‘Ratatouille the Musical,’ a TikTok-made play that aims for Broadway
2020 has been full of surprises. One of the wildest is that a bunch of users on TikTok came together to create a musical of the 2007 animated Pixar film, “Ratatouille.” What is even wilder is that it not only went viral, but that Pixar, Disney, and Broadway even acknowledged it. If the film proved that anyone can cook, TikTok proved that anyone can write a Broadway-worthy play.
It all started from a parody song that was amplified by Daniel Mertzlufft (@danieljmertzlufft on TikTok), who took the original wording and added the theatrical flair.
UPDATE – 01/04/21, 10:01 a.m. EST: Today is the last day to view the Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical online. The viewing window ends today at 7 p.m. EST. Click here to head to the official website.
From here, the hashtag #Ratatouille exploded on the TikTok app. Singers and songwriters, puppeteers, and stage designers all came together to contribute to one big fan-made play. This original viral tweet was posted on Oct. 19. By the end of November, the song and the idea of this Broadway hit had taken over social media platforms.
Disney themselves responded back with a song submission of their own. The @DisneyParks TikTok account even went as far as to film the video inside the upcoming Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction.
Pixar acknowledged the viral sensation with a tweet only fans of the fabricated musical would understand, referencing some of the musical’s lyrics.
The play even has an official Playbill, created by Artist Jess Siswick. (Who you may remember from the #HomemadeDisney craze earlier this year.)
Most recently, a group decided to try out their own choreography at Epcot’s France pavilion. There, construction has nearly finished for the new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction. It can be assumed that much more “Ratatouille the Musical” fan-made videos will be made once this new area opens.
While this is currently a fan-made musical, it could certainly turn into something more as the fandom continues to grow. With acknowledgments from Broadway and the original film studios, this play has certainly reached a massive audience.
How do you feel about this musical created from scratch? Do you think the viral aspect of the songs could lead to more? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
