‘Ratatouille’ TikTok musical raises more than $1M for artists during pandemic
The hit online musical stars Tituss Burgess as Remy and Tony Award winner André De Shields as Ego.
Although Broadway has been shut down since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the creativity of the theatre community has lived on in new and exciting ways. In a virtual presentation, the Ratatouille TikTok musical raised more than $1 million for artists during this especially trying time.
Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical took the internet by storm in the fall of 2020. The idea started with young creatives making TikTok videos imagining a musical version of the 2007 Pixar film, which caught on fast on the popular app. Broadway creatives began pouring in to contribute, offering their set designs, songs, choreography and more as theatre fans sat home missing their favorite pastime.
Now, that small trend has become a fully realized virtual production, one starring Tituss Burgess as Remy.
Read More: WATCH: Tituss Burgess and Da’Vine Joy Randolph dish on ‘Dolemite’ and representation in Hollywood
Fresh off of the Netflix move, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend, Burgess is joined by Andrew Barth Feldman as Linguini, Wayne Brady as Django and Tony Award winner André De Shields as Ego in the official production. The show was produced by Seaview Productions in association with TikTok, and, according to the show’s official Twitter account, it has sold over $1 million in ticket sales since it debuted on New Year’s Day.
Jeremy O. Harris, executive producer of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical and writer of the acclaimed Slave Play, took to Twitter to speak on the show’s remarkable success.
Highlighting a future in which theatre may be more accessible to everyone, Harris explained: “For those who don’t know the math that’s a week’s worth of Broadway sales for a successful musical with tickets at an avg of $100 raised from ONE performance digitally with tickets at pay what you can… This can be the #accessible future. #anyonecancook & #anyonecancreate.”
Read More: White woman accuses Black playwright of racism after viewing ‘Slave Play’
The production also features Kevin Chamberlin as Gusteau, Adam Lambert as Emile, Priscilla Lopez as Mabel, Ashley Park as Colette, Owen Tabaka as Young Ego and Mary Testa as Skinner.
Tickets are available until 7:00 PM EST today at TodayTix.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast, “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio today!
