Aladdin Celebrates 5 Years on Broadway!

Tonight, Disney's Aladdin celebrates a magical milestone. Five years on Broadway!

With the show still going strong in New York and the US Tour about to enter it's third year, it's hard to believe that Disney was taking a big risk when they first brought the show to the Great White Way. Well that risk, some wishing, and an incredible amount of hard work certainly paid off.

It's been an amazing journey to watch as a fan, and I can only imagine how incredible it has been for those on stage and behind the scenes each night at the New Amsterdam Theatre. And speaking of incredible, in a testament to just how much fun the show must be to be a part of, it still retains three of it's original principles. And I'm not just talking 5 years on Broadway, these guys go back 8 years to the original Pilot Production in Seattle!

As the show approached it's 5th anniversary on Broadway, Theater Mania sat down with Don Darryl Rivera, Brian Gonzales, and the iconic Jonathan Freeman to discuss their time with the show in "We're Still Here!"

How much have I written about this show and I never know about that switch they did with Jafar and Iago's characterisations! Or I did and my memory is just really bad. It's been 8 years after all!

The show has had a remarkable journey and no matter how many times I watch it, whether in London, LA or in New York, it always fills me with joy every time. The cast, in New York and around the world, are universally some of the nicest people you could hope to meet at stage door and give 110% on stage. I've always said that the joy they bring to the stage every night is infectious and that, to me, is the true magic of the show. As long as that remains, I am confident that Aladdin will remain a magical experience for all who the theatre and will be on Broadway for many years to come.

Happy anniversary Aladdin, and a massive congratulations to everyone at the New Amsterdam tonight. To those on stage and those back stage. To those who are no longer with the show, to those who have just arrived, and those who have been there all along. Keep making magic everyone!

All Star Musicals with Trevor Dion Nicholas

Trevor Dion Nicholas as Genie, Photo by Deen Van Meer

Tonight is the night!

ITV is bringing the West End to the small screen as stars line up to sing some of your favourite show tunes with Aladdin's Trevor Dion Nicholas as one of the judges in All Star Musicals.

Yes, our very own Genie will be on the show, helping to decided whether each of the celebrity performances has musical magic, or if they should have stayed inside the lamp.

And that's not all! The incredible West End cast of Aladdin will be making magic themselves, with a show stopping performance of Friend Like Me that you won't want to miss!

All Star Musicals airs in the UK tonight at 6pm!

Full Trailer for Live Action Aladdin Released!

It's finally here!

Guy Ritchie's live action reimagining of Aladdin is due to hit cinemas in May and now we finally have the full trailer for movie!

I really need to get home, I just watched this on my phone during my lunch break and I need to see it on a big screen to really take it all in.

A lot has been made of the Genie since we first saw him last month but he looks great here. I never thought he looked that bad to be honest, but the special effects team have obviously been working overtime as he looks fantastic here.

And Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott sound AMAZING in 'A Whole New World'. I always hoped they would after Disney specifically searched for leads who could sing and dance, but just hearing them is a big relief and brings me so much joy!

Judging by the trailer, and everything else we know so far, Aladdin is shaping up to be exactly what I wished for. Take the heart of the story and characters from the animated classic, some noticeable influences from the incredible stage production, whilst adding something new so that the film stands on its own. To quote Genie, "here's hoping" that all adds up to a fantastic movie when the film arrives on May 24th.

Now excuse me, I need to go and watch the trailer a few more times!