Aladdin Grants Final Wishes in Chicago

Adam Jacobs, Anthony Murphy and the cast of Aladdin National Tour, Photo by Deen Van Meer

They say all good things must come to an end and after an incredible six month run the first leg of Aladdin's National Tour is coming to a close this weekend!

If you live in the windy city and still haven't caught the show then make sure you head over to the Cadillac Palace Theatre this weekend as Adam Jacobs, Anthony Murphy, Isabelle McCalla and all of this incredible cast will be bringing the house down and audiences to their feet for three final wish fulfilling shows this weekend!  And you can still get tickets right here!

Make some magic this weekend everyone!  I hope you've had a fantastic run!

Next stop - Minneapolis' Orpheum Theatre starting Friday September 15th!  Tickets are available here.

Jacob Dickey Takes Over as Aladdin on Tour

Jacob Dickey as Aladdin, Photo by Matthew Murphy

The US National Tour of Aladdin has a new leading man as Jacob Dickey stepped into the title role last week (June 8th) following a month of bringing the character to life on Broadway.

Broadway in Chicago have stated that Jacob is temporarily taking over from Adam Jacobs who is "on a minor medical leave of absence until further notice".

I wish Adam a full and speedy recovery and hope to see him back in the show soon.  I also wish Jacob a fantastic run as Aladdin during his time in Chicago.

Aladdin is playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through to September 10th.

Wish Granted! Aladdin's US Tour Premiere's Tonight!

Adam Jacobs as Aladdin

Make way here he comes!  Fresh from his incredible 3 year Broadway run Adam Jacobs is bringing Aladdin to life once more as Disney's Broadway sensation begins its first US Tour at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre tonight!

Joining Adam in bringing this classic tale to life are Isabelle McCalla as Jasmine, Anthony Murphy as Genie, Jonathan Weir and Reggie De Leon as the villainous Jafar and Iago, JC Montgomery as the Sultan and Zachary Bencal, Philippe Arroyo and Mike Longo as Aladdin's friends Babkak, Omar and Kassim.

You can't make the magic without a phenomenal ensemble and they are Mary Antonini, Michael Bullard, Michael Callahan, Bobby Daye, Lissa Deguzman, Matthew de Guzman, Olivia Donalson, Michael Everett, Karlee Ferreira, Michael Graceffa, Clinton Greenspan, Adrienne Howard, Albert Jennings, Kenway Hon Wai K. Kau, Jason MacDonald, Angelina Mullins, Celina Nightengale, Kameron Richardson, Jaz Sealey (from the original Broadway cast), Charles South, Manny Stark (another Aladdin Broadway alumni who played a fantastic Kassim when I saw the show in February), Annie Wallace and Michelle West.

Completing the cast are Ellis C. Dawson III, as standby Genie and Babkak, and Adam Stevenson, as standby Jafar and Sultan.

You can see the entire cast right here as Broadway in Chicago shared a special preview of the cast rehearsing for tonight's big debut!

The cast of @aladdin has been hard at work creating the stunning world of Agrabah. Tickets available at: https://t.co/VSX7AuYBfp pic.twitter.com/hc2MPsFSLZ

— Broadway In Chicago (@broadwaychicago) April 7, 2017

And with tonight being the big debut, the cast, along with Disney Theatrical's Thomas Schumacher and composer Alan Menken, have been meeting the local press ahead of their premiere, speaking with the Daily Herald, Chicago Sun Times and the Chicago Tribune (the last is an especially touching piece as Alan Menken reflects on his life's work and the influence of Howard Ashman).

After tonight's bow, Aladdin will play through to September 10th in Chicago (a run that's already been extended due to demand), then the magic carpet will travel to Minneapolis' Orheum Theatre from September 15th through to October 8th before returning to the show's birth city of Seattle from October 12th through October 29th with more tour dates still to come.

But that's the future.  For tonight I just want to wish the very best of luck to all of the incredible cast, crew and creative team who are about to bring this show to life.  You've worked hard to get this moment, now enjoy it, you've earned every success.  Make some magic everyone!

Adam Jacobs Taking a Magic Carpet Ride Across America

Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Photo by Disney Theatrical

Adam Jacobs may be leaving Broadway but he's not ready to hang up his fez and vest just yet as Disney Theatrical announced on Friday that Adam will star in the first National Tour of Aladdin!

Gotta admit, after Playbill announced that Adam was leaving the Broadway production earlier this week I'm overjoyed to learn that he's going to be starring in the tour this April!  This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who couldn't make it to New York to see the original Aladdin live on stage.  You're all in for a magical show, Adam simply is Aladdin.

You can still catch Adam in the Broadway production of Aladdin through to February 12th at the New Amsterdam Theatre (and you better believe I'm looking at flight costs right now!).  The National Tour kicks off in Chicago on April 11th at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.  Tickets for both are available now at www.aladdinthemusical.com

Ring Bells, Bang the Drums! Aladdin is Going on Tour!!

If you can't make it to New York then the magic carpet is coming to you!

Disney Theatrical today announced the North American Tour of Aladdin!  The first stop on this magic carpet ride is a 12 week engagement in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre from April 11 to July 2 2017 with future venues still to be announced.

Disney Theatrical's Thomas Schumacher announced the tour saying "We've had the privilege of entertaining more than one million people in New York City with Casey Nicholaw's glorious production.  I am delighted that audiences in Chicago and throughout North America will soon have the opportunity to experience Aladdin in their own back yards."

"Aladdin will be the fourth new production we've launched in Chicago in 16 years.  Chicago's canny audiences, its theatrical infrastructure and its stunning theatres make it a peerless town for creating new productions.  We are thrilled to return with Aladdin."

Lou Raizin, President of Broadway in Chicago, added "We are excited Chicago will be the first North American city outside of New York to see Aladdin."

Group bookings (for 15 people or more) are now on sale and you can find more details at the show's official website http://www.aladdinthemusical.com/tour where you can also sign up for email updates.

Call me sentimental but I really hope that Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre is one of the stops on the tour!