On this day in 1995, the live stage show “The Spirit of Pocahontas” opened at Disneyland’s Fantasyland Theatre on the same day as the film’s release. The show retold Pocahontas’ tale from the perspective of a Powhatan tribe storyteller. Special effects revealed John Smith out of a campfire and the face of Mother Willow from a large tree. Seventeen performers brought Menken and Schwartz’s award-winning songs to life during dramatic dance numbers on lavish sets. [30 years ago in 2025]