Aladdin: The New Stage Musical Celebrates 5 Magical Years

Five years ago tonight Aladdin: The New Stage Musical officially opened at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle.  With the show now premiering around the world in Disney Theatrical's fastest ever roll out, it's hard to believe that it began life as a small Pilot Production that was never meant for Broadway.  Indeed, Aladdin only came about in response to the growing demand for a licensable 2-Act version of the show with the intention that the Seattle production would provide a blueprint that could then be licensed to regional and amateur groups.  But when the show premiered at The 5th with a sold out run and overwhelming support from audiences and fans, it soon became clear that a much bigger future was in store.

In celebration of the show's 5th anniversary let's take a look back at how it all began!

Our first look at the show came before we even knew who would be starring in it when Broadway World premiered a gallery of Gregg Barnes' amazing costume designs for the show.  The gallery was quickly removed from Broadway World and, at the request of 5th Avenue, from this blog.  Now everyone's seen the fantastic work Greg Barnes did for the Broadway show I think it's safe for these to come out of the Disney Vault!  So here's a selection of costume designs from the show!

Aladdin (5th Avenue), Costume design by Gregg Barnes

Princess Jasmine (5th Avenue), Costume design by Gregg Barnes

Genie (5th Avenue), Costume design by Gregg Barnes

 

Jafar (5th Avenue), Costume design by Gregg Barnes

Iago (5th Avenue), Costume design by Gregg Barnes

They look pretty amazing!  I love looking at these and seeing how the designs evolved from concept to Seattle to Broadway.



Adam Jacobs as Aladdin from Concept to Broadway
Costume Design by Gregg Barnes, Photos by Mark Kitaoka & Cylla Von Tiedemann

I think Tia Altinay puts it best as she shares her thoughts on Aladdin's journey from Seattle to Broadway;

"It's been the most amazing experience to see the transformation of this show over the last 5yrs. Everything from costumes to characters have changed and I've been fortunate to see it all. Agrabah continues to be the best place to work on Broadway." -- Tia Altinay

Whilst the full cast announcement would come in June, there was an extra special announcement made in May.  Jonathan Freeman, who gave Jafar life in the classic animated film, would be bringing him to life on stage!  Needless to say, I (and every other Aladdin fan) was over joyed at this brilliant casting.

Jonathan Freeman and Don Darryl Rivera as Jafar and Iago, Back Stage at 5th Avenue

And what a fantastic cast they assembled for this production!  Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Courtney Reed as Jasmine, James Monroe Iglehart as Genie, Don Darryl Rivera as Iago, Brian Gonzales, Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Brandon O'Neill as Babkak, Omar and Kassim, and Sean Griffin as the Sultan.  Plus the incredible ensemble!

We're so lucky that many of them not only returned when the show took the next step to Broadway but remain with the show to this day!  It's been an incredible 5 year journey for them as well as the show and, thanks to Disney Theatrical, some of them (like Tia above) have very kindly shared their thoughts on the Seattle production on this amazing story so far.

Here's a fantastic memory from James Monroe Iglehart on his first audition for the Seattle production of Aladdin;

"There have been so many magical moments on this journey called Aladdin. From the first table read in Seattle and hearing Jonathan Freeman speak as Jafar for the 1st time, to our family commune in Toronto in the cold, to 2 years on Broadway and winning a Tony! But the story that always comes to mind is that first audition. I was in the 3rd round of guys coming in for Genie and I knew of Casey Nicholaw but not what he looked like. So I was nervous for the audition but not super nervous because I figured I would do a bunch of wild crazy stuff just to get the call back and calm down a little when I met the real director. Well I audition for the casting director and the bald happy faced guy I never met before and just go nuts and they both seem to love me! Then I go back to my job at Memphis and begin to tell the guys on my floor about the audition and Michael McGrath says wow you did all that in front of Casey he must have loved that. I was like that was Casey? I had no idea! A little later Casey tells me how fearless and funny I was and that's what he loved about me, I didn't have the heart to tell him "I didn't know it was you!" When I finally told him we just laughed about it!

I have loved the Genie my whole life and I am blessed to play him every night and that first night at the 5th Ave was the beginning of a journey in my life I will never ever forget! I love my cast, we are truly a Family!" -- James Monroe Iglehart

James Monroe Iglehart as Genie, Photo by Chris Bennion



For a production that ran just three short weeks, the original cast of Aladdin was embraced by the fan base.  On Aladdin Central's forum (the main Aladdin fan site) the film's fans fell in love with a cast most of us would never see (at least in Seattle) and the thread for the 5th Avenue production remains the longest the boards have ever seen as we tracked down every official video, image and interview we could.  For me this is one of my fondest memories of the Seattle show, that sense of community between the fans and how we all came together to celebrate Aladdin's stage premiere.

I think part of the reason the original Seattle cast were so embraced by the Aladdin fan base is because The 5th Avenue shared so much.  Starting with their Spotlight Night and that inspired Jafar phone call that they used to announce a change of venue;

In the build up to the show's first preview The 5th Avenue released several performances and interviews from the Spotlight Night before releasing the entire event on the night Aladdin made its stage debut.  You can watch the special performance in full by following the link above, but here's two special performances from the event.

First up is Brian Gonzales, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Adam Jacobs and Brandon O'Neill singing an early version of "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim" by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman

And next is Jonathan Freeman and Don Darryl Rivera performing Alan Menken and Tim Rice's "Why Me?" which was ultimately cut before the show reached Broadway.

And speaking of Don Darryl Rivera, everyone's favourite evil sidekick has very kindly shared his thoughts on his time with Aladdin;

"The last 5 years have been some of the best of my life. I have to thank Disney for granting me this amazing wish of originating a role from the inception of the project to making my Broadway debut in that same role. Even as we approach 1000 performances, (OMG!!!) I still have a blast onstage EVERY NIGHT with this incredible cast. Special thanks to Jonathan Freeman for the 5 year master class in Disney Villainy with an emphasis in Sidekickery." -- Don Darryl Rivera

And the Spotlight Night was just the start.  Over the course of July The 5th Avenue's YouTube channel played host to The JMI Show!  I think this is where the fans who couldn't make it to Seattle truly fell in love with this original cast.  They all came across as perfect for their roles and having the time of their lives in the process.  If you've never seen these then you're in for a real treat!  So sit back and enjoy The JMI Show!

Of course, James wasn't the only one who got to interview the cast back then! He just did it better, in person and with higher production qualities ;-)  Joking aside, even 5 years later I cannot say thank you enough to both the cast and The 5th Avenue (especially Bridget Summers) for the incredible opportunity they gave me.  I was just a fan with a small blog and thanks to their kindness I was able to interview most of the principal cast from half way around the world.  It remains, to this day, one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I will be forever grateful for that.

So here they are, my full interviews with the cast of 5th Avenue's Aladdin along with some special reflections they shared on the show's 1st anniversary.

Adam Jacobs
James Monroe Igleahrt
Don Darryl Rivera
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Courtney Reed
Sean G. Griffin
Brandon O'Neill
Reflections on Aladdin - The 1st Anniversary

For a show with such a short run and no planned future on Broadway The 5th Avenue really went above and beyond in promoting the show.

Courtney Reed appeared on New Day Northwest with Tia Altinay, Shanna Marie Palmer and Allysa Shorte to perform "Call Me and Princess" (another song that was ultimately cut before the show reached Broadway);

Writer and lyricist Chad Begulin spoke with Broadway World.

They took us behind the scenes;

Alan Menken visited the Seattle Children's Hospital

And shared the moment two of Disney's greatest directors paid the cast a visit after watching them bring their story to life on stage;

Ron Clements and John Musker with the cast of Aladdin, Photo from 5th Avenue's Blog

And that's just scratching the surface!  They shared an incredible amount of character and production photos, a selection of which you can see below.

Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Photo by Chris Bennion

Adam Jacobs & James Monroe Iglehart as Aladdin & Genie, Photo by Chris Bennion

Adam Jacobs & Courtney Reed as Aladdin & Jasmine, Photo by Chris Bennion

Brian Gonzales, Andrew Keenan-Bolger & Brandon O'Neill as Babkak, Omar & Kassim, Photo by Chris Bennion

Adam Jacobs as Aladdin (the first photo!!),  Photo by Mark Kitaoka

Courtney Reed & Sean G. Griffin as Jasmine & Sultan, Photo by Mark Kitaoka

Seeing images like these was a dream come true for myself and so many other fans.  And for some of the cast that dream continues every night when they step onto that Broadway stage;

"It is very hard to put into words how Aladdin has changed my life. If I sit and think about it, it has enhanced my life in every aspect. I always said that it would feel real when I stepped on the stage opening night, but it still doesn't feel real, and that was 2 years ago. It feels like I am in a constant dream state and don't ever want to wake up." -- Courtney Reed

And then, of course, there was the clip of "A Million Miles Away" they shared (strangely the YouTube video posted by The 5th is currently blocked due to a claimed copyright by Disney, if this gets resolved I'll update this post).  Watching this I feel in love with the show all over again and knew it was in good hands with Chad Begulin.

It felt like a dream to see the film I have loved since childhood brought to life before my eyes, even for those brief few moments.  Happily the trailer for the show has been preserved and you can now see some of that early magic for yourself.

From these humble beginnings a Broadway sensation was born.  Aladdin in Seattle was, like its title character, a diamond in the rough.  Whilst the reviews were mixed to positive, audiences embraced the show night after night.  It was their support that proved to Disney Theatrical that maybe Aladdin could be something more than a licensable property.  And it was the subsequent hard work of the creative team, cast and everyone at Disney Theatrical that transformed the show into to a magical production that is truly shining, shimmering, splendid.  As Thomas Schumacher said on the Diamond Edition Blu-Ray, the reason Aladdin works "is because nobody quit.  Nobody quit on it, and it was the sheer will of an enormous number of committed people that made the show happen".  That's a kind of magic as well.

Yes, a lot changed on Aladdin's road to Broadway as it moved the production closer to the animated movie.  Here's Sean Griffin, the original Sultan, reflecting on seeing the show's opening night on Broadway and his time with the production in Seattle;

"I was at the opening of Aladdin in NY and loved it.  There were some changes that I liked and some I did not.  The Sultan, now played by an African American actor which is good because the show needed some actors of color, was pared down somewhat as were the roles of the three "amigos" as narrators.  They wanted the Genie to appear sooner in the production, I liked the old way better.  But still it was a spectacular show and the audience loved it.  Casey Nicholaw did a terrific job with new direction and choreography.  New costumes and sets were spectacular as well.  My memories of doing it in Seattle are the best.  I had a most enjoyable time and the entire cast and crew and creatives were wonderful.  A great experience and am lucky to have had it." -- Sean G. Griffin

Since taking part in Aladdin, Sean has starred Sugar Daddies, Outside Mullingar, Carousel and, most recently, The Secret Garden which will see him return to The 5th Avenue Theatre in April 2017.

I can't think of any better way to end this look back at The 5th Avenue's magical show than with the words of Aladdin himself;

"Has it really been five years since Seattle??  It's amazing to think of how far we've come and yet it still seems like yesterday when we were at the 5th Avenue Theatre, enjoying summer there and putting together the first production.  What a fantastic, magical and hectic time that was.  So much excitement surrounding every rehearsal and the feeling of accomplishment when you finally got the steps down, or made the quick change, etc.  I feel so lucky to have witnessed not only the show's growth and success over the years, but the growth and success of my fellow actors who were with me from the beginning.  We really worked hard, pouring our blood, sweat and tears into this project and there's nothing better than having it be a smash hit on Broadway.   To say it's a life-changing experience is an understatement.  Every aspect of my life has changed in some way, the greatest being that I'm a father now, and I can't help but equate the love I have for my twin boys with the love I have for Aladdin and all its meant to me.  And whenever my journey with Aladdin ends I will be happy knowing that I enjoyed and appreciated every moment along the way.  But until then I'm just gonna keep flying high!" -- Adam Jacobs

Happy Anniversary Aladdin!  Here's wishing you many more!

Adam Jacobs & Courtney Reed as Aladdin & Jasmine, Photo by Chris Bennion

It Began on a Dark Night...

Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Photo by Mark Kitaoka

Talk about Throwback Thursday!  Five years ago tonight Aladdin: The New Stage Musical had it's very first preview performance at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre!

Back then Broadway really was a million miles away and an international roll out like the show's having now was likely beyond everyone's wildest dreams.

I'll have a full look back at the 5th's Pilot Production on the anniversary of the show's official opening (21st July) but for now I just want to say how happy I am that the show has come so far.  Five years ago I never would have dreamed that Aladdin would be in it's third record breaking year on Broadway (featuring many of Seattle's principal cast members!) or that I would be able to see show in my own country!  Talk about wishes being granted!

Opening Night for The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Michael Arden and Ciara Renee as Quasimodo and Esmeralda, Photo by Matthew Murphy

After a week and half of previews the Paper Mill Playhouse's production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame officially opens tonight!  After last year's critically acclaimed production at the La Jolla Playhouse here's hoping for more of the same after the press leave the theatre tonight.  Then maybe, just maybe, Broadway could be next.

But that's the future.  Tonight is important for that, of course, but it's more important as a celebration of this production and all the hard work and energy that the cast, creative team and everyone at the Paper Mill have put into making this show the best it can possibly be.  The press will be there, but more importantly so will friends and family.  So to everyone at the Paper Mill tonight, on stage, back stage and in the audience, I will say simply this, enjoy it, celebrate it and be moved by it.  That's what live theatre's all about.  This is your night and I wish you all the very best.

And maybe, if we're lucky, we'll see this show make its way to Broadway one day, someday, soon.

Countdown to Broadway - Toronto 2013/2014

It was August 2012, following the successful Pilot Production at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in 2011 Disney had been true to their word and had licensed Aladdin to both regional and international theatres.  The Tuacahn's production was half way through its record breaking 5 month run, The Muny's production had just finished the previous month (becoming the best selling show of the season) and European and Asian Premieres had been announced for later in the year.  Then, on Sunday 12th August, Alan Menken played to an intimate audience at a special D23 Destination D event.  At the close of the show, introducing Somebody's Got Your Back Alan says "you're going to be now among the very first to hear a song, a new song, from the Aladdin show that's coming to Broadway."

Thanks to Stitch Kingdom (and James who recorded it) you can hear the announcement, and Alan singing Somebody's Got Your Back and Proud of Your Boy, here;

It would be January 2013 before the official announcement came.  On January 7th  The New York Times ran a rumour that Mary Poppins, which had been running on Broadway since 2006, was to close in March to make way for Aladdin which would make its Broadway debut in Spring 2014 with the New Amsterdam being renovated between the two shows.  The very next day Disney confirmed that Mary Poppins would indeed close on 3rd March 2013 and on 22nd January it was officially confirmed, Aladdin was going to Broadway!  Following a preview run in Toronto at the Ed Mirvish Theatre from 1st November 2013 through 5th January 2014, Aladdin was to make its Broadway Premiere at the New Amsterdam Theatre in Spring 2014.

It was reported that this would be an entirely new production of Aladdin "featuring a new script, tunestack and a wholly original design scaled to the Broadway stage and an epic story" and that most of the original creative team from 5th Avenue's Pilot Production would be returning along with a few new additions;

Alan Menken (Composer)
Howard Ashman (Lyrics)
Tim Rice (Lyrics)
Chad Beguelin (Book and Lyrics)
Casey Nicholaw (Director and Choreographer)
Bob Crowley (Scenic Design)
Gregg Barnes (Costume Design)
Natasha Katz (Lighting Design)
Ken Travis (Sound Design)
Jim Steinmeyer (Illusion Design)
Josh Marquette (Hair Design)
Michael Kosarin (Music Supervisor/Music Director)
Danny Troob (Orchestrator)
Glen Kelly (Dance Arrangements)

At the same time the show's official website (then www.aladdinbroadway.com) went live, along with Facebook and Twitter accounts, debuting the show's new tagline Aladdin: Broadway's New Musical Fantasy, and the following week the casting calls went out for both principals and chorus singers and dancers.  Jafar's absence from the casting calls was our first hint that Jonathan Freeman would once again be bringing the character to life on stage, but the absence of Iago and Kassim was, at the time, a little more confusing.  Happily the roles would both go to original cast members Don Darryl Rivera and Brandon O'Neill, but that's getting a bit ahead of myself!

February saw the Mirvish Theatre launch their webpage for Aladdin: The New Musical Fantasy with the above poster and the banner used at the top of this post and, in an interview with Playbill, Alan Menken revealed that he and Chad Beguelin had written a new song for Jafar (which we now know to be Diamond in the Rough).

Priority tickets for the Toronto run of Aladdin finally went on sale at the end of May with general sales starting early the following month.  As well as general ticket sales, June also saw the release of the teaser trailer for the Toronto run;

In August another D23 event offered fans a small sneak preview of the show.  As part of the D23 Expo a special Broadway and Beyond concert was held to showcase the music of Disney Theatrical's shows both past and present, the night ended with a special look to the future as the cast performed the new song Somebody's Got Your Back from Aladdin.  Though the event was no cameras allowed footage did hit the net.  Out of respect for Disney I didn't post the video here but I did post this image from the footage, our first look at the new and improved Broadway logo for the show;

The Toronto production would continue to use the earlier logo and the tagline "The New Musical Fantasy" or, simply, "The New Musical" but from here on the Broadway production would be "The New Musical Comdey" or "Broadway's New Musical Comedy".

Before the month was over the Aladdin marquee was raised at the Ed Mirvish Theatre.

And on 29th August 2013 the official website received a makeover featuring the new logo and artwork as it was announced that Aladdin: The New Musical Comedy would begin its Broadway previews on 26th February 2014 with the official opening night expected to be 20th March 2014.

Casting rumours grew stronger in September as the show prepared to begin rehearsals.  Whilst there were plenty of rumours going round two really stood out and both ended up being true.  The first was that Adam Jacobs, who originated the role of Aladdin in Seattle, would be returning to the title role.  A press release for Scott Siegel's Broadway Ballyhoo! credited Adam as "the star in the title role of the new Disney musical Aladdin".  The second was that Andrew Keenan-Bolger, who originated the role of Omar in Seattle, would not be returning.  This was based on Andrew being confirmed as part of the cast of the Off Broadway play Family Fortunes which was to run at the same time as Aladdin's Toronto run.

The announcement we were all waiting for came on 16th September 2013 as the cast began rehearsals and Disney finally revealed who would be starring in Broadway's Aladdin;

Adam Jacobs as Aladdin
Courtney Reed as Princess Jasmine
James Monroe Iglehart as Genie
Jonathan Freeman as Jafar
Don Darryl Rivera as Iago
Brian Gonzales as Babkak
Jonathan Schwartz as Omar
Brandon O'Neill as Kassim
Clifton Davis as Sultan

Merwin Foard and Michael James Scott were announced as standbys for several principals and the ensemble was confirmed to include Tia Altinay, Mike Cannon, Andrew Cao, Lauryn Ciardullo, Joshua Dela Cruz, Yurel Echezarreta, Daisy Hobbs, Donald Jones Jr., Adam Kaokept, Nikki Long, Stanley Martin, Brandt Martinez , Michael Mindlin, Rhea Patterson, Bobby Pestka, Khori Petinaud, Ariel Reid, Jennifer Rais, Trent Saunders, Jaz Sealy, Dennis Stowe, Marisha Wallace and Bud Weber.

For me, the best part of the announcement was the return of so many of the original Seattle principal cast.  As the original cast I felt they deserved to have the chance to bring the show to Broadway and, having missed the original production of the show, I can't wait to finally see them in these roles on the Broadway stage.

Following a month of rehearsals in New York the cast and creative team packed their bags and jumped on the magic carpet to their new home in Toronto, the Ed Mirvish Theatre.  The move to Toronto marked the beginning of the publicity build up for the show as 680 News interviewed Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed about the show and Mirvish Productions posted a special look behind the scenes;

As the World Premiere of this new, Broadway bound, production of Aladdin grew closer the press coverage increased.  The Toronto Star went behind the scenes, talking with Thomas Schumacher, Casey Nicholaw, Chad Beguelin and James Monroe Iglehart, The Canadian Press spoke with Alan Menken (though sadly the video seems to no longer be online) and both The Winnipeg Free News and CBC News interviewed Canadian native Jaz Sealey about his role in the show.

Then it was show time.  Friday 1st November 2013 saw the curtain rise for the first time on Aladdin.  The show opened to standing ovations and, whilst there were one or two minor technical issues, audience reactions were overwhelmingly positive (and those early technical problems were dealt with extremely quickly and haven't been an issue since).

In less than a week the new, revised, song list hit the net (which is actually a pretty long time given that it took less than a day for the Seattle list to come online) and featured some noticeable differences to the earlier productions of the show;

Act One
Arabian Nights
One Jump Ahead
Proud of Your Boy (with One Jump Ahead, Reprise used as a lead in)
Arabian Nights, Reprise 1
Call Me a Princess
Call Me a Princess, Reprise
Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim
A Million Miles Away
Diamond in the Rough
Friend Like Me
Arabian Nights, Reprise 2
Act 1 Finale (Friend Like Me, Reprise and Proud of Your Boy, Reprise 1)

Act Two
Prince Ali
Arabian Nights, Reprise 3
A Whole New World
High Adventure
Somebody's Got Your Back
Proud of Your Boy, Reprise 2
Prince Ali, Reprise
Genie's Exit (Somebody's Got Your Back, Reprise)
Finale Ultimo (Arabian Nights, Reprise 4 and A Whole New World, Reprise)

As the cast and creative team were entertaining audiences in Toronto and gearing up for their official opening night, Disney began to email those who had signed up to the show's official website a special priority code to allow them first access to tickets for Aladdin on Broadway.  Aladdin's Broadway debut was finally on sale!  It was a good week to be an Aladdin fan as that same week also saw the release of the first official production photos from Aladdin's Toronto run.

Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

Courtney Reed as Princess Jasmine with Brandt Martinez, Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

James Monroe Iglehart as Genie, Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed as Aladdin and Jasmine, Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

And once again I'd like to say a big thank you to Disney Theatrical for providing me with high quality versions of the photos.

That week in November also showed the humanitarian side of one of the cast as, in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, Don Darryl Rivera dedicated his performance of Iago to those affected by the tragedy and encouraged his friends and supporters to consider donating to UNICEF's efforts to help those affected.

On 21st November 2013 Aladdin: The New Musical Fantasy officially opened in Toronto.  Whilst audience responses were extremely positive, as with Seattle the critics were mixed in their opinions.  The Star gave the show 2 1/2 stars (presumably out of 5) praising James Monroe Iglehart's Genie and the show stopping Friend Like Me but criticising the show's book, saying it didn't make you care for the characters in the way you should.  The Globe and Mail agreed, giving the show 2 1/2 out of 4 stars, praising the set design and the magic carpet but saying the show lacked charm and heart.  The Toronto Sun's review had the same criticisms, saying that it was hard to emotionally invest in the characters, whilst the Huffington Post called James Monroe Iglehart "ten kinds of fabulous, each with its own theme song" but felt that Jasmine's character lacked depth and, like the other reviews, felt that rewriting was needed to make the show stronger.  The Vancouver Sun felt that the show might appeal more to children than to adults, but conceded that "it's hard to argue with simple, straightforward fun".  Broadway World's review was more positive, though it echoed the earlier concerns about the book not making you care enough for the characters it went on to say that "problems aside, there's still a lot of magic in Aladdin", praising the cast and calling the A Whole New World scene "a moment of theatrical magic combined with a stunningly beautiful song ... it served as a beautiful reminder of why people love Aladdin and why they will go to the theatre in droves to see it come to life before their very eyes."  The Post's review was similarly positive, praising James Monroe Iglehart's Genie and Don Darryl Rivera's Iago and calling Friend Like Me "almost worth the price of admission alone" but agreed with the Huffington Post that Courtney Reed's Jasmine was limited by the book and felt that this was a missed opportunity.  The National Post's review was positively glowing with praise, declaring "Forget the Lion, this Aladdin is King of the Stage" and calling it "the best ever stage version of a movie".  The reviewer praised almost every element of the show saying "what a joy to encounter a big, splashy, funny musical that works".

Following the official opening of the show The Star published a touching interview with Alan Menken, discussing his life and bringing Aladdin to stage, CHCH posted a video interview with the stars of the show, Canada's CTV News posted a video interview with James Monroe Iglehart (Jonathan Freeman's there too but this was definitely the JMI Show!) and Broadway Direct posted interviews with both Jonathan Freeman and Casey Nicholaw.  NY1 also posted a short article on the show's opening along with a video for Warner Cable customers and at the end of December Inlander interviewed Brandon O'Neill.

In the wake of the reviews the creative team went back to work.  In the past Disney have been criticised for not making anything more than superficial changes to their shows between the out of town previews and their Broadway debut, this certainly can't be said for Aladdin as the creative team have taken every opportunity to listen to feedback and improve the show.  The staging of A Whole New World was one of the most divisive issues with critics back in 2011, for this new production it was almost universally praised as one of the stand outs of the show.  Less than a month after the reviews Call Me a Princess and Call Me a Princess Reprise were cut and replaced with a new song called Beyond These Palace Walls to give Jasmine a more character driven song in the vein of Aladdin's Proud of Your Boy.  The changes didn't stop there as reports came out from people seeing the show that several changes, big and small, were being made in the final months of the Toronto run.  One thing seemed unanimous however, everyone who saw the show multiple times in Toronto agreed that the changes made the show stronger and Aladdin ended its Toronto run better for them.  And more changes are still to come as Director Casey Nicholaw confirmed in this interview with Broadway World last week.

As the cold Canadian winter closed in the cast got an early Christmas surprise - Scott Weinger, the original voice of Aladdin, came to see the show and meet the cast backstage.  And Disney had an early Christmas present for the fans as well, releasing a teaser trailer for Aladdin's upcoming Broadway run.

On 5th January 2014 Aladdin played its final show at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto and the final countdown to Broadway began as Disney raised the marquee at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York.

Our final look at the Toronto run of Aladdin came earlier this month from Disney's official fan site, D23.  As part of an article about the show's impending Broadway debut D23 shared some previously unseen production images from Toronto, including our first look at Brian Gonzales, Jonathan Schwartz and Brandon O'Neill as Babkak, Omar and Kassim, Don Darryl Rivera as Iago and the one and only Jonathan Freeman as Jafar!  The website is members only but you can sign up for free, you don't need to be a silver or gold member to view the article.

Now, the countdown to Broadway is finally over.  It's been a long journey from those early workshops in 2010 to The 5th Avenue's Pilot Production in 2011 to where we are right now.  Tomorrow night the curtain at the New Amsterdam Theatre will rise, the orchestra will begin to play and the story of Aladdin will come to life on a Broadway stage.  Perhaps you would like to hear the tale?  It begins on a dark night...

Salaam Toronto!

Well this is it, this afternoon's matinee is Aladdin's final performance in snowy Toronto.  I just want to say a big congratulations to all the cast and crew and everyone involved with bringing this show to life on the Ed Mirvish's stage.  From everything I've read it's been an incredible run.  I hope you all enjoy this final show and a well earned break.  Next month Broadway is waiting for you!

Aladdin's Final Days in Toronto

Happy New Year!!

Well it's here, 2014.  This week Aladdin is playing it's final shows in Toronto.  If you still want to see the show before it hops on that magic carpet to the Great White Way then there are still a few seats left for both of Saturday's performances and Sunday's final matinee (tonight and tomorrow are both sold out).  Tickets are available from the Mirvish's website.

After wowing audiences for the past 2 months and bringing some of the heat of the Arabian desert to snowy Toronto (at least inside the theatre) it's almost time to say goodbye to Canada.  But unlike the last time most of this cast said goodbye to their characters this time it's only for a month, they know where they're going next and that's Broadway!

And that leads me nicely to this next piece of news.

Brandon O'Neill

Several members of Aladdin's cast will be making their Broadway debuts with this show, including Brandon O'Neill who plays Aladdin's friend, Kassim.  Just before Christmas Brandon spoke with Inlander about his musical background, his road to Broadway and the difference between the 5th Avenue's Pilot Production and the new Broadway bound production of Aladdin.  It's a very interesting read and well worth checking out.  Oh and twelve weeks of twelve hour days?  No one ever said being on stage was easy!!

 

Alan Menken was also interviewed recently, speaking with the Daily Tribune about the current trend of adapting movies into musicals.  It's not entirely Aladdin related but it's a very interesting read and I highly recommend giving it a look.

 

Coming back to Aladdin, as we end one year and start a new one it's often traditional to look back on what has been and look forward to what's to come.  Broadway World recently did just that with Aladdin topping their list of 2013's hottest news stories and coming second in their list of "14 Things We Can't Wait For".  Obviously they have good taste :o)

Critics Divided but Audiences Love Disney's Aladdin

Last night was the official opening of Aladdin's pre-Broadway run in Toronto, this morning the first reviews started to appear online and, like with the 5th Avenue's Pilot Production, they were rather mixed.

First came The Star's review, "Aladdin's Carpet Ride Lacking Some Magic" which gave the show 2 1/2 Stars (presumably out of 5).  The review praised James Monroe Iglehart's Genie and the show stopping Friend Like Me but criticises the book, saying it doesn't make you care about the fate of the characters.  This was quickly followed by The Globe and Mail's review, "There's a Carpet, but Not Much Magic in Aladdin", which gave the show 2 1/2 out of 4 Stars, praising the "unbelievable sights" of the set design and the magic carpet but says that the show lacks charm and heart.

James Monroe Iglehart as Genie, Photo by Cylla Von Tiedemann

This afternoon took a more positive turn.  Canada's UrbanMoms website posted their review calling the show "opulent and entertaining".

Broadway World's review, "Broadway Bound Aladdin Opens in Toronto", was again mixed, but unlike the earlier reviews it felt more positive.  Whilst it again criticised the book, echoing The Star's opinion that it doesn't make you care enough about the characters, it goes on to say that "Problems aside, there's still a lot of magic in Aladdin".  It says Adam Jacobs is "likeable and endearing" as Aladdin and that he and Courtney Reed "sound incredible" singing A Whole New World, before going on to praise James Monroe Iglehart's Genie (he seems to be the one thing all reviewers agree is magic!).  Not to be left out the villains are also highlighted, with Jonathan Freeman's Jafar likened to an old friend you didn't realise you'd missed and noting that Don Darryl Rivera's Iago "gets some of the biggest laughs of the night and shows off a good sense of comic timing that helps him land some of the show's better jokes".

So the reviews are mixed, just like they were in 2011.  And honestly, it doesn't matter.  Yes, it would be amazing if the title of this post could have been "Critics and Audiences Raving About Disney's Aladdin!", but at the end of the day it's not important.  Aladdin was never meant to come to Broadway.  It was meant to be a 3 week Pilot Production so the show could be licensed out.  The mixed critics reactions didn't change that.  It was the overwhelmingly positive audience response, first in Seattle and then regionally and internationally, that convinced Disney Theatrical that Aladdin has what it takes to be a hit on Broadway and that same audience support has continued in Toronto.  Here's a sample of what they're saying on Twitter and on the show's Facebook page;

Ajitha Cyriac - amazing show!! great production. beautiful ensemble!!!! powerful voices!!

@AprilKalloo - LOVED @aladdin! My cheeks hurt & my hands are stinging...I laughed so much and  clapped so hard! I'd see it ten more times!

Tina Clarkson - Amazing! Too funny, fabulous costumes and choreography and the Genie was the star of the show.

@TheChrisHowson - I saw #AladdinTO last night and it was phenomenal. I smell some Tony's in the near future! It is here until January 5th #MustSee @Mirvish

Amber Hershberger - Travelled from Ohio to see the show ... Absolutely, jaw droppingly, fantastic!!!

And speaking of audience support, there's currently another show playing in Toronto that also has a Broadway opening next Spring, the original production opened to reviews so bad that producer Cameron MacKintosh thought they might kill the show, yet over quarter of a century later Les Miserables is still going strong.  Now obviously Aladdin is a very different show to Les Mis and you can't really compare the two (I love them both for different reasons), but in one very important way they are the same - if it weren't for audience support, in spite of the reviews, they wouldn't be here.  Closer to home Beauty and the Beast is said to have opened to just one positive review and that ran for 13 magical years on Broadway.

It's also important to remember that this is part of the reason shows have out of town try outs, so they can see what works and what needs to be improved before opening on Broadway.  The Little Mermaid got a completely new ending during it's pre-Broadway Denver run.  If the creative think changes are necessary then they'll make them.  Look at A Whole New World, the staging of that song was one of the most divisive issues raised in the Seattle reviews, now it's almost universally praised as a highlight of the show (and there have been no reports of any technical issues since those very early previews so I think it's safe to say it's all smooth flying now).

I want to end with another quote from the Broadway World review;

"When the carpet first appears with Jacobs' Aladdin standing proudly atop it, there were audible gasps from the audience.  When our lovebirds soar across the night sky (accented by a stunning moon and twinkling stars) you felt like you were soaring with them.

I think the little boy beside me described it better than anyone when he gasped 'wow! There really IS a magic carpet'. It was a moment of theatrical magic combined with a stunningly beautiful song, and it served as a beautiful reminder of why people love Aladdin and why they will go to the theatre in droves to see it come to life before their very eyes."

Couldn't have put it better myself!

Aladdin is now open at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto where it will run until 5th January 2014.  Tickets are on sale here.  Broadway Previews begin February 26th, advance tickets are now on sale here.

Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed as Aladdin and Jasmine, Photo by Cylla Von Tiedemann

Disney's Aladdin Officially Opens in Toronto!

Tonight is the night!  After 3 weeks of previews the Toronto run of Disney's Aladdin officially opens tonight!!

I just want to wish everyone at the Ed Mirvish Theatre the very best of luck, from the ushers to the stars on stage to the friends and family supporting them in the audience.  This is your night, enjoy it and make some magic!

Don Darryl Rivera Dedicates Iago to those Affected by Typhoon Haiyan

Last week Don Darryl Rivera (Iago) made the following announcement on his official Facebook page;

"As a proud Filipino American, I'm dedicating my performance in Aladdin - The Musical to the people affected by Typhoon Haiyan.  Every little bit helps, so please consider donating

Super Typhoon Haiyan Strikes the Philippines - UNICEF USA"

If you can, please join Don in supporting those affected by this tragedy.

Thank you.

First Photos of Toronto's Aladdin!

They're finally here!  Today Disney have released the first photos of their new, Broadway bound, production of Aladdin.  Currently previewing in Toronto Aladdin is taking audiences on a musical journey of magic, laughter and romance.  These first pictures offer those who can't make it to Toronto their first glimpse of our heroes, Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Courtney Reed as Princess Jasmine and James Monroe Iglehart as Genie.

Proud of Your Boy - Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann



Princesses Run Away - Courtney Reed as Princess Jasmine and Brandt Martinez, Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

Never had a Friend Like Me - James Monroe Iglehart as Genie, Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

Care to go for a ride? - Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed as Aladdin and Princess Jasmine, Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

Tickets for the pre-Broadway run of Aladdin are now on sale at www.mirvish.com/shows/aladdin

Edit - Just want to say a big thank you to Disney Theatrical for providing me with much higher quality versions of the photos.  Click to see them in BIG!

Aladdin Toronto Previews Update and Song List

Disney's Aladdin has been taking audiences in Toronto on a magic carpet ride for just over a week now, but if you were there last night then you weren't seeing exactly the same show as previous audiences.  Like with all good preview runs, Aladdin's creative team is watching, seeing what works and what can be improved.

Yesterday afternoon Adam Jacobs (Aladdin) posted on his official Facebook page "New lines, new changes! C'mon brain! #AladdinTO #PreviewRealness"

This is an incredibly exciting and creative time for any show and I'd love to be there to watch Aladdin as it evolves from that first preview last week to the show that will be coming to Broadway next year.

And speaking of exciting and creative, here's a short interview that Alan Menken did with The Canadian Press during Toronto rehearsals.

A very favourable early review can be found here and discussion on the Broadway World message boards is generally positive.  However it's important to remember that the show is still in previews and still changing (as evidenced above) so these comments, whilst certainly valid and interesting to read, are based on a "work in progress" production.

For me the most exciting thing to come out of these early reviews and discussions has to be the new song list for the Toronto production (if you want to compare, the Seattle song list is here);

ACT 1
Arabian Nights - Babkak, Omar, Kassim and Company
One Jump Ahead - Aladdin and Crowd
Proud of Your Boy - Aladdin
Arabian Nights Reprise 1 - Babkak, Omar and Kassim
Call Me a Princess - Jasmine and Attendants
Call Me a Princess Reprise - Jasmine
Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim - Babkak, Omar, Aladdin and Kassim
A Million Miles Away - Aladdin and Jasmine
Diamond in the Rough - Jafar, Iago and Aladdin
Friend Like Me - Genie and Company
Arabian Nights Reprise 2 - Babkak, Omar and Kassim
Act 1 Finale (Friend Like Me Reprise/Proud of Your Boy Reprise 1) - Genie and Aladdin

ACT 2
Prince Ali - Genie, Babkak, Omar, Kassim and Company
Arabian Nights Reprise 3 - Babkak, Omar and Kassim
A Whole New World - Aladdin and Jasmine
High Adventure - Babkak, Omar and Kassim
Somebody's Got Your Back - Genie, Aladdin, Babkak, Omar and Kassim
Proud of Your Boy Reprise 2 - Aladdin
Prince Ali Reprise - Jafar, Sultan and Company
Genie's Exit (Somebody's Got Your Back Reprise) - Genie
Finale Ultimo (Arabian Nights Reprise 4/A Whole New World Reprise) - Company

There's definitely been some interesting changes since the original 5th Avenue Pilot Production and last year's regional productions.

Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim has been moved to later in the show.  This used to follow Arabian Nights so Aladdin's introduction is now more in line with the film with One Jump Ahead (and I have to wonder if this means they've added in the original "It begins on a dark night..." Cave of Wonders scene as well).

One Jump Ahead Reprise is missing from the song list.  It could simply be that they're counting it with Proud of Your Boy as the original production used it as a lead in, or it could be cut as it's no longer needed with Proud of Your Boy in the show.  Personally I liked it as a lead in but I can also understand why they would cut it as Proud of Your Boy covers the same emotional beats.

Why Me (the only "new" Menken/Rice song in the Pilot Production) has been cut.  This was sung by Jafar and Iago as they cast a spell searching for the Diamond in the Rough.

Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim now takes place in the marketplace before Aladdin meets Jasmine.  Thinking about it this actually does work better.

The original Arabian Nights Reprise 2 has been cut (Toronto's Reprise 2 was Seattle's Reprise 3)  This Ashman/Menken verse was sung by Babkak, Omar and Kassim as Aladdin's "uncle" Jafar led him to the Cave of Wonders.  It has been replaced by the new Menken/Beguelin song Diamond in the Rough.

In Act 2 new reprises of Arabian Nights and Proud of Your Boy have been added.  I'm not sure about Arabian Nights Reprise 3 but I'd guess that Proud of Your Boy Reprise 2 takes place after Aladdin breaks his promise to Genie and realises he needs to tell Jasmine the truth about who he really is.

It appears that the pre-wedding reprise of High Adventure has been cut and that Sultan and the crowd have been added to Prince Ali Reprise (unless the Wedding Day Suite which included High Adventure Reprise and Prince Ali Reprise has just been renamed to the more well known Prince Ali Reprise)

That's all for this Arabian Night ;)

Edit - Thanks to Everdream0's comment below we can now confirm that (at least at the moment) One Jump Ahead Reprise is still in the show and serves as a lead in to Proud of Your Boy like it did in the Seattle Pilot and the subsequent regional and international productions.  We can also confirm that High Adventure Reprise is indeed cut from the show.

Thanks again Everdream0.