Character guide
Tarzan
from Tarzan
Tarzan is the title character of Tarzan, the 2006 Disney musical with music by Phil Collins, a man raised by gorillas who must choose between two worlds.
- Show
- Tarzan
- Broadway premiere
- 2006
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Phil Collins
Tarzan: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 1999 Disney film
In the 1999 Disney film, Tarzan does not carry the songs: Tony Goldwyn voiced the adult Tarzan and Alex D. Linz the boy, while Phil Collins performed the songs over the action. On Broadway, Tarzan sings his own story. Josh Strickland originated the role in 2006 with new songs such as Different and For the First Time with Jane, and Everything That I Am.
Collins wrote nine new songs for the stage alongside the five from the film. The musical also drops Tantor the elephant.
Who is Tarzan?
Tarzan is an infant who survives a shipwreck that kills his parents and is raised deep in the African jungle by the gorilla Kala, who adopts him as her own despite the objections of the wary troop leader Kerchak. He grows up torn between the gorilla family that loves him and his own sense that he does not quite belong among them.
When human explorers arrive, including the naturalist Jane Porter, Tarzan is forced to confront his own identity for the first time, discovering both his human heritage and a connection to Jane that pulls him toward a world he has never known.
Tarzan's role in Tarzan
Tarzan is the show's title character and lead role, demanding a performer who can combine athletic, aerial physicality, including vine work and climbing, with genuine emotional vulnerability. His songs move between raw, wordless expressions of feeling and more conventional duets with Jane as their relationship develops.
The role's blend of physical stunt work and sincere emotional stakes made it a demanding and unusual assignment for a Broadway leading man, and it became known for the sheer athleticism required to swing and climb through the show's jungle set night after night.
Tarzan: frequently asked questions
What show is Tarzan from?
Tarzan is the title character of Tarzan, which opened on Broadway in 2006.
Is Tarzan a lead or supporting role?
Tarzan is the lead role and title character of the musical.
Who wrote the music for Tarzan?
Phil Collins composed the music and lyrics for Tarzan.
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