Our very dear and talented friends at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati proudly present
Disney’s Descendants: The Musical this month at the historic Taft Theatre! We got a first glance on opening day of the show’s run to give you all the best tips and inside info, so you can get your tickets and enjoy the show.
It is present-day, and in the kingdom of Auradon, all of Disney’s beloved heroes and royalty are living happily ever after, safe from the terrifying villains and troublesome sidekicks they have banished to the magic-free Isle of the Lost. That is until Ben, the benevolent teenage son of Belle and King Adam (The Beast), offers a chance of redemption for the troublemaking offspring of the evilest villains. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos – the descendants of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella De Vil, and Jafar – are welcomed to Auradon Prep to attend school with the children of their parents’ sworn enemies. Now entering a completely foreign world and way of life, the four Villain Kids have a difficult choice to make… should they follow in their parents’ wicked footsteps or learn to be good?
Ideal for ages 4+. This production runs 90 minutes without an intermission.
When we first walked in, it was so fun to see many kids (and some teens!) dressed in Descendants costumes. Most were dressed as Mal by the way. There was one family we ran into where dad definitely wins father-of-the-year award for dressing up with his daughter for this show! It was so strange, but so nice, to see everyone’s smiling faces without masks on. This is the first performance in a few seasons where masks and vaccination proof were not required, though still welcome. Currently, there are no restrictions for entry to this show. They ask that everyone remain respectful of each other throughout this theatrical journey with them.
There is a spotlight raffle going on during the performances. There are some super awesome toys getting raffled off! Winners will be chosen the Sunday after their final show. They also had The BonBonerie Fine Pastries there, which my snack-lovin’ kid rushed me over to. The cookies all looked so beautiful and so good, and she ended up getting the gift tray variety pack. When we got to our seats, she tore that bag open, started scarfing down bites, then leaned over to me and said, “Mom! These cookies are so good, I don’t know what to do! This icing is divine!!!” I loved seeing her whole face light up. It’s hard to get a teenager to let the world know she’s actually enjoying herself.
I had to grab Roderick after the show was over to let him know that this has got to be my absolute favorite production I’ve ever seen from TCT in all these years. Their set designs are always amazing, but this one was mind-blowing. The show was perfectly cast, the costumes were impeccable, the acting was stellar, the choreography was impressive, and the singing was absolutely incredible. This was a first-class production all the way. As an adult, I was completely into the whole thing from start to finish.
I have never seen the Descendants, but my daughter has all three of the movies, has seen them all, used to have ALL the dolls, had the books, etc. She was the biggest fan when she was a little younger. I had to count on her to tell me how it compared to the movie versions. With just turning thirteen, mushy love stuff is “awkward” now these days, according to her, so when Mal starts catching feelings, Ady got weird. Oh, teens! She said it was very well-done and the costumes and set were great, though! She also lit up when we went to the bathroom before the show and she saw the Crown Club setup – “I remember when I used to do that!”
She did say that Carlos was her favorite in the stage version, just as he was for her in the movies. I had absolutely no idea until she told me today that the actor who played Carlos in the movies passed away a few years ago at only 20. She said she had been so sad, she hadn’t been able to enjoy anything Descendants-related for a long time. I was so thankful she was willing to go to this show with me, enjoy it with me, and be able to open up about this to me finally. I love my girl so much, and I’ve loved every stage of going to TCT shows together – from her at the age of 3, dressed up like her favorite character, being in awe of meeting some of the cast with Crown Club, and all her innocence and wonder to her at the age of 13 now and what the experience was like this weekend.
The Taft Theatre is located at 5th and Sycamore Streets in Downtown Cincinnati. Tickets for Disney’s Descendants start at $10. Visit thechildrenstheatre.com or call the TCT Box Office at 513.569.8080 x10 Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM to purchase tickets. Below are the remaining show times –
- Friday, October 14 at 7 PM
- Saturday, October 15 at 11 AM
- Saturday, October 15 at 2 PM
- Sunday, October 16 at 2 PM
Get your tickets today for Disney’s Descendants, and don’t miss this incredible show! You won’t regret it!
