The first production of the Tarzan Musical was on Broadway and the second in Scheveningen, Netherlands. Now the third staging will be in Kristianstad, Sweden. The premiere will be on February 16, 2008. Rehearsals will start next week. While the first two casts were original Disney productions, the third will be an independent production (but still licensed by Disney and ERB, Inc.). Twenty-nine shows are planned (roughly 10,000 tickets), but if the audience keeps coming, the show's run will probably be extended.

Producer Emil Sigfridsson, who also plays the leading part of Tarzan, is 27 years old and makes this production through his one-man company. The leading parts are professional singers and many of the supporting cast are amateurs playing for fun. The dancers come from a company called Kaoz, where the members are part-time professional dancers. The band is made up of six professional musicians. Two keyboard players, two drummers, bass and guitar. The music will be based on the Dutch score, but with a lot of local arrangements, as the Dutch band is much larger. The aerial movements will be designed by a Swedish company that works with bungee-jumping, etc.

The same script as the original Disney production is used, but some of the staging will be different. There will also be some changes in who sings some of the songs. For example, the opening song "Two Worlds" will be sung by Terk and a girl from the ensemble, not by Tarzan. Emil and his girlfriend Zara (who plays Jane) were in New York in October and had a meeting with the Disney staff. It is hoped that Phil Collins and Disney representatives will attend the premiere. The actor who plays Porter is neighbour to the mother of Phil Collins' house maid, so there might be an inside track to invite him. Olle Högberg who plays the part of Snipes, the sailor who arrests Clayton in the end, has just started a Website for the production. The site, which is still in its early stages, is at:  www.tarzan-kristianstad.se

This report has been compiled from information provided by
Olle Högberg, cast member and Webmaster for the Swedish Tarzan Musical
and Ron de Laat of the Holland meets ERB! Website