Sunday 19 August 2012

4th July Parade, New Photos and More from Tuacahn's Aladdin!

With last month's focus on The Muny's short run and then the 1st anniversary of the show, I didn't post some fantastic updates from Tuacahn!

Whilst I don't think they celebrate 4th July in Agrabah, Aladdin and Jasmine both joined in the festivities for St. George's annual 4th July parade.

Samuel Warburton and Haley Carlucci as Aladdin and Jasmine, Photo by Tuacahn
Tuacahn's production of Hairspray also had a float in the parade showcasing Tracy Turnblad and Link Larkin.  You can check out the full gallery at Tuacahn's Facebook page, including Tracy and Link on a magic carpet ride when the cast decided to switch floats!

Samuel Warburton and Haley Carlucci as Aladdin and Jasmine, Photo by Tuacahn

I know quite a few fans felt that there weren't enough production photos released from 5th Avenue's pilot production of Aladdin, but that's certainly not the case this time around!  As some of you have no doubt already seen, at the end of last month Tuacahn uploaded a massive gallery of production photos to their Facebook page.  Make sure you check them out asap!  Here's a selection;

Proud of Your Boy - Dan Domenech as Aladdin, Photo by Tuacahn

Call Me a Princess - Haley Carlucci as Princess Jasmine, Photo by Tuacahn

Can your friends pull this out their little hat? - Edward Juvier as Genie, Photo by Tuacahn

Why Me? - Michael G. Hawkins and Jeff Asch as Jafar and Iago, Photo by Tuacahn

Street Rats on 3! - Paul C. Vogt, Randy Aaron, Todd Dubail and Dan Domenech as Babkak, Omar, Kassim and Aladdin, Photo by Tuacahn
And if you want an idea of some of the effects and the scale of this production;

The Cave of Wonders appears, Photo by Tuacahn

Genie leads Prince Ali's parade to the stage, Photo by Tuacahn
Seeing these reminds me just how lucky I was to be able to see this show at the Tuacahn.  It really is the perfect setting for the show and the cast is amazing.  And yes the parade does include peacocks;

Prince Ali's peacocks, Photo by Tuacahn
And finally, last week KSL news confirmed that Aladdin has been breaking Tuacahn box office records all summer and posted a video interview with Dan Domenech (Aladdin), Haley Carlucci (Jasmine), Edward Juvier (Genie) and Director Scott Anderson which includes production footage from the show!  Check it out here!

If you've not been and are able to get to the Tuacahn in the next 2 months, I really can't recommend it enough!  This show (and Hairspray) is well worth the trip.  It's a fantastic production at an amazing venue.  Where else do the cast come out (in costume!) to greet the fans after the show?!  Tickets are still available at the Tuacahn's website and the show runs until 19th October.  Take the magic carpet ride, you won't regret it!

So it goes short and sweet... - Dan Domenech and Haley Carlucci as Aladdin and Jasmine

Thursday 16 August 2012

The Muny's Most Popular Show? Aladdin!


The cast of Aladdin at The Muny
CBS St. Louis are reporting that Aladdin: The New Stage Musical  was the best attended show at The Muny during their 2012 season, selling 74,857 tickets over 9 shows.  With support like that at The Muny and continued sell outs at the Tuacahn (where the show runs until mid October), it's no wonder Disney are said to be planning a Broadway run for this show!

As a farewell to The Muny's production, here's a a video interview with Robin de Jesus (Aladdin) that I missed back in July!


And a few reactions from the audience as well ;o)


This weekend I've got a lot of catching up to do with the Tuacahn's production and (fingers crossed) there'll be a Broadway announcement in the not too distant future!

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Make a Wish, Say a Prayer

Broadway baby!!

Disney Legend Alan Menken
On Sunday night Alan Menken played to an intimate audience at a special D23 Destination D event.  D23 were tweeting updates live but, as much as I wish I could have been there, nothing was said that seemed like news.

That changed tonight when my friend Austin sent me a link to Stitch Kingdom where they are reporting that guest in attendance said that Alan Menken introduced Proud of Your Boy saying that

"the musical is currently being tweaked for a Broadway run"
Now the sensible part of me is saying not to get too excited (after all Der Glockner Von Notre Dame has been being worked on for Broadway for what must be nearly a decade now since ending it's Berlin run), but screw it, I'm totally hyped and I was singing the Proud of Your Boy Reprise all the way to karate tonight.  The fast transfer and subsequent Broadway success of Newsies, along with Aladdin being The Muny's best selling show this season and still breaking records at Tuacahn (where it's playing until mid-October) make me really optimistic this could actually happen!

Before I went out this evening I tweeted a few of the original cast members the Stitch Kingdom article asking if they'd be up for a Broadway reunion, so tonight I'm going to leave you with the words of Courtney Reed;

"y'all know I LOVE a reunion ;)"

Updated - Thanks to Stitch Kingdom we now have audio of Alan Menken saying the show is coming to Broadway AND his performances of the opening of the new song Somebody's Got Your Back and the Ashman/Menken classic Proud of Your Boy!  The emotion Alan puts into that song always puts tears in my eyes.