Show guide
Tarzan
Tarzan brings Disney's tale of a man raised by gorillas to the Broadway stage, set to a rock and pop score by Phil Collins.
- Broadway premiere
- 2006
- Music by
- Phil Collins
- Genre
- Rock/Pop
- Setting
- Timeless
Tarzan: quick answers
What is Tarzan about?
- Tarzan follows an orphaned boy raised by gorillas in the West African jungle, who grows up torn between his ape family and the human world when the naturalist Jane Porter and her father's expedition arrive.
When did Tarzan open on Broadway?
- Tarzan opened on Broadway on May 10, 2006, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and ran for 486 performances, closing on July 8, 2007.
What kind of musical is Tarzan?
- Tarzan is a Disney family musical with a pop score by Phil Collins, who added nine new songs to the five he wrote for the 1999 animated film.
Where and when is Tarzan set?
- Tarzan is set in the jungle of West Africa, following Tarzan from infancy, after his parents are shipwrecked, to young adulthood.
Is there a Tarzan movie?
- The musical is adapted from Disney's 1999 animated film, featuring the voices of Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close and Rosie O'Donnell, whose Phil Collins song You'll Be in My Heart won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
The story of Tarzan
Tarzan follows an infant boy who is orphaned in the African jungle after his parents' ship is wrecked and is raised by a family of gorillas led by the protective Kala. As he grows into a young man torn between two worlds, his life changes when a group of human explorers arrives, including Jane Porter, a curious and independent naturalist who challenges everything he thought he knew about who he is.
The musical leans on themes of family, belonging, and identity, following Tarzan as he tries to reconcile the gorilla troop that raised him, led warily by the skeptical Kerchak, with the pull of the human world Jane represents. It is at heart a coming of age story about finding your place between two families and two homes.
The music and the makers
The score was written by Phil Collins, who had already composed songs for the 1999 animated film, and he expanded that soundtrack into a full stage score for Broadway. His music leans on soaring pop and soft rock ballads, built around drums, guitar, and lush vocal harmonies rather than a traditional orchestral Broadway sound.
Songs like Two Worlds and You'll Be in My Heart carried over from the film and anchor the stage score's emotional through line, giving Tarzan a contemporary pop identity that set it apart from more classically orchestrated Disney stage musicals of the same era.
Tarzan on Broadway
Tarzan opened on Broadway on May 10, 2006 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, staged with elaborate aerial work and vine swinging effects to bring the jungle setting to life. The production received one Tony Award nomination, for Natasha Katz's lighting design, but did not win.
The show closed on July 8, 2007 after 486 performances, a relatively short run for a Disney stage title. It has since been licensed for regional and international productions, giving the show a continued life beyond its original Broadway staging even though it never became a long running Disney flagship title like The Lion King.
Tarzan: frequently asked questions
When did Tarzan open on Broadway?
Tarzan opened on Broadway on May 10, 2006 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.
Who composed Tarzan?
Phil Collins wrote the music and lyrics for Tarzan.
What is Tarzan about?
It follows a boy raised by gorillas in the African jungle who, as a young man, must choose between his gorilla family and the human world represented by the explorer Jane Porter.
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