By Ariana Molkara, Staff Writer and Social Media Manager.
PHENOMENON: From the sewers to the marquee, our favorite furry friend with culinary dreams has snagged himself a sensational, TikTok musical.
If I told you that Remy the rat from the movie Ratatouille now has his own catchy show tunes to sing while cooking up some creamy creme brulee, would you believe me? Probably not… but after 2020, anything sounds possible, right? If you answered yes, then you are correct, my friend, because Ratatousical is in fact a bona fide musical and is already making headlines.
The creation of Ratatouille the musical began as a silly joke on the social media platform TikTok. In August of 2020, Emily Jacobsen, a TikTok user, shared multiple odes to the characters from the film on the platform and her videos went viral. Soon after, creators from around the world began challenging each other to write songs for a hypothetical Broadway musical based on the famed, Disney-Pixar animated film.
The effort became an internet marvel, as thousands of people who had never met before banded together and produced Broadway-worthy original music for the potential show. The online activity even caught the attention of Disney, who responded by sharing a video submission for the musical at Walt Disney World. With more and more music coming together, fans were itching for Ratatousical to become a reality.
On December 9, 2020, the internet was pleasantly surprised when Seaview Productions announced that it would hold a virtual concert of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical on the first of the new year. Fans could not conceal their excitement, especially after the production company revealed the star-studded leading cast: Andrew Barth Feldman (Linguini), Tituss Burgess (Remy), Kevin Chamberlain (Auguste Gusteau), Ashley Park (Colette), Wayne Brady (Django), Adam Lambert (Emile), Priscilla Lopez (Mabel), Mary Testa (Skinner), Andre De Shields (Anton Ego), and Own Tabaka (Young Anton Ego).
To make the event even more of a treat, ticket sales from the concert were set to benefit The Actors Fund, which provides financial assistance, housing, health care, and other services to performers and other entertainment workers. With theaters closed due to the pandemic and all shows paused or cancelled, artists are struggling now more than ever. Ratatousical’s success would help thousands of entertainers gravely in need.
After much anticipation, January 1st, 2021, opening night, finally arrived. Each actor safely sang their solos from their own homes and recited their lines in a split screen to adhere to social distancing protocols. The TikTok content was played by a 20 piece Broadway Sinfonietta orchestra. The quirky, comedic, and overall delightful performance that accompanied the already charming songs knocked the musical theater world off its axis in the very best way. The show received raving reviews. It was a marvel, from the fact that it was a crowdsourced musical, to the short amount of time in which the musical was birthed, to the high caliber of all the artists involved.
Ratatousical sold over 200,000 tickets, was streamed in over 138 different countries, and has raised $1.5 million and counting for The Actors Fund. In addition to tremendously contributing to a charitable cause, the show brought some light and some laughs into a dim 2020. Moreover, it forever changed what we believe to be the limits of creative collaboration. BroadwayWorld calls it a “ridiculously enjoyable reminder of theatre’s best qualities, brought to us in a way that broke the mold, and allowed people to become for the first time ever, not just viewers of a fantastic show, but active participants in musical theatre history.” Ratatousical could forever change the way that Broadway shows are produced and give voice to artists across the globe who are waiting to be discovered and share their talents. Remy believes that anyone can cook and Ratatousical shows that anyone can become the next creator of a hit musical.
So, will Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical ever officially take to a Broadway stage? Fans are begging for a full-length show when theaters can reopen, but until then, we have a mini-musical masterpiece to obsess over.
Now please excuse me while I go make a quiche and blast “Kitchen Tango” from my speakers. Au revoir!