There's a Rub of the Lamp!

Well that was fast!

Yesterday it was announced that Aladdin: The New Stage Musical will be brought to life once again, this time at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre in Southern Utah!

"The Southern Utah desert will be transformed into an Arabian oasis when Tuacahn presents the stage musical adaptation of the Disney film “Aladdin” as part of the outdoor venue’s 2012 season.

“Aladdin” will be performed in repertory with the Broadway musicals “Hairspray” (summer) and “Legally Blonde” (fall). The announcement comes as Tuacahn is experiencing its most successful season to date, featuring Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” and the nostalgic musical “Grease.”

Based on the acclaimed 1992 Disney film, “Aladdin” will be performed each Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening, June 1 - Oct. 18. Tickets are now available at the Tuacahn box office, by calling 652-3300 or online at http://www.tuacahn.org/.

The music for “Aladdin” is written by eight-time Academy Award winning composer Alan Menken (“Tangled,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid”); lyrics are by the late Howard Ashman (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid”), Tim Rice (“The Lion King,” “Jesus Christ Superstar”) and Chad Beguelin (“The Wedding Singer”), who also crafted the new book for the show.

Variety hailed the new full-length stage version of “Aladdin” as “fresh, funny and very entertaining.”

This new stage adaptation premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre in July 2011 and incorporates all of the beloved songs from the film’s Oscar-winning score plus never-before heard Menken/Ashman songs restored from early drafts of the score. It marks a return to the authors’ original vision: a loving homage to the Hope-Crosby road pictures with a score invoking the jazz sound of stars like Cab Calloway and Fats Waller.

Tuacahn will be one of two theaters in the nation to present the show next year.

Released in 1992, the film “Aladdin” received critical acclaim and grossed more than $504 million worldwide becoming the No. 1 film of the year. Adapted from the classic Middle Eastern and Asian folktales in “One Thousand and One Nights,” “Aladdin” tells the story of a quick-witted young street dweller that uses the magic wishes from an omnipotent Genie to pursue the hand of a beautiful princess. The beloved film featured the Oscar-winning song, “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me” and was praised for its clever script and show-stopping score.

Scott S. Anderson, Tuacahn’s artistic director, will direct “Aladdin.” Anderson also helmed the Tuacahn premieres of “The Little Mermaid,” “Tarzan” and “Les Miserables” and will assemble an eclectic cast, crew, and creative team of professionals from Utah, California and New York to bring the show to life in Tuacahn’s typical thrilling fashion.

“Aladdin” is licensed through a special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions and Music Theater International in New York. Tuacahn is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization."

I checked the website and can't see the tickets listed there yet, so if you want to book tickets now your best bet is to call Tuacahn.

I wouldn't expect any of the original Seattle cast to return for this product (though I would love it if they did), so stay tuned for further news as this production gets underway in the new year.

I'm not going to be able to update the blog for the next few weeks, but if any news does come out during that time you can be sure I'll have a summary post up as soon as I can.