Interview: Astrid Gomez, Producer for “Dream…and Shine Brighter!” at Disneyland Paris for 30th Anniversary
Hi everyone!
We had the opportunity to interview Astrid Gomez, show producer of “Dream…and Shine Brighter!” at Disneyland Paris. The new 30th Anniversary show debuted this past weekend and became an instant hit with guests. We have seen “Dream…and Shine Brighter!” several times so far. The show is a happy, jubilant addition to the 30th Anniversary celebration with terrific choreography and music.
Here is our full video, followed by the article.
Gomez says that they started to think about creating the show exactly a year ago with a small group, brainstorming something new but with a wide variety of characters from old and new Disney stories. Gomez and the team decided they wanted to celebrate three major components: Dream, Laugh and Love. Gomez says that, for example, the “dream” is “how to go further, and achieve your goals”. She gives the example of Rapunzel, and how Rapunzel fights to achieve her dream. And for love, it is love for a partner, family, friends, including “how to cherish every moment”.
Gomez talks about the music in the show, explaining it as a “mashup of all the songs”, including “Topsy Turvy” in the middle of “Be Our Guest” (I love hearing the line, “After all, miss, this is France!”). Gomez says, “The show is 10 – 12 minutes in the hub of high energy and music, and everything works together…”. “Dream…and Shine Brighter!” is on Central Plaza as other shows have been over the last few years, and offers a different experience depending on where you stand – Disneyland Paris shows and parades are extremely repeatable.
Photo by Denise Preskitt, Mousesteps
The amount of movement in the choreography between the stages is impressive, really the best I’ve seen of the Central Plaza shows. Gomez says that they started pre-production at the end of January, and rehearsals with the cast in early February. She explains with the casting, “They could come from different horizons, different cultures, different styles…what was important for us was that they get the essence” of the choreography. “They could have their own personalities”.
Photo by Denise Preskitt, Mousesteps
The performers can choose from costumes that fit male or female, and they can decide which outfit to wear every day. They can also wear whatever makeup and hairstyle that suits them best. “This is also a big step towards the inclusion and diversity, and what we want is every kid to look up to a dancer, or to a character and to be able to identify themselves in someone”.
Photo by Denise Preskitt, Mousesteps
Gomez talks further on diversity as far as the characters. “We have integrated many different characters”, for example they added Miguel from “Coco”, and he is alongside Princess Tiana and is also with Nick and Judy.
Photo by Denise Preskitt, Mousesteps
My last question was about the float design. Yves Ollier, Set Designer Manager at Disneyland Paris designed the floats (he also designed the Gardens of Wonder and other 30th Anniversary decorations). Transparent plexiglass was used so the characters could be seen in a “wave of color”.
Photo by Denise Preskitt, Mousesteps
“It’s great, because when they leave the Central Plaza stages, we can feature all the characters on all the floats” – it is a way to be seen by many guests, to wave to everyone “and just have a big party on those floats”, she added while laughing.
Thank you to Astrid Gomez for talking to us about “Dream….and Shine Brighter!”