Tonight will see the final performance of
Aladdin: The New Stage Musical at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre in Utah. Since June this fantastic cast and crew have been performing the longest running production of
Aladdin to date, and to celebrate the end of their record breaking run I wanted to do something a little more special.
With the kind support of Tuacahn, I'm proud to present a short series of reflections by some of the cast on their time in
Aladdin. I also want to say a big thank you to Heidi Anderson, who made this possible. Thanks Heidi!
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| Dan Domenech as Aladdin, Photo by Tuacahn |
"The past 6 months have been a time to remember. Aladdin is my favorite Disney story and I've been very lucky to be able to play him on such a grand stage and sing Alan Menken's music in yet another musical! The production value of Tuacahn was incredible. I was in a 3D movie, flew a carpet over 2000 people, rode camels and got backed up by a cavalry of horsemen (and women) for "Prince Ali"! Disney has really created something special with this show and I'm excited for more audiences to see it as it moves forward. The look on the kids faces when we meet them after the show is priceless. That's the power of Disney baby!"
Dan Domenech (Aladdin)
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| Edward Juvier as Genie, Photo by Tuacahn |
"What a thrill it has been to perform an incredible show in this natural setting! There are so many unforgettable moments from this experience. Working with camels and peacocks. Seeing the Tiger God for the first time. Filming and putting together the 3D sequences. Sitting in the sitzprobe and hearing our incredible orchestra bring that Disney magic to life. Singing "Somebody's Got Your Back" with four incredible guys night after night. Watching our amazing crew change sets from Agrabah to Baltimore every other day. Meeting all the kids after the show dressed up as Jasmine and Aladdin. But one of my favorite parts is seeing how much all kinds of people are drawn to this show and the story of Aladdin. They love it and feel part-ownership over the story. And Aladdin delivers. It's such a wonderful theatrical experience and the audiences here in Utah have been so amazing! Tuacahn has put on one heck of a show out here in the middle of the desert. It has been an honor to share the stage with such a giving company. To say this is a dream come true would be an understatement. The worst part is that it'll all be over in 7 performances. The best part is that I've found friendships and memories that will last a lifetime."
Edward Juvier (Genie)
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| Randy Aaron as Omar, Photo by Tuacahn |
"I can honestly say I have had the time of my life working on this piece. I am all for theatre that allows for a family to come and experience it together. Aladdin creates a tale that both adults and children can invest in successfully. There is also nothing more heart warming than hearing the laughter of children and knowing they are truly enjoying themselves. They are the future of theatre! Now on a personal note I have never laughed more myself onstage after working with Todd DuBail and Paul Vogt. You don't know funny until working with these guys. They are also some of the most giving actors I have ever had the pleasure of sharing a stage with. Love you guys!"
Randy Aaron (Omar)
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| Jeff Asch as Iago with Michael G. Hawkins as Jafar, Photo by Tuacahn |
"This was a truly remarkable journey. The past 6 months in Agrabah were like nothing else. This was such an unbelievably talented cast from the smallest chorus part through the title character, making this trip even more electrifying. Playing the role of Iago was going to be a challenge from the beginning due to the fact we elected to make him human rather than a bird. The myriad of people who have seen the film version of this were all set to see someone flapping his wings on stage. Clipping those wings was fun. Being part of a stage show with 3D effects, a water scrim Tiger GOD, mind blowing pyrotechnics, that's in the middle of the desert, sold out crowd almost every night, and a cast, crew, band, and wonderful people in general made this fantastic and something I'll never forget. The best part of this whole voyage, however, was seeing how much the kids enjoyed this show. Their faces literally lit up like the fireworks after the show. I remember being young and how it felt to see theater... I can't imagine, though, what it must be like to see something of this magnitude as a kid, or an adult for that matter. 6 months of the same show can get old very fast, but I can honestly say this "high adventure" never got stale....lots and lots of love to all...."
Jeff Asch (Iago)
I just want to take this opportunity to say once again a massive thank you to everyone at the Tuacahn for all the support they've given me and this blog, and for putting on such an amazing show and making my childhood dreams come true. I wish you all the best for tonight's final performance and for the future, whatever it may bring. If you're lucky enough to be in the audience tonight, enjoy! Tuacahn has been making magic with this show all summer and it all ends tonight.
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| Dan Domenech as Aladdin, Photo by Tuacahn |
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