Alexander Klaws and Son Make Historic Tarzan Stage Debut
Disney’s musical TARZAN® celebrates a one-of-a-kind milestone this December as acclaimed artist Alexander Klaws joins the jungle stage not alone, but with his 8-year-old son Lenny. In a first ever, father and son will be playing Tarzan in the same musical two generations simultaneously. Their joint appearance on December 19 is an emotionally charged and unique moment for both the Klaws family and Stage Entertainment Germany.
The heartwarming secret — that was kept under wraps for weeks instead of being a shock – is now confirmed: Lenny Klaws will be portraying young Tarzan, the same roll his father took on in the show over a decade ago.
A Family Story That Began With TARZAN
For Alexander Klaws, this premiere is not only a highlight of his career but also a significant moment in the family and one that is deeply connected to his personal background. In 2010, he met his now-wife, Nadja Scheiwiller (Jane and Assistant Flight Captain), while performing as Tarzan at the Stage Theater Neue Flora in Hamburg. “She taught him how to ‘fly’ — literally — onstage.”
Now with three sons from their marriage, the two watch with pride as their firstborn makes his own way. “A dad couldn’t be more proud,” said Klaws. I have to put on the loincloth again, for that reason too — I can’t miss the opportunity.”
He had longed to perform with his son but never allowed himself to voice it. “Don’t“push your luck,” he confessed. Yet fate seemed determined to make it happen.
How Lenny Found His Way Into the Role of Young Tarzan
The genesis of the concept was during Alexander’s Star Cast performances in Stuttgart. Lenny, seeing his father for the first time playing, was hooked immediately. He mimicked the moves, sang to the tracks and couldn’t take his eyes off the young Tarzan on the floor.
Okay, so that wasn’t too long before he asked the question that turned everything upside down:
“Dad, can I do that too?”
Alexander told him he could — if he wanted it bad enough. After his successful audition in Hamburg being there only through his own enthusiasm, Lenny made it into the Tarzan school and trained for the physically demanding part.
Just months later, he is preparing for his first big stage show.
A Powerful On-Stage Moment Awaiting Father and Son
Though the father and son have only a handful of scenes together, it’s enough to make fans vow they’ll be unforgettable. Second act highlight: a young Tarzan leads the grown Tarzan to the truth of his roots.
“When my son sits on the chest and opens it for me — so I, as Tarzan, learn who I am — that will be the most powerful moment I’ve ever played in my life,” Alexander said.
Also extra special is the much anticipated “airborne high-five” as young Lenny swings off the stage just before Alexander, as adult Tarzan, flies across the theatre and over the audience.
Alexander Klaws Tarzan Stage Entertainment Celebrates 25 Years of Musical Magic
The father and son alums milestone comes as Stage Entertainment Germany celebrates 25 years. Having attracted more than 70 million visitors to their shows and introduced 119 premieres in a spectacular career of 25 years, the company has turned Germany into the world’s third-largest musical market behind the US and the UK.
Stage Entertainment is the globally renowned presenter of mega-productions such as:
Disney’s THE LION KING
HAMILTON
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
MJ – The Michael Jackson Musical
WICKED
MAMMA MIA!
The company has also been creating original German musicals shaping the cultural landscape in Germany since 2007.
Disney Theatrical Group’s Worldwide Legacy
Alexander Klaws Tarzan Founded in 1994, Disney Theatrical Group has also ushered such beloved titles as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Frozen and Tarzan® onto stages around the world. The Lion King, in particular, has been viewed by over a staggering 124 million people, setting every box office record in theatre history.
With new shows in the works, such as Hercules and an upcoming stage adaptation of The Greatest Showman, Disney is further growing its theatrical global reach.
A Magical Milestone for the Klaws Family
Alexander Klaws Tarzan As the curtain rises in Hamburg, Alexander and Lenny Klaws will be a part of musical history — with the former reprising the iconic role he made his own years ago, and the latter breathing life into young Tarzan for a new generation of theatergoers.
For those watching, it’s a moment of pure heart and memory. For the Klaws family, it’s a dream come true — one that was born in the jungle vines of TARZAN and now is evolving through the next generation.
