The Cast of Aladdin Host Drama League Nominations Today!

Today at 11AM EST Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed and James Monroe Iglehart will announce this year's Drama League Awards nominations!

The announcement will be made at Sardi's in New York and, even better, live streamed on Broadway World so make sure you check it out!

Good luck to all the potential nominees!

Aladdin was nominated for 2 Drama League Awards in 2014, Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical and Distinguished Performance Award for James Monroe Igelhart's portrayal of Genie.

UPDATED - And you can now watch the announcement for yourself right here!

Gotta admit, I cracked up when James did his little backtrack after saying they were announcing the awards!  But my favourite moment had to be the smile they all shared when Adam announced Andrew Keenan-Bolger as a nominee for the Distinguished Performance Award, it just made my heart glad and I couldn't help but smile with them.

I just want to say a massive congratulations to all nominees and give a special shout out to some Disney/Aladdin alums!

Congratulations to Director/Choreographer Casey Nicholaw and Seattle Omar Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and the entire cast and creative team, on Tuck Everlasting's nomination for Outstanding Production of  Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical!  And a massive congratulations to Andrew for his Distinguished Performance Award nomination!

Congratulations to Samantha Massell, Brandt Martinez and the entire cast and creative team of Fiddler on the Roof for their nomination for Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical!

Congratulations to Director Michael Arden and the entire cast and creative team of Spring Awakening on their nomination for Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical and especially for Deaf West Theatre's Special Recognition Award for Unique Contribution to Theatre!

Good luck and congratulations to all the nominees this year!

Disney's Aladdin Nominated for Best Musical!

Boy does it feel good to be writing that title!  I woke up this morning to the news that Aladdin has been nominated for 8 Outer Circle Critics Awards including Outstanding New Broadway Musical!  You can see a full list of all the nominations by clicking the link but here's a list of Aladdin's nominations;

Outstanding New Broadway Musical - Aladdin
Outstanding Book of a Musical - Aladdin
Outstanding New Score - Aladdin
Outstanding Choreographer - Casey Nicholaw
Outstanding Set Design - Bob Crowley
Outstanding Costume Design - Gregg Barnes
Outstanding Lighting - Natasha Katz
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical - James Monroe Iglehart

And if that wasn't good enough, this afternoon the Drama League announced the nominations for the 80th Drama League Awards where Aladdin has once again been nominated for best musical!

Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical - Aladdin
Distinguished Performance Award - James Monroe Iglehart

Whilst this may look like a shorter list of nominations, the Drama League only gives 5 awards - Best Musical, Best Play, Best Musical Revival, Best Play Revival and the Distinguished Performance Award (which an actor or actress can only win once in their career) so Aladdin is actually represented in all possible categories.  The awards are also much more competitive, with 9 musicals competing for the Best Musical award and an incredible 50 actors and actresses nominated for the Distinguished Performance award.  That James has even been nominated for this is an incredible testament to his performance and it puts him in amazing company (this years nominations include Broadway and West End stars such as Idina Menzel and Ramin Karimloo and household names such as Bryan Cranston, Patrick Stewart and Denzel Washington).  And sure I'm a little biased but I honestly think he has what it takes to win :)

I just want to say a massive congratulations to the cast, crew and creative team of Aladdin, and especially to James Monroe Iglehart.  You've all earned this and I wish you every success when the winners are announced.