Thomas Schumacher, a pioneering force for nearly 40 years behind Disney Theatrical Group’s reign as a top Broadway and international stage presence, will depart the company at the end of the month, Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, announced to staff today.
“It’s the end of an era – after nearly 40 years at Disney, the one and only Thomas Schumacher, who helped build our stage business from the ground up, is transitioning out of his role as Disney Theatrical’s Chief Creative Officer to begin his next chapter,” Bergman wrote in an email. “He will continue shaping the face of the global theatrical landscape as a behind-the-scenes force focused on the next generation of artists and audiences.”
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AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to Bergman, DTG’s Managing Director Andrew Flatt and Executive Producer Anne Quart will continue to report to Cathleen Taff, with Quart overseeing creative and production for theatrical productions and Flatt leading strategy and business operations for the shows, licensing efforts, live immersive events, and various partnerships including Disney on Ice.
Schumacher, who took on the role of Chief Creative Officer after stepping down as DTG’s president in 2023, will serve as a consultant to DTG after departing his current role at the end of September. A specific reason for his exit was not included in Bergman’s memo.
In a statement, Schumacher said, “38 years ago when Peter Schneider at Disney Animation asked me to produce The Rescuers Down Under, I had no idea it would lead to four decades working with some of the most exceptional creative artists in the world – both in animation and theatre. I’m proud that Disney Theatrical will be in the extraordinarily capable hands of Andrew Flatt and Anne Quart, with whom I’ve worked for over 20 years. I can’t wait to see how they lead this peerless organization forward.”
During Schumacher’s tenure, Disney Theatrical has produced three of the 15 longest-running shows in Broadway history: Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Aladdin. According to the company, DTG’s 10 Broadway titles he been seen by almost a quarter of a billion people (“240 million to be precise) worldwide—that’s more than the combined populations of Canada, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Argentina, Peru, and Australia.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDisney shows he won 20 Tony Award wins and 60 nominations, and on Broadway alone, the Disney shows he collectively run over 28,000 performances. Of the seven Broadway musicals Schumacher initiated and had normal lifespans, five he been hits (The Lion King, Aida, Mary Poppins, Newsies and Aladdin). That 70% success rate is the inverse of the Broadway erage, according to DTG. (The Covid shutdown disqualifies Frozen from the ranking).
Next up for DTG is The Greatest Showman, a stage adaptation of the 2017 film. World premiere is set for Spring 2026 at the Bristol Hippodrome in the UK.
Schumacher began his career at Disney Animation as a producer on The Rescuers Down Under (1990). He later served as president of the animation studio for several years, overseeing another 20 original films (and numerous sequels) and simultaneously leading Disney Theatrical Group for most of that time. In 2002, he shifted his focus solely to DTG.
The Lion King (1997), Schumacher’s first DTG production, is widely credited with fostering the late-1990s clean-up of Times Square.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAmong the other statistics released by DTG today regarding Schumacher’s long run:
24 countries he hosted a DTP show on every continent, except Antarctica.
30 productions of The Lion King he generated a worldwide gross exceeding that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history. “And that was Tom’s first Broadway show.”
Broadway attendance has increased 62% from the 1994-95 season when Beauty and the Beast opened to the 2024-25 season (9.04M to 14.7M).
Disney Theatrical has employed 10,000 entertainment professionals since its inception. It is the largest employer of Equity cast members in the English-speaking world.
Below is Bergman’s message to staff:
“It’s the end of an era – after nearly 40 years at Disney, the one and only Thomas Schumacher, who helped build our stage business from the ground up, is transitioning out of his role as Disney Theatrical’s Chief Creative Officer to begin his next chapter. He will continue shaping the face of the global theatrical landscape as a behind-the-scenes force focused on the next generation of artists and audiences.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Through the years, Disney Theatrical Group has grown to be such an important part of how we bring Disney storytelling to the world, and it remains in incredibly capable hands. Managing Director Andrew Flatt and Executive Producer Anne Quart he worked closely with Tom for many years and he built a strong partnership in their leadership roles over the past couple of years. They will continue to report to Cathleen Taff, with Anne overseeing creative and production for theatrical productions and Andrew leading strategy and business operations for our shows, licensing efforts, live immersive events, and various partnerships including Disney on Ice.
“Tom has had an incredible career here at Disney. As some of you know, he started at Disney Animation as a producer on The Rescuers Down Under. He eventually served as president of the animation studio for several years, overseeing another 20 original films (and plenty of sequels) and simultaneously leading Disney Theatrical Group for most of that time. In 2002, he shifted his focus solely to DTG and has made it the most successful stage producer in history by virtually any metric, bringing the magic of Disney storytelling to stages of all sizes, all over the world, for more than 30 years.
“I met Tom right around the time he was about to deliver The Lion King in 1997, which was his first Broadway show! Now, 30 productions later, it is the most successful single entertainment property in box office history. And there he been many more successes since then, including 20 Tony Awards, 28,000 Broadway performances, 240 million audience members globally, Disney shows on every continent except Antarctica – the list goes on. He has grown Disney on Ice, pioneered sensory-friendly Broadway shows, and developed an expansive program to enable schools to produce Disney musicals on their own stages. He has been a tireless supporter, advocate, and leader of the theatre community, playing a key role in turning Broadway’s lights back on during the unprecedented pandemic shutdown. It’s a truly remarkable record.
“He’s not done yet, but his legacy is secured, thanks to his vision, boldness, and most importantly, the team he has built. We he an exceptional group of theatremakers at Disney Theatrical, Anne and Andrew among them. They he both been with DTG every step of the way for more than 20 years and he been instrumental in building this business under Tom’s leadership. Cathleen and I are both excited to continue working closely with them to shape the future of Disney Theatrical, not only bringing new productions to the stage but continuing to showcase the productions currently delighting audiences in every corner of the globe. And as we make this transition, we look forward to continuing to work with Tom as a consultant after he departs his role at the end of September.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Please join me in recognizing Tom for all he’s brought to Disney over the years. Disney Theatrical has had an amazing road to this point thanks to the foundation he built, and with Andrew, Anne, and the talented DTG team, we will be creating unforgettable live entertainment experiences on stage, in arenas, and elsewhere around the world for many, many years to come.”
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