The Road Back to Broadway

 

Last night the new cast of Aladdin performed in front of a full audience for the first time at their invited dress rehearsal. Tomorrow night the show will officially reopen and after almost eighteen months Broadway's most magical musical will be back! So I thought today would be the perfect time to look back on some of this year's road back to Broadway.

It began this summer, when Disney officially returned to Broadway with Live at the New Am, relighting the marquee of the New Amsterdam Theatre for an incredible concert benefiting The Actors Fund. For four nights from July 22-25, Disney Theatrical stars Michael James Scott (Aladdin), Ashley Brown (Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins), Josh Strickland (Tarzan), and Kissy Simmons (Frozen) brought the magic of Disney music back to the Broadway stage with hits from Disney Theatrical's entire catalog over the last two and a half decades.

The show opened with Hercules's 'A Star is Born' (hopefully a hint that Disney plans a Broadway run for the show in the future)

And then went on to feature this incredible impromptu moment as two Genie's shared the New Amsterdam spotlight for the first time since Aladdin's 5th anniversary!

The audience lost it and I know I would have been crying tears of joy to have witnessed that incredible moment! Broadway was back!

And this month things really heated up as Broadway began reopening. First, Michael Maliakel and Michael James Scott took part in Bloomingdale's Celebrates Broadway on September 9th. It was Michael Maliakel's first public performance representing Aladdin and it's safe to say he did the show proud. I've not been able to find a full video of the event but this video features some highlights from the event (Aladdin starts at 6:58)

Next was Playbill's Curtain Up event on September 19 where Michael and Shoba Narayan performed 'A Whole New World' together for the first time and it sounded just as beautiful as you'd hope.

And finally, on September 23rd Jacob Dickey took to the stage at Broadway in Bryant Park (so happy that's back!!) to perform 'Proud of Your Boy'.

Now, the wait is finally over as tomorrow the magic returns! And Disney Theatrical are live streaming the always incredible 'Friend Like Me' so that fans around the world can share in the joy as Aladdin returns to its rightful home in the New Amsterdam Theatre. Your Broadway wish is, finally, granted.

Cast Announced for Aladdin's Broadway Return!

 

The wait is almost over! After 18 months the magic is finally coming home to Broadway and today Disney Theatrical announced the cast who will be bringing Aladdin to life when the show reopens at the historic New Amsterdam Theatre next month!

First up is our brand new Aladdin, Michael Maliakel (The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary Tour) who will be making his Broadway debut as everyone's favourite street rat! Joining him on the magic carpet is Shoba Narayan (Wicked, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812) as Broadway's new Jasmine!

Returning to grant more wishes is, of course, Agrabah's fiercest Genie, and the only man to play the role in every English language production of the show, Michael James Scott!

Also returning is everyone's favourite villainous duo - Jonathan Freeman and Don Darryl Rivera as Jafar and Iago! Jonathan and DDR have been with the show since the very beginning, all the way back to the world premiere in Seattle, so I'm delighted to see them returning to these iconic roles!

JC Montgomery returns as the Sultan, a role he originated for the US Tour before taking over on Broadway in 2018.

Milo Alosi and Brad Weinstock are returning as Kassim and Omar, and joining them for some high adventures is Zach Bencal as Babkak! Zach originated the role for the US Tour so I'm incredibly excited for him to make his Broadway debut in the role when the show reopens next month.

Also transferring from the Tour to Broadway is Frank Viveros as standby for Genie, Sultan, and Babkak. He will be joining returning standbys Dennis Stowe (Jafar/Sultan) and Juwan Crawley (Genie/Sultan).

Aladdin's incredible ensemble will feature Tia Altinay (who has been with the show since the world premiere in Seattle), Mary Antonini, Netanel Bellaishe, Michael Callahan, Mike Cannon, Matthew deGuzman, Jacob Dickey, Mark DiConzo, Olivia Donalson, Josh Drake, Samantha Farrow, Jacob Gutierrez, Heather Makalani, Stanley Martin, Paul HeeSang Miller, April Holloway, Amber Owens, Jaime Kasey Patterson, Bobby Pestka, Ariel Reid, Tyler Roberts, Jaz Sealey, Charles South, Angelo Soriano, and Katie Terza.

It's an exciting mix of new and familiar faces, and I can't wait to see them all bringing that joyous energy back to the New Amsterdam stage! So please join me in wishing them all a very warm welcome/welcome back, and a massive congratulations to all of the new members of the Aladdin family, especially those making their Broadway debut during this historic return!

One of the best parts about new castings is seeing those joining the cast sharing their reactions to the news. So here's our new Aladdin, Jasmine, and Babkak in their own words!

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A post shared by Michael Maliakel (@michaelmaliakel)

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A post shared by Shoba Narayan (@shoba_narayan)

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A post shared by Zach Bencal (@zbencal)

Aladdin will begin granting wishes once more on September 28th. Tickets are on sale now.

Aladdin Returns to Broadway September 28th!

 

Let's make some magic!!! Aladdin returns to Broadway on September 28th!

Disney on Broadway's website has been updated today to announce the return of Aladdin and The Lion King to Broadway after over a year. I am so happy right now I can't quite put it into words so I'll just let this incredible video from Disney do the talking (and yes, I did have tears in my eyes by the end).

As speculated yesterday, The Lion King will return first with performances beginning Tuesday, September 14th, with Aladdin opening two weeks later on Tuesday, September 28th.

And that's not all!

As part of their return to Broadway, Disney will be offering an incredible Double the Magic offer with a special ticket to BOTH shows with prices starting from just $149! No service fees, free exchanges and refunds, you can even book your tickets now and choose your performance dates later!

Tickets will go on sale next Tuesday, May 11th, at 7AM.

I am so, so happy right now. After this last year I need the joy that this show brings. I can only imagine how those involved with the show must be feeling right now, and how amazing that re-opening night will be. Come on down, come on in, the magic is back.

UPDATE 05/11 - Seems I may have broken this story a little earlier than the official announcement! I've updated the links and video so they should work properly now!

In a statement released this morning Disney Theatrical's Thomas Schumacher said:

"After 18 months of being apart we are thrilled to welcome our audiences back and are proud to introduce these unique benefits to make buying Broadway tickets risk-free, flexible and affordable. Broadway's reopening - before tourists fully return - will be the perfect time for us tri-staters to attend Broadway as shows will be more accessible than ever."

Tickets are now on sale for Aladdin's magical return to Broadway. I spent a crazy amount of time clicking refresh today but I am overjoyed to have been able to get tickets for the show's reopening night on Broadway. Now I just have to hope travel restrictions ease and we can travel to the US! The atmosphere that night will truly be once in a lifetime. Broadway is back!!