Sunday 27 April 2014

Broadway News Round Up 3 - News and Reviews!

Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed as Aladdin and Jasmine, Photo by Cylla Von Tiedemann

Ok here it is (finally!)

I've posted several updates and some of the bigger news pieces since I got back but I've not done a proper news round up since before I went to NYC to see the show so I've a LOT to catch up on, including the reviews!  So, here we go!

The News

In my last news update I ended with a link to a Vanity Fair article where they talked with Director/Choreographer Casey Nicholaw so first up, here's a video from their photo shoot;



 
 
James Monroe Iglehart does a great interview with Playbill (and now I really want to hear JMI sing Me from Beauty and the Beast)
Broadway World takes you inside Aladdin's Gypsy Robe Ceremony as Dennis Stowe is awarded the robe
Playbill reported on Aladdin continuing to sell out (as it has since it began previews) as part of their Box Office Analysis
Broadway World's "In the Spotlight" gallery features the cast of Aladdin on Opening Night
AM New York looks back at 20 years of Disney on Broadway from Beauty and the Beast to Aladdin
D23 offers a glimpse into its members special visit to Aladdin
NewYork.com offers 5 reasons for you to go and see Aladdin
And so does Dance Spirit
Aladdin gets in on the #SIP (Saturday Intermission Pics) action!
Carton Brew compares the stage show to the movie (something I'll probably be doing a little bit of in a few weeks when I compare this new Broadway production to the earlier production I saw at the Tuacahn)
James Monroe Iglehart talks to The Wall Street Journal
Yes, it's finally happening!!  Broadway.com goes behind the scenes at Aladdin's cast recording!!  Digital copies of the Cast Album will be available from 27th May with discs hitting the stores on 17th June.  Playbill and Broadway World also have photo coverage of the day!

Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed record the cast album, Photo by Bruce Glikas

Courtney Reed talks with the Marion Times about her passion for acting and playing Jasmine on Broadway
Broadway Radio talks Aladdin (the Aladdin part starts around 40 minutes in)
Could Aladdin be going to Australia?  Melbourne's Herald Sun seems to think it might as Thomas Schumacher calls Aladdin "probably our best reviewed show since The Lion King"!

Ok, there's been a lot of news links so far but this one is extra special so I wanted to single it out a bit.  At the start of April The Library of Congress' Performing Arts Blog posted a very special piece entitled "Aladdin: In Our Collections and Now on Broadway!" which takes a look at Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's early treatment of Aladdin from 1988.  This treatment served as inspiration for the tone of the Broadway show and also contained the songs Proud of Your Boy, Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim and High Adventure which have now found new life on Broadway.

Huffington Post has posted a piece on a "backlash" against the show from Arab-Americans.  Sadly this wasn't completely unexpected given that the film attracted similar controversy when it was first released.  Personally I'm with Disney on this, Disney Theatrical practices colour blind casting and Aladdin features an incredibly diverse cast, in fact I even go so far as to say it's one of the most diverse casts I've ever seen on stage.  Huffington Post makes this point more solidly in their second article, "What's Right with Disney's Broadway Adaptation of Aladdin" in which they highlight that BoomGen Studios was brought in by Disney to consult on the show and that the Broadway adaptation of Aladdin "has greater depth, maturity and cultural awareness than the film".

Celebrity Gossip takes a look at Aladdin's Opening Night
The Stage takes a brief look at Disney's 20 Years on Broadway
Howl Round takes a look at "The Broadway Effect" on Aladdin and other new shows this season
NewYork.com has named Adam Jacobs as one of the six sexiest men on Broadway and Courtney Reed one of the six hottest women
Reflections in the Light does a partial review of Aladdin
Clifton Davis talks with Playbill about returning to Broadway as the Sultan
Huffington Post talks with Chad Beguelin about Aladdin's journey to Broadway
Huffington Post talks with Don Darryl Rivera, Brandon O'Neill, Brian Gonzales and Jonathan Schwartz about Aladdin's skilful mix of high art and low clowning
This summer Adam Jacobs will be teaching a Master Class at Rider University
Aladdin tops City Guide's list of Broadway's Spring Must-Sees
Broadway World talks with ensemble member Yurel Echezarreta about Aladdin and his career
Racked talks with Hair Designer Josh Marquette about recreating Jasmine's famous locks
Inside the Mouse talks with Jonathan Freeman
Costume Designer Gregg Barnes talks with Broadway Direct
Sound Designer Ken Travis talks with Studio Live Design about Aladdin
James Monroe Iglehart talks to Broadway.com in a fascinating video interview
Adam Jacobs talks with Theater Mania in a great interview about bringing Aladdin to Broadway and becoming a father
 
And if it's merchandise you're after then Playbill's online store now has a selection of Aladdin items including the opening night Showbill!

The Reviews
Associated Press - Disney Hits Magic Again with Aladdin
USA Today - It's Genie-us! "Aladdin" Rubs You the Right Way
New York Theatre - A Genie Works His Magic on Broadway

The Hollywood Reporter - Aladdin: Theatre Review
Variety - Broadway Review: Disney's "Aladdin"
Broadway World - Disney Does Musical Comedy Right with Aladdin
New Jersey News Room - "Aladdin" Broadway Review: A Smooth Ride for the Family
Timeout - Aladdin
Entertainment Weekly - Stage Review: Aladdin
NY Daily News - Aladdin Theatre Review
Huffington Post - Brass Lamp Turns Gold
NY Post - "Aladdin" Musical Doesn't Quite Seem Like a Disney Hit
The Wrap - "Aladdin" Theatre Review: Disney's Animation Team Got It Right the First Time
Vulture - Theatre Review: Disney's Same Old World, Back in Aladdin
NorthJersey.com - Theatre Review: "Aladdin" on Broadway
Chicago Tribune - A Magical Genie in Broadway's "Aladdin" but Precious Little at Stake
Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones talks about this Spring's Broadway debuts, including Aladdin
NBC - "Aladdin" Will Leave You Dreaming of Genie
The Wall Street Journal - "Aladdin" Proves its Worth on Broadway (subscription needed)
Newsday - "Aladdin" Review: Sweet Broadway Disney
The Washington Post - "Aladdin" Opens on Broadway
The New York Times - Sly Alchemy from that Lamp
Time - Aladdin: More Magic from Disney
Huffington Post (2nd Review) - "Aladdin's" Old Fashioned Charm
TheAndyGram - Aladdin: A Magical Carpet Ride
NY Theatre Guide - Broadway Review: "Aladdin"
Stu on Broadway - Review of "Aladdin"
Palm Beach Arts Paper offers a brief review of Aladdin
A Blog about Things to Do, See and Eat in NYC - Disney's Aladdin on Broadway Will Make You Believe in Magic All Over Again
Teen Kids News - Aladdin Review and Sneak Peek
Perez Hilton - Aladdin on Broadway
 
And from Aladdin's original Omar, Andrew Keenan-Bolger;
 
@KeenanBlogger - JUMPED OUT OF MY FREAKING SEAT!!! "Friend Like Me" at the @Aladdin opening! AHHHHH! @jamesmiglehart
 
@KeenanBlogger - So proud of Disney and all my pals with their new hit @Aladdin.  Pure excitement and family entertainment at the highest level!
 
In the aftermath of the mostly positive reviews Disney Theatrical have released a new trailer for Aladdin which can be seen here.

And this post is (finally) up to date!  That's all the reviews and news through to April 27th, I'll do another post soon catching everything up from the end of April to mid-May and then it's on with the show!

No comments:

Post a Comment