During sailings aboard Disney Cruise Line’s new ship, the Disney Treasure, guests are invited to dive deep into an extraordinary journey in Disney The Tale of Moana, a Broadway-style show inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 2016 feature film Moana.
“Audiences are primed to come in and have a good experience,” the show’s director, Connor Gallagher, said. “They’re not rushing in from traffic or coming here after a bad day at work. They’re coming in to have a theatrical experience and see characters they love come to life. They’re coming from a place of love — and that creates such a nice energy.”
As the show begins, the Walt Disney Theatre transforms from the fictional island of Motunui into the open ocean as Moana embarks on an epic voyage to save her people. Disney The Tale of Moana features vibrant dancing, choreographed by Gallagher and Peter Rockford Espiritu; songs in a mix of languages, including Tuvaluan, Tokelauan, and Samoan; and the first live staging of “Warrior Face,” inspired by traditional Haka. Adding to the spectacle is larger-than-life puppetry, including Te Kā — the largest puppet that Disney Cruise Line has ever created. In the grand finale, the massive lava monster towers over the audience before Moana helps her transform into the benevolent mother island, Te Fiti.
“As the first-ever stage production of Moana, this production means a lot to all of us,” said Kaena Kekoa, who plays Moana. “After several years of rehearsals, it’s nice to finally be able to share this with people and for them to receive it.”
Setting the Stage
According to Gallagher, the show was in development for four years before it opened.
“One of the things I love most about working with everyone in Disney Live Entertainment is that they really support the collaborative process,” Gallagher said. “I invited all of the designers in as early as possible so that I wasn’t ordering up ideas and effects too late in the process. We collaborated throughout, and we asked each other, ‘What if we tried this?’”
As the Disney Treasure was being constructed, the creative team behind Disney The Tale of Moana worked together to creatively adapt the story of Moana for Disney Cruise Line guests to enjoy at sea.
“In those initial workshops, we tried to make the show work without all the bells and whistles,” Gallagher recalled. “There’s a lot of technology in the show that you see in the Walt Disney Theatre, like puppetry and video, but when we first did the show, it was like children’s theater with foam core and popsicle sticks. We found the emotional core of the story and the main elements, and then everyone started to layer on top of that. It gave us the ability to zoom out and look at how the story was landing, to see how we wanted to make it more impactful and epic. We wanted it to be a spectacle without losing the heart and the emotion. It required a lot of conversation, a lot of trial and error, and a lot of time.”
Round of Applause
While the Walt Disney Theatre is also home to the enchanting musical Beauty and the Beast (inspired by the 2017 live-action film) and the original stage spectacular Disney Seas the Adventure, Disney The Tale of Moana holds a special place in the cast and crew’s hearts.
“This kind of show requires a lifestyle shift. A lot of people are rooted in their lives on land — but this show is different,” Gallagher said. “A lot of our actors came from the very first workshop in 2020, which is rare. That speaks to how much this story means to them, so it’s extra meaningful for me to be a part of something that people hold so dearly.”
Kekoa added, “It’s been a whirlwind of emotions — but the biggest one is pride. I’m so proud to see our show being so well received. Everybody loves Moana, and everybody can relate to her. We are all Moana. It’s a lot of responsibility for everyone, but we’re so proud.”
To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500, or contact their travel agent.