Bringing ‘The Tale of Moana’ to the stage on Disney Treasure
After sailing on the Disney Treasure, we described “The Tale of Moana” as, simply put, the best theatrical show currently playing on a Disney cruise ship. This is the first-ever stage adaptation of the 2016 Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Moana,” and the production uses innovative set design, staging, and puppetry to bring this Pacific Islands folktale to life. Attractions Magazine spoke with the creative team for “The Tale of Moana” to find out more about how they brought the story to stage.
The director’s pitch
The show director and co-choreographer of “The Tale of Moana,” Connor Gallagher, has an impressive résumé that includes creating the choreography for Broadway’s “Beetlejuice,” off-Broadway’s “The Robber Bridegroom,” touring productions of “Elf,” and much more. This is not Gallagher’s first Disney production, either. He’s also responsible for directing and choreographing the award-winning stage production of “Beauty and the Beast” that premiered onboard the Disney Dream, and is also playing on the Disney Treasure.
After bringing “Beauty and the Beast” to Disney Cruise Line, Gallagher pitched the idea of “The Tale of Moana,” saying, “As an artist, I love the opportunity to create brand-new and to give it life on stage for the first time was an incredible experience.” Gallagher also wanted to create a show that honored a specific cultural heritage. To do that, he searched for a diverse cast that reflected the Pacific Islander culture and conducted auditions in Hawaii, where he found his Moana: Kaenaonālani “Kaena” Kekoa.
Portraying Moana for a new show
“The Tale of Moana” is only the second professional show for Kaena Kekoa, who was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Kekoa studied to be a teacher, but she always sang with her family, had a love of performing, and is thrilled to “belt her face off” for a living.
Like the film, “The Tale of Moana” begins on the fictional island of Motunui, where toddler Moana explores the ocean. For this scene, Gallagher incorporated a puppet that looks hand-carved by the villagers. Gramma Tala serves as the narrator for the story, introducing her granddaughter. The audience sees how the ocean chooses young Moana to find the heart of Te Fiti through traditional dance and song that include a blend of Polynesian language and culture such as Tuvaluan, Tokelauan, and Samoan.
Kekoa said her favorite scene in the show takes place when Moana’s sailing canoe emerges from the island as the spirit of Gramma Tala soars above and around the theater. “This story is very special,” Kekoa continued. “It’s based on real people, folklore, and stories, and we want to take care of it.”
Utilizing Broadway-style puppets
Some of the most awe-inspiring moments in “The Tale of Moana” involve amazing puppetry bringing characters to the stage. For example, four puppeteers are needed to create the scene-stealing character of Tamatoa. Gallagher needed the large scale, but was also careful not to overwhelm the performer. “We have to give the performer life,” Gallagher remarked, “but also allow them to be comically nimble and not bogged down by a puppet.”
“The Tale of Moana” culminates with Moana taking on the 15-foot-tall fiery lava monster Te Kā. To create the Te Kā puppet, Disney Live Entertainment creative director of puppetry and articulation, Jeff Conover, worked with Broadway puppet designer Michael Curry, renowned for his work on the Tony Award-winning musical “The Lion King.” Once Moana defeats Te Kā to restore the heart of Te Fiti, the giant puppet sheds its fiery shell to transform into the gentle island goddess, Te Fiti herself.
Gallagher shared that close inspection of the Te Fiti puppet reveals a patchwork making it look as if the villagers themselves made it. However, the director explained that the patchwork design hides sophisticated engineering so actors of every shape and size can maneuver the massive puppet around the stage night after night.
Disney Treasure celebrates community
A remote village community plays a prominent role in not only “The Tale of Moana,” but also Gallagher’s other show performed on the Disney Treasure, “Beauty and the Beast.” Because of the multicultural cast needed for Moana and due to the ship’s shows sharing its performers, the ensemble creates “one of the most diverse productions of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ that you’ve ever seen,” the director exclaimed.
Photo by Steven Diaz / Disney
Jenny Weinbloom, vice president of live entertainment for Disney Signature Experiences, went on to explain that the themes of community and cultural identity found on stage in “Moana” and “Beauty and the Beast” also continue in the Plaza de Coco dinner show — thus, allowing guests cruising onboard the Disney Treasure to think deeply about roles and relationships with their ancestors while enjoying their own families on the ship.
Photo by Kent Phillips / Disney
Full video interviews with ‘Moana’ show’s creatives
Hear more behind-the-scenes insight about “The Tale of Moana” live show from actor Kaenaonālani Kekoa and director Connor Gallagher in the full video versions of our interviews:
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