Robin Hood (Disney musical)

Robin Hood is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1973 Disney film of the same name and based on the folk hero of the same name. Its book is by James Lapine and keeps the original songs from the film written by Roger Miller, with new original songs by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. The anthomorphic animal characters, with the exception of Sir Hiss (portrayed by a puppet), were replaced with humans.

After a pre-Broadway tryout in Cincinnati, Ohio from July to September 2021, the musical began Broadway previews on November 6th, 2021 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The production officially opened on January 13th, 2022.

Before it closed on Broadway, the original cast filmed a performance that was streamed through cinemas worldwide via Fathom Events, later released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and on the Disney+ Streaming Service.

Act One
The film is narrated by Alan-a-Dale, who explains that Robin Hood and Little John live in Sherwood Forest, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor townsfolk of Nottingham. Meanwhile, Prince John, who is king of England, sends his lead henchman, the Sheriff of Nottingham, to catch the two but he fails every time ("Od-De-Lally"). Meanwhile, Prince John and his assistant Sir Hiss, arrive in Nottingham. Sir Hiss hypnotized Prince John's brother King Richard to go off on the Crusades, allowing Prince John to take the throne. Unfortunately, the prince is greedy and immature, even sucking his thumb whenever his mother is mentioned ("Mother"). Robin and Little John rob Prince John by disguising themselves as fortune tellers, prompting the prince to put a bounty on their heads and makes the Sheriff his personal tax collector.

The Sheriff taxes Friar Tuck and a large family. However, Robin gives back some money to the familt, giving his hat and archery kit to the oldest boy, Skippy, for his birthday ("Dare to Hope"). Skippy, two of his sisters, and his friend Toby test out the archery kit, but Skippy fires an arrow into the grounds of Maid Marian's castle. The children sneak inside, meeting Maid Marian and her attendant Lady Karole. Maid Marian reveals she and Robin were childhood sweethearts but they have not seen one another since her parents passed away and she was sent to live with King Richard, her uncle. Maid Marian believes that Robin has forgotten her, while Robin fears that his life as an outlaw will be too dangerous for her ("If We Met Once More"). Friar Tuck visits Robin and Little John, explaining that Prince John is hosting an archery tournament, and the winner will receive a kiss from Maid Marian. Robin agrees to participate in the tournament in disguise whilst Little John disguises himself as the Duke of Chutney to get near Prince John. Sir Hiss discovers Robin's identity but is trapped in a barrel of ale by Friar Tuck and Alan-a-Dale. Robin easily wins ("The Tournament"), but Prince John exposes him and has him arrested for execution despite Maid Marian's pleas.

Little John threatens Prince John leading to a fight between Robin, Little John, Maid Marian, Lady Karole and Prince John's soldiers ("The Tournament (Reprise)"). After the brawl, Marian promises to stay with Robin in Sherwood Forest and he proposes to her with a flower ring ("Love"). At their surprise engagement party, the townsfolk sing a song mocking Prince John, describing him as the "Phony King of England". Enraged by the song ("The Phony King of England (Reprise)"), Prince John triples the taxes, imprisoning most of the townsfolk who cannot or refuse to pay their taxes ("Not In Nottingham"). Robin, feeling guilty, considers turning himself in, but he and Marian argue, which ends with Marian leaving, making their future together uncertain ("If We Met Once More (Reprise)"/"Love (Reprise)")

Act Two
The Sheriff visits Friar Tuck's church to steal from the poor box, enraging Friar Tuck who viciously attacks him until he too is arrested ("Not In Nottingham (Reprise)"). Marian, who has been spying on Prince John's regime for the last week since her fight with Robin, returns to the forest to tell him and Little John of Friar Tuck's arrest. Robin and Marian patch up their relationship ("Love (Reprise 2)") and begin to plan to release the townspeople.

Prince John plans to hang Friar Tuck to lure in Robin and kill him, forcing the Sherwood Forest trio to speed up their plans. Robin, Marian, and Little John sneak in, with Little John and Marian managing to free all of the prisoners whilst Robin steals Prince John's taxes, but Sir Hiss awakens to find Robin fleeing. Chaos follows as Robin and the others try to escape to Sherwood Forest. The Sheriff corners Robin after he is forced to return to rescue Skippy's youngest sister, setting fire to Prince John's castle and causing Robin to leap from a tower into the moat below. Little John, Marian and Skippy watch as the moat is pelted with arrows and Robin is apparently shot and drowned, only for him to emerge unharmed after using a reed as a breathing tube. Prince John despairs and is driven into a blind rage when Sir Hiss points out his mother's castle is on fire ("The Escape"). Later, King Richard returns to England, placing his brother and his cohorts under arrest. Robin is knighted as Sir Robin of Locksley, with Little John knighted as Duke of Essex. Robin and Maid Marian marry and leave Nottingham to travel around the world together, with Marian announcing she's pregnant ("Finale").

Original Broadway Cast

 * Grant Gustin as Robin Hood
 * Julia Udine as Maid Marian
 * Alex Brightman as Little John
 * Jason Tam as Alan-a-Dale
 * Kevin Chamberlin as Friar Tuck
 * Clive Carter as Prince John
 * Rob McClure as Sir Hiss
 * Carol Kane as Lady Karole
 * Raul Esparza as the Sheriff of Nottingham