Thomas Schumacher has been a driving force in the entertainment industry since 1988, revolutionizing the standards of excellence in film, television, and theatre. As President & Producer of Disney Theatrical Group, he oversees the development, creation, and execution of Disney's stage entertainment globally, encompassing Broadway, touring, and licensed productions, as well as Disney on Ice and Disney Live! shows in partnership with Feld Entertainment.
Throughout his tenure, Schumacher has been instrumental in shaping Disney's theatrical division, boasting a diverse portfolio of productions that includes Beauty and the Beast, King David, The Lion King, Der Glockner von Notre Dame, Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, On the Record, High School Musical, Tarzan, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Peter and the Starcatcher, Newsies, Aladdin, Shakespeare in Love, and Frozen.
In addition to his work on Broadway and West End productions, Schumacher has collaborated with regional theatres to develop new stage titles, such as The Jungle Book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Freaky Friday. His recent projects include the in-cinema release of Newsies and the live-action film Beauty and the Beast, as well as the Disney Channel musical adaptation of Freaky Friday, for which he served as Executive Producer.
Schumacher's dedication to theatre is evident in his passion for making Disney productions accessible to young people. He developed a licensing program with Music Theatre International to make select Disney titles available for performance in schools and amateur theatres worldwide.
Schumacher's career at Disney began in Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he produced the animated classic The Rescuers Down Under. He went on to become President, overseeing the production of 21 animated features, including The Lion King, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Tarzan, Hercules, and Lilo & Stitch, and worked closely with Pixar on their first five films.
Prior to joining Disney, Schumacher worked as an associate director for the 1987 Los Angeles Festival of Arts, presenting the American premiere of Cirque du Soleil and the English-language premiere of Peter Brook's The Mahabharata. He also spent five years on staff at the Mark Taper Forum, served as a line producer on the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival, and served as assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Ballet.
Schumacher is the author of the book How Does the Show Go On? An Introduction to the Theater and a member of several esteemed boards, including Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Board of Directors for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Tony Administration Committee, the College of Fellows of the American Theatre, and the Chairman's Council of the Actors Fund. He is currently serving as the Chairman of The Broadway League.
