The Art of Animatronics
Disney pioneered the art of Audio-Animatronic shows with the introduction of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room in 1963. From then on, Audio-Animatronic shows were a fundamental ingredient to Disney theme parks. As EPCOT Center was in the oven, Imagineers found a way to bake an Audio-Animatronic show into its lineup of attractions.
Disney started developing an Audio-Animatronic show for The Land that would amplify the message of the pavilion’s sponsor, Kraft. Audio-Animatronics were usually made to be animals or people, but this show would feature characters of a different flavor: a cast of animatronic food.
“Everyone was taking EPCOT very seriously [during development]…We thought, ‘Where’s the Disney in all this?’…Let’s have some fun and have the food come to life like cartoon characters would. Man, Kraft loved it, and eventually management loved it, and we were off and running.”
– Scott Hennesy, writer of Kitchen Kabaret, 2022
Kraft Kabaret, later known as Kitchen Kabaret, would educate audiences about the four basic food groups as recommended by the USDA at the time. Kraft’s Nutrition Advisory Counsel consulted directly with Disney on the nutrition-focused material in the show, making it educational for the whole family.
Creating Kitchen Kabaret
Imagineer Scott Hennesy, the writer of Body Wars, wrote the script and lyrics for the show’s original music, which was scored by Buddy Baker.
The show’s characters were designed by Imagineer Steve Kirk, known for his early work creating the abdominal snowman on Matterhorn Bobsleds. Jeff Burke, whose credits include Country Bear Jamboree and America Sings, was the figure finisher for the Audio-Animatronics.
The team cooked up a full show, music, and characters through sketches, scale models, and eventually full-size figures. More than 30 Audio-Animatronics were developed for the show.
With EPCOT Center coming together, guests were soon in for a treat with a small Audio-Animatronic show in The Land Pavilion.
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