By David McKibbin July 24, 2025
In a divisive social climate, theater shows that we have more in common than our differences. “Disney’s Tarzan,” while a kids’ show, proves this universal sentiment, emphasizing that “nothing is more savage than human greed.”
Audiences from all walks of life can enjoy this story of family and identity up-close in an immersive production at Area Stage in South Miami. With a unique audience experience, innovative staging, and solid performances by a talented young cast, “Disney’s Tarzan” can please audiences from ages 4 to 104.
“Disney’s Tarzan” first opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater on May 10, 2006, closing just one year later. Based on Edgar Rice Burrough’s novel and the 1999 animated film of the same name, this musical is written by David Hen with a score by Phil Collins—featuring the Oscar-winning song “You’ll Be In My Heart.”
But as the house lights dim, the cast immediately shifts from human to animal, using simple props and costume pieces to aid the illusion. Some of Rodaz’s innovative staging techniques include the use of double-event puppetry and dual-role casting for symbolic effect.
This overall production takes campiness and theatricality to delightful extremes. Musical numbers like “Trashin’ The Camp” amplify the kitsch with bubbles and confetti flooding the space. By staging Tarzan like a Shakespearean troupe with minimal sets and symbolic props, Rodaz can encourage audiences to find the humanity in primal beings.
This minimalist approach to storytelling is a far cry from “Tarzan’s” original Broadway production directed by Bob Crowley. This version relied heavily on hyperrealistic spectacle with flying scenic elements, and a cast of 25.
Raquel Dwight’s scenic design enhances Rodaz’s staging—covering Area Stage’s black box theater with canvas and dark wood from wall to wall. The space is accentuated with zebra and leopard hides, crates, and old-fashioned trunks that store costume pieces. The centerpiece of this set is a ladder tower sturdy enough for humans and gorillas to climb. Ropes hanging above allow Tarzan to swing directly into the audience, enhancing this production’s immersive nature.
The animal characters appear human, thanks in no small part to Sofia Ortega’s costume design. All of the ape characters are clad in black coats with lace ascots and bowler hats. Meanwhile, most of the human characters wear white, khaki, and pastel colors. This distinguished color scheme allows audiences to see the clear divide between Tarzan’s gorilla family and the human world from whence he came. This concept seems to reinforce the differences—and similarities between the human world and the animal kingdom. Even with her conceptual choices, Ortega’s designs for Tarzan and Jane remain almost identical to the Disney property—particularly Jane’s bright yellow travel dress with a bustle and corset.
Lighting designer Joe Naftal develops a color palette that establishes location easily, enhancing Dwight’s minimalist scenic design. Shades of green represent the thick, luscious jungle while shades of orange suggest the safari tent. Naftal also dots the space with Victorian era lanterns, giving the safari tent a touch of class and period accuracy. One of the challenges of illuminating this thrust space is ensuring that actors’ faces can be seen—especially during scenes with dark washes.
Area Stage’s production of “Disney’s Tarzan” is fortunate enough to be accompanied by a live band. Arn Xu conducts this combo on the piano, with Luis Vargas on percussion, Daniel Soto on guitar and Jose Fuget on bass. Even without the brass and string sections from the original orchestration, this four-piece combo produces a full, rich sound with minimal arrangements.
Sound designer Abraham Oleksnianski faces the ambitious challenge of creating a seamless mix with a vocal ensemble and rock band for a small venue. During Act One, there were instances when the instrumental mix overpowered the cast. But by Act Two, Oleksnianski creates ephemeral moments of auditory gold—particularly during “Strangers Like Me,” “Everything That I Am” and the reprise of “Two Worlds.” These musical numbers showcase the ensemble’s harmonic blend without muddiness or feedback.
Coby Oram takes on the title role with physical agility and a primal gait, using the whole of his body to create a multidimensional Tarzan. Vocally, Oram sings with a timbre reminiscent of Steven Tyler or Constantine Maroulis. Even with slight nasality, his rock tenor range fits hand-in-glove with Collins’ score.
Grace Suarez, an adult woman, plays Young Tarzan, a role originated by a male child actor on Broadway. Suarez’s performance incorporates the use of a primitive Bunraku puppet. Even while operating this puppet with both hands, she maintains facial expressions that display a sense of cherubic curiosity. During the song “When Will I Be Me,” Suarez sings with a bright mix voice that delivers a youthful quality.
Katie Duerr plays Kala, Tarzan’s gorilla mother, while simultaneously serving as the show’s music director. She sings with a smooth mezzo-soprano range, controlled timbre and natural vibrato. This is especially apparent as she sings “You’ll Be In My Heart.” Her maternal instincts are natural and heartwarming. As she climbs, creeps, and contorts, she maintains a strong yet gentle physicality.
Iaran Hylton plays Terk, a young gorilla who befriends and protects Tarzan throughout his life. Hylton’s role is considered the main source of comic relief in this musical. He steals every scene with his sassy attitude, New York accent and high tenor range. During the Act Two opener “Trashin’ The Camp,” Hylton leads a rousing jazz anthem—scat singing with ease as the ensemble joins him in close harmony.
As Jane Porter, Siena Worland offers a crisp RP British dialect and a sweet, ingenue-like air. Her chemistry with Oram’s Tarzan seems grounded in reality—a slow burn love story that is easily hindered by the couple’s language barrier. Vocally, Worland belts and mixes with control even as she sings in her upper register. She maintains clear, consistent diction, even when identifying species classifications in Latin. During pre-show, Worland is engaging with the many “young explorers” that entered the theater, a skill she takes from her time as a vocalist on Dora the Explorer.
John Luis Mazuelos plays Jane’s father, Professor Porter, maintaining a stiff upper lip without appearing too posh. His clumsy charm is a living tribute to Captain Spaulding, Groucho Marx’s sidesplitting character in the film “Animal Crackers.”
At the same time, Mazuelo keeps his character grounded, never allowing Porter to slip into caricature territory. His interactions with Worland’s Jane are sweet and endearing, allowing us to see a more dynamic character. We see the most growth from Mazuelo’s Porter throughout the evening, as he evolves from a spineless animal enthusiast wishing to peacefully study gorillas to a stern, assertive leader who sees Tarzan as a loyal friend.
Frank Montoto plays both Kerchak, the leader of Tarzan’s gorilla tribe, and Mr. Clayton, a hyper-masculine poacher on safari with the Porters. This is a unique casting decision by Rodaz, as both characters appear to use hate and fear to create a divide between man and ape.
As Kerchak, Montoto gets to showcase his rich baritone voice with the song “No Other Way.” Even while playing a simian, his gait is the most human among the cast. As Clayton, Montoto speaks with a slight British dialect and moves with a more gruff demeanor. One could argue that Rodaz encouraged this subversive choice to symbolize how similar humans are to their primate ancestors.
Gabriella Alfonso plays the elusive and dangerous Leopard that threatens Tarzan’s gorilla tribe. In this role, Alfonso leaps across the stage with fluid yet forceful steps. Alfonso’s feline character is well-defined without saying a word. Her body does all the talking, as she performs this role wearing a laced red face mask as part of her costume.
Area Stage continues to deliver wholesome yet intelligent family entertainment that shatters the fourth wall. As this production of “Tarzan” continues its run through August 10, Millennial and Gen-Z parents can introduce their favorite characters and stories to the next generation. Rodaz’s stylized interpretation subverts expectations of a Disney musical. Through this meta theatrical staging, audiences can think about “Tarzan’s” inclusive and timely message of welcoming and loving the stranger.
