BREAKING NEWS! First Details of the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Hi there, Disney Fans!

     I know I just shared the booth menus for this year's Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, but it's already time to start talking about Epcot's other winter festival, the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts! 2019 will be the Festival's 3rd year returning to the park, and it promises to be even bigger and better than ever before! This year's Festival will run from January 18th-February 25th, and just like in it's previous years, it will celebrate visual arts with gallery displays, topiaries and demonstrations, culinary arts with food booths similar to those of Food and Wine Festival, and performing arts with live performances from not only local schools and performers, but also from famous Broadway performers, in spectacular concerts on The American Gardens Stage. This year's performers have just been announced, so let's check them out!:

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

- Kerry Butler originated the role of Belle with the Toronto company of "Beauty and the Beast". She is also known for originating both the roles of Penny Pingleton in "Hairspray" and Brenda Strong in "Catch Me If You Can". More recently, she appeared in "Mean Girls" on Broadway as Mrs. Norbury/Mrs. Heron/Mrs. George, and she is currently in the world premiere of "Beetlejuice" in Washington DC.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

- Kevin Massey has spent time on Broadway as Tarzan in the Broadway musical of the same name. He has also starred in productions of "Grease", "Big River", "Memphis" and "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder". 

Photo courtesy of MeredithInglesby.com

- Meredith Inglesby is known for originating the role of Hannah in the Broadway musical version of "Newsies", and she later appeared on the live, recorded version of the show, which showed in movie theaters across the country. She has also been in the Broadway productions of "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast". She will be appearing at Epcot with her husband, Steve Blanchard, whom she also starred in "Newsies" with. 

Photo Courtesy of IMDB.Com

- Steve Blanchard originated the role of Joseph Pulitzer in the Broadway musical version of "Newsies" and also appeared in the live version that showed in movie theaters. He has also starred as King Triton in "The Little Mermaid" on Broadway and as Gaston in "Beauty and the Beast". He will be appearing at Epcot with his wife, Meredith Inglesby, whom he also starred in "Newsies" with.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com

- Arielle Jacobs originated the roll of Nina in Lin Manuel Miranda's Broadway smash, "In The Heights". More recently she has been known to fans as Princess Jasmine in the Broadway production of "Aladdin". She will be performing at Epcot with her brother, Adam Jacobs, who originated the role of Aladdin on Broadway.

Photo courtesy of DisneyWiki.com

- Adam Jacobs originated the starring roll in Disney's Broadway hit "Aladdin". He has also played Simba in "The Lion King" on Broadway and has also appeared in "Once on This Island". He will be performing at Epcot with his sister, Arielle Jacobs.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com

- Heidi Blickenstaff was just recently seen onThe Disney Channel as the lead role in "Freaky Friday". She's also taken on the role of Ursula in "The Little Mermaid" on Broadway. 

Photo courtesy of IMDB.com

- Gavin Lee is best known for originating the role of Burt in the Broadway production of"Mary Poppins". He also is known as Squidward from "Spongebob Squarepants: The Musical".

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

- Ashley Brown is best known for originating the role of the practically perfect nanny, Mary Poppins in the Broadway show of the same name. She also spent some time on Broadway in the shoes of Belle in "Beauty and the Beast". 

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com

- Josh Strickland originated the role of Tarzan when the show appeared on Broadway. He is friends with Holly Madison of "The Girl's Next Door" fame, and has also starred alongside her in her Vegas production, "Peepshow".

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com

- Kissy Simmons is a local native of her namesake hometown, Kissimmee. She starred on Broadway as Nala in "The Lion King", and also appeared on the Broadway-themed tv show, 'Smash".

Photo courtesy of Playbill.com

- Alton Fitzgerald White is known to many as Mufasa from Broadway's "The Lion King", but his background includes roles on stage in "Miss Saigon", "The Color Purple", "Smokey Joe's Cafe", and more. He is also the author of his autobiographical book, "My Pride".

Performances and Dates (Daily shows at 5:30, 6:45 and 8pm)

• January 18 to January 19, 2019 – Kerry Butler & Kevin Massey

  

  Ashley Brown at Epcot

• January 20 to January 21, 2019 – Meredith Inglesby & Steve Blanchard
• January 22 to January 23, 2019 – Kerry Butler & Kevin Massey
• January 24 to January 25, 2019 – Meredith Inglesby & Steve Blanchard
• January 26, 2019 – Kerry Butler & Kevin Massey
• January 27, 2019 – Meredith Inglesby & Steve Blanchard
• January 28 to January 29, 2019 – Arielle Jacobs & Adam Jacobs
• January 30 to January 31, 2019 – Heidi Blickenstaff & Gavin Lee
• February 1 to February 2, 2019 – Arielle Jacobs & Adam Jacobs
• February 3 to February 4, 2019 – Heidi Blickenstaff & Gavin Lee
• February 5 to February 6, 2019 – Arielle Jacobs & Adam Jacobs
• February 7 to February 8, 2019 – Heidi Blickenstaff & Gavin Lee
• February 9, 2019 – Arielle Jacobs & Adam Jacobs
• February 10, 2019 – Heidi Blickenstaff & Gavin Lee
• February 11 to February 12, 2019 – Ashley Brown & Josh Strickland
• February 13 to February 14, 2019 – Kissy Simmons & Alton Fitzgerald White
• February 15 to February 16, 2019 – Ashley Brown & Josh Strickland
• February 17 to February 18, 2019 – Kissy Simmons & Alton Fitzgerald White
• February 19 to February 20, 2019 – Ashley Brown & Josh Strickland
• February 21 to February 22, 2019 – Kissy Simmons & Alton Fitzgerald White
• February 23, 2019 – Ashley Brown & Josh Strickland
• February 24, 2019 – Kissy Simmons & Alton Fitzgerald White
• February 25, 2019 – Ashley Brown, Josh Strickland, Kissy Simmons, Alton Fitzgerald White

As in previous years, dining packages will be available, and they will include reserved seating for the shows. For more information, and to book, you can contact the agents at Kingdom Konsultant Travel. 

     There will be lots of other exciting things to look forward to at this year's Festival, including:

- Help paint a massive mosaic mural in the World Showcase Promenade. 

- Take fun photos all around World Showcase, putting yourself into the art... literally. 

- Eat up at 13 delicious Culinary Kitchens, all selling gorgeous and innovative edible works of art for you to enjoy!

- Select Friday's and Saturday's, for an additional fee, you can participate in Paint with a Disney Artist. The program uses professional Disney artists to teach you how to paint and also giving you the chance to enjoy a continental breakfast. 

- Acrobats and other performing artists will defy gravity all around Epcot in amazing performances. 

- International performing artists will appear around World Showcase, including Bodh'aktan in Canada and Delta Q in Germany. 

- Figment's Brush With the Masters Scavenger Hunt will return. 

- Monday-Friday, for an additional fee, you can sign up for special workshops, to learn art forms like floral design and ink and paint, from professionals in their craft. More details will be released on this soon. 

- Complimentary 30-minute presentations from artists will give tips on creating your own art at home. 

     There is so much fun to look forward to, and we should be learning even more soon, so stay tuned for menus and more, coming up!

     Until then, have a magical week!

                                                    - Jenn