The world premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie Freaky Friday on Friday, August 10 (8–9:45 p.m. EDT/PDT), is the top-rated TV telecast of the summer among Kids 6–11 (999,000/4.2 rating) and Tweens 9–14 (782,000/3.2 rating)—and ranks as the top cable telecast in six months among both of those demographics. In its first three days, the comedic body-swap movie musical reached 7.2 million Total Viewers—including 3.1 million Kids 6–14—across seven telecasts airing on Disney Channel throughout the weekend.
Freaky Friday has also had high engagement with fans on DisneyMusicVevo and Disney Channel YouTube, where nine musical scenes from the movie have been viewed 747,000 times since Friday, August 10. A 12-song soundtrack for Freaky Friday was released by Walt Disney Records that same day.
The “DCOM” represents a collaboration between Disney Channel and Disney Theatrical Productions, who partnered to bring the story to a new generation of fans, on stage and on screen. Disney Theatrical Productions’ regional show played in five theatres between 2016–17, and the Disney Channel Original Movie will now be seen in 400 million homes on Disney Channels worldwide. Freaky Friday is newly available for licensing to schools and community theatres via Music Theatre International (MTI).
Freaky Friday first came to life on stage as a musical in 2016 at the Signature Theatre in Virginia, followed by an engagement at the La Jolla Playhouse in California in 2017, with a book from acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Bridget Carpenter (11.22.63, Friday Night Lights) based on Mary Rodgers’ classic novel; music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey (the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony® Award-winning duo behind Next to Normal). Heidi Blickenstaff originated the role of Katherine, one half of a mother-daughter duo who unexpectedly swap bodies on one of the most important days in both of their lives. She reprises the role on Disney Channel, where she is joined by Cozi Zuehlsdorff as daughter Ellie, in the DCOM, which is directed by comedy and music video director Steve Carr (Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Daddy Day Care), who also serves as executive producer alongside Susan Cartsonis (What Women Want) and Thomas Schumacher, president and producer, Disney Theatrical Productions (The Lion King, Aladdin and Frozen on Broadway). The choreography is by Tony Award-nominee John Carrafa (Into the Woods, Urinetown).