The Lion King” in all its glory. It’s a growing market for Disney Theatricals, which had tended to stay concentrated in the major theatrical centers. But that’s not how Wal-Mart made its money — ubiquity is profitable.”