Terrapin Station, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, is launching the fifth North American tour built around the successful Disney Jr. Live On Tour franchise, the company announced Monday (May 13).
The new tour, titled Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play, is slated to visit more than 60 U.S. cities this fall thanks to aggressive routing, support from new presenting sponsor Walmart and an IP partnership with the extremely popular cable channel, Disney Jr.
The family entertainment industry is experiencing renewed growth in the post-pandemic era as families look for affordable experiences created for young children. But meeting that demand can be a challenge for smaller promoters, many of which struggle to license premium children’s content and compete for venue dates against larger competitors including Feld Entertainment, owners of Ringing Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and Round Room Entertainment, a New York-based family show production company that completed a management-led buyout from former owner Hasbro in 2022.
But Terrapin Station CEO Jonathan Shank has found repeat success in the space by partnering with the most prestigious brand in family entertainment and steadily growing the company’s market share. Since launching in 2018, the Disney Jr. Live On Tour has generated $30 million and sold more than 750,000 tickets since launch, he says, adding that Let’s Play has a gross potential of about $8 million.
“Disney Jr. Live On Tour has continued to grow over the past five years and is now one of the biggest family touring franchises on the road,” said Shank in a statement. “We are thrilled to bring this all-new show to theaters across the country.”
New to the tour this year is the addition of the Little Mermaid-inspired Ariel from the highly anticipated new series Disney Jr.’s Ariel. The character will make her debut alongside Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and characters from other fan-favorite Disney Jr. series including Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends and SuperKitties. The tour will also feature the iconic clubhouse from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play kicks off Sept. 17 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, Calif., and will make the franchise’s first-ever appearance at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater Sept. 20. Additional stops include The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, The Opry House in Nashville and the Rosemont Theatre in Chicago.
Disney Visa card members can purchase tickets to Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play before the general public starting Tuesday (May 14) at 10 a.m. through Thursday (May 16) at 10 p.m. local time. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning Friday (May 17). VIP packages, including admission to the VIP pre-party interactive experience, are also available for purchase.
“We are very excited to introduce preschoolers and their families to our newest series, ‘Disney Jr.’s Ariel,’ with a musical segment starring our young little mermaid,” said Jennifer Rogers Doyle, senior vp of networks franchise management, integrated planning and licensing at Disney Entertainment. “We are also excited to announce that, for the first time, the iconic Clubhouse from ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’ will be incorporated into our live show, ‘Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play.’ This will bring the wonderment and delight of the Clubhouse experience to our youngest fans.”
For tour information and to purchase tickets, visit www.disneyjuniortour.com.
