Broadway News Round Up 25

Jonathan Freeman as Jafar, Photo by Cylla Von Tiedemann or Deen Van Meer

Welcome to another news round up for Disney's Aladdin on Broadway!  I'm aware that I've not done one of these for a while so there's a lot to catch up on, but first something to get you all in the festive mood since we've reached December!  Here's James Monroe Iglehart putting an Agrabah twist a Christmas classic.  And after Thanksgiving Disney Theatrical certainly have a lot to be thankful for as both Aladdin and The Lion King broke house records again during Broadway's highest-grossing Thanksgiving weekend in history!  Aladdin pulled in $1,759,955 as it broke the New Amsterdam's house record for the third time (or is it fourth now?  I've honestly lost track!)

On December 14th Disney are celebrating 20 Years on Broadway with an hour long Backstage with Disney on Broadway: Celebrating 20 Years special on ABC.  The event will be hosted by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and feature performances from Elton John, Mary Poppins' Ashley Brown and Aladdin himself, Adam Jacobs.  The special will take you into the rehearsal room with The Lion King, to opening night with Newsies and backstage during Aladdin's "Friend Like Me" so it's definitely a show that you don't want to miss!

But before that Broadway World is reporting that Adam Jacobs and James Monroe Iglehart will be on The View this Tuesday morning (9th December) so make sure to check it out!

Continuing the 20th anniversary celebrations of Disney Theatrical NY1 News went behind the scenes at Aladdin to speak with Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed, James Monroe Iglehart and Jonathan Freeman.  They also spent time with the touring cast of Newsies attended the opening night of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in San Diego and spoke with the head of Disney Theatrical, Thomas Schumacher.

On Thursday 11th December James Monroe Iglehart will be joining other Broadway stars at 54 Below for the Don't Quit Your Night Job Holiday Spectacular where Broadway and improve meet... and make out.  Tickets are on sale now so don't miss out!  And that's not all!  James will be back at 54 Below on 19th January as part of song writer Scott Alan's 54 Below debut.

Continuing the tradition of Aladdin cast members supporting good causes, Adam Kaokept recently spent time helping Broadway Serves at the NYC Rescue Mission's Thanksgiving Banquet.  Well done Adam!

James Monroe Iglehart talks to NYC City Guide about Aladdin and picking his targets in the audience!

Joshua Dela Cruz talks with The Jersey Tomato Press about his High Adventures in Aladdin.

Aladdin's Michael James Scott is taking part in King of Glory, the annual Christmas concert of the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Florida on Friday 12th December.

Broadway World has photos of some of Aladdin's cast members at the Broadway Dream's Foundation's Night of Dreams gala.

The Burlington County Times (a New Jersey community newspaper) has a new review of the show. (subscription required)

Broadway World reports that Aladdin's Bud Weber is taking part in an industry reading of Sing Me Home (and also give an email address where you can request complimentary tickets!)

The New Amsterdam Theatre will be host to the 26th annual Gypsy of the Year on Monday 8th December (4:30pm EST) and Tuesday 9th December (2pm EST) which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Wiz.  The show will feature special appearances by a number of Broadway stars, including Aladdin's James Monroe Iglehart, and the panel of judges includes Aladdin and Jasmine themselves, Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed.

Adam Jacobs and James Monroe Iglehart's appearance on Seth Rudetsky's Chatterbox is now on the SethTV website. (subscription required)

Disney Theatrical's Thomas Schumacher talks with Vulture about how Broadway has changed in the last 20 years and the highs and lows of bringing Disney to life on stage.

Last month Adam Jacobs taught a musical theatre workshop with A Class Act NY and Broadway World has the photos.

And speaking of Adam Jacobs, the readers of Broadway.com recently voted Adam into the Top 10 sexiest men alive on Broadway.  Congratulations Adam.

Disney Channel stars Ben Savage and Rowan Blanchard (Girl Meets World) recently went backstage at the New Amsterdam Theatre and met the cast of Aladdin;

The West End rumours keep on coming as the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye wrote last month "the Broadway show Aladdin arrives at the London Palladium in early 2016.  The folks at Disney were meeting with Palladium executives this week for another round of discussions that will, eventually, seal a deal."  No sources were quoted, not even the usual anonymous Broadway/West End executives/producers that normally get mentioned in reports like this (as happened in January 2013 when Aladdin was first rumoured for Broadway) but with 2 international productions already announced and more confirmed to be coming it's extremely likely that this report is accurate.  That said, Baz Bamigboye does lose some credibility when he goes on to state that "Rice wrote the lyrics for the animated film version then worked with Director Casey Nicholaw and other writers on numbers for the stage iteration" as Tim Rice was not involved with the Broadway production of Aladdin nor the earlier Seattle Pilot production in 2011.  And when he says "they need to calm it down a bit for London" well, let's just say I respectfully disagree.

And on the subject of international productions the Herald Sun is reporting that, according to a rumour "which is building among the arts industry" Aladdin is set to open in Australia in 2016!  As with the West End rumours this is unofficial until it is confirmed by Disney but if both of these rumours are true then Aladdin is having one of the fastest international roll outs in Disney Theatrical's history!  Not bad for a show that was never meant to go to Broadway!

Not exactly Aladdin related but the Tuacahn (who staged a fantastic production of Aladdin in 2012) has been nominated in several categories of the 2014 Broadway World Salt Lake City Awards for this year's production of The Little Mermaid including a Best Actress nomination for Heidi Anderson for her portrayal of Ursula.  Heidi was Marketing Manager at the Tuacahn during their production of Aladdin and was a big supported of this blog so please take a moment to vote for her and the Tuacahn's production of The Little Mermaid.

And finally Disney Theatrical recently announced a new ticket exchange program for their Broadway shows.  Recognising that people these days often have hectic and unpredictable schedules you can now exchange your ticket right up to 2 hours before the performance!  Playbill have all the details.

Next week is the final week of the US premiere production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse and if the tweets that have been filling my homepage these last 3 weeks are any indication then it's been an absolutely incredible run and Broadway is almost certainly looming on the horizon after the Paper Mill's run next March.

But don't take my word for it!  Here's some more fantastic reviews to tell you just what you're missing if you haven't seen this show! (Big thanks to Alex for sending me a lot of these links!)

Broadway World calls it "a feast for the eyes... and the soul".
Disney Examiner says "it's not an exact replica of Disney's film version, but if you're looking for a complex, alternate look at the story, you have to watch this musical production that brings the tale to an epic, darker level."
Disney Club of UCLA calls it "unforgettable" stating that "Scott Schwartz's masterful presentation at La Jolla Playhouse has greatly exceeded any preconceived expectations."
Neon Tommy calls the show "an absolute triumph" before going on to say "It is tragic, sweet, disturbing, inspiring, and revelatory.  The exciting work that La Jolla Playhouse has done to bring this old and classic tale to the stage may finally bring The Hunchback of Notre Dame to the forefront of American theatre on the Broadway stage, and sets the gold standard for musical theatre adaptations to come."
Entertainment Today says "there is little doubt that this production of Hunchback will have a long run on Broadway"" and advises readers to see it now during it's San Diego run.
Examiner gives the show 5 stars saying it "is both spectacular and a spectacle, and is alive and well."
The Guardian also gives the show 5 stars saying it's the show's "newfound complexity that will put this musical right on track to becoming a Broadway hit."

NY1 took a look at the show and spoken with Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz and Scott Schwartz about Hunchback.

Chase Brock spoke with Edge Media Network about choreographing The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Disney's D23 fan club reflects on the recent D23 Member Night at The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

And on a lighter note Hunchback's Samantha Massell and Nora Menken have been posting some unique backstage videos as the girls of Hunchback play the kazoo.  Check them out here and here.

Broadway News Round Up 9

To start this week's news round up here's one final piece on the Tony Awards and this one is rather special as it's written by Aladdin's own Marisha Wallace - True Story: I'm a Black Girl from North Carolina & I Performed at the 2014 Tony Awards!  Marisha is part of the ensemble and one of Jasmine's attendants, but if you're really lucky you may also get to see her playing the part of Babkak (I love this as it shows incredible gender equality by Disney for these supporting roles and it's also a nice call back to Howard Ashman's original treatment where there was a female member of Aladdin's gang).

Continuing the theme of great female performances, Courtney Reed took part in Broadway Sessions on May 23rd and Broadway World have now posted a video of her singing Gravity.

The New York Times has published an article focusing on the work of Glen Kelly that's well worth a read.  Glen Kelly provided the dance music arrangements for Aladdin and this article provides a fascinating insight into an area that I admittedly had no knowledge about.

We Blog the World has posted a short fan review of the show.  They even used the photo manip of Genie holding aloft a Tony Award that I made which, I have to admit, is kinda cool!

Emerson College's Entertainment Monthly has also posted a positive review, calling James Monroe Iglehart's Genie "one key player that elevates it to Broadway stardom", Adam Jacobs "everything you want in the character of Aladdin" and Don Darryl Rivera "a standout ... his comedic moments have the entire audience laughing out loud".

Last week Merwin Foard took the stage as Sultan Hamed.  Since I posted a photo of him as Jafar I figured I'd post this one as well (any excuse to post a photo!)

And finally another Vacation Alert!  Adam Jacobs will be away from 7th-14th July, and a quick reminder that Courtney Reed will be away from tomorrow (1st July) until 6th July.

Ok, one last thing!  On a more light hearted note JMI's Genie topped Broadway.com's weekend poll as the most wanted guest at a 4th July BBQ party!

Broadway News Round Up 6

Well the big news this week was the digital release of Aladdin's Original Broadway Cast Recording and Disney have released a new video to celebrate the event - In the Recording Studio

And if that's not enough to convince you to pick up a copy (assuming you haven't already), Disney are currently streaming the entire album on the show's official website!  If you like what you hear then please make sure to pick up a copy either digitally or when the CD is released later this month.

But of course that wasn't the only news this week.

NY Times' Arts Beat reported a record week from Broadway, stating that "Among the new shows this spring, Disney's "Aladdin" was the top selling musical with $1,207,953" and ""Aladdin" and the new revival of "Les Miserables" have been vying week-to-week for the No. 1 title among new musical productions".  That's some great company to be in!

Examiner have posted a new review for the show, calling Aladdin "a great addition to The Great White Way".

Variety looks at Aladdin and the legacy of Howard Ashman.  Howard Ashman, along with Alan Menken, helped to revitalised Disney animation in the late 80s and early 90s, returning to the studio to it's musical and fairy tale roots and in the process inspired a generation.  Though Howard sadly passed away in 1991, before Beauty and the Beast was even released in cinemas and whilst Aladdin was still in production, his legacy endures today.  Twenty three years after his death all three of his Disney classics have gone full circle, being adapted for the Broadway stage that initially inspired them, with Howard Ashman receiving posthumous Tony nominations for both Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin (which he could still win!), but that is not his most incredible legacy.  His greatest achievement is his inspiration to others, including Chad Beguelin, who worked with Alan Menken to restore Howard's work and bring Aladdin to stage, and Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, the song writers behind Disney's latest musical megahit Frozen who are now themselves writing the songs that this generation will grow up singing just as Ashman and Menken did for mine.

And speaking of Howard's legacy, here's a great interview Chad Beguelin did with Out about restoring Howard's songs and vision in Aladdin.

James Monroe Iglehart as Genie, Photo by Cylla Von Tiedemann

James Monroe Iglehart took part in The New York Times' In The Performance series Tony Awards edition, performing a jazzy cool-cat rendition of Friend Like Me.  Now, if you're anything like me then you've probably heard JMI sing this song like 20 times since Tuesday but this is well worth a listen as he gives it a different feel to the cast album/stage version, one better suited to the more intimate environment he's performing in.

As the countdown to the Tony Awards continues James also features in a few special videos;

The Tony Awards Tie the Knot (watch out for an appearance by Andrew Keenan-Bolger as well and no one is saying how the carpet flies!)

CUNY TV's Pat Collins and 4 time Tony Award Winner Harvey Fierstein host a special Tony Preview as they discuss several of the major categories for the upcoming awards.  Watch out for interviews with both Alan Menken and James Monroe Iglehart;

WNYC talks with James Monroe Iglehart and Disney Theatrical's Thomas Schumacher about Aladdin

Whilst Aladdin didn't take anything home at the Outer Circle Critics Awards or Drama League Awards, the Camp Broadway's 2014 Family Favorite Awards have declared Aladdin to be both Best Musical and Best Show for a First Time Theatregoer.  They also declared Adam Jacobs Matinee Idol of the Year and James Monroe Iglehart to be Showstopper of the Year (naturally!)

Last but certainly not least on the subject of awards, tonight is the Drama Desk Awards and you can watch live at Theater Mania from 7:15pm Eastern (Red Carpet, Awards Ceremony from 8:00pm).  Good luck everyone!!

I guess I'd better get an Instagram account as this week Aladdin joined the photo website.  Many of the cast already have their own pages and you can now find the show's official page here; http://instagram.com/Aladdin

And finally, yesterday Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed took part in Schmackary's Broadway Bakes fund raiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, spending 2 hours serving up delicious cookies for their fans... and co-stars as Don Darryl Rivera just happened to stop by ;o)  You can see photos from the event on their Instagram pages (yeah, I definitely need to get one of those!)

That's all for this week!

Broadway News Round Up 4

Photo by Disney

Ok, after finally getting the last news round up post up to date it's time to catch up again!  I swear from next week these things will be weekly!  Life has been a bit crazy and I've still got so much I want to post from when I was in New York, so hopefully this is the last big catch up then I can move on with some actual content!

First up, I probably should have posted this in the last news update with the reviews but on March 20th in the build up to the show's opening night, Thomas Schumacher, head of Disney Theatrical, posted the following on his Facebook page;

"I can't remember loving something as much as "Aladdin." I reluctantly approached this idea, and it is the artists involved who made it come to life, and demand to be produced.

Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, Chad Beguelin. And then Bob Crowley, Natasha Katz and Gregg Barnes. And to lead it all, Casey Nicholaw.

Sold out crowds are going crazy celebrating their work.

And that, to me, is the greatest delight.

I've become accustomed to other voices on the periphery, and they will never know what it is that our worldwide audiences love. And for that, I leave them to their circulations.

What delights me most is the standing, cheering throngs that fuel the cast and creative team.

Welcome to the joy and dichotomy of opening night."

Of course as we now know, Aladdin went on to get some great reviews and has the potential to be the first Disney show since The Lion King to win Best Musical at the Tony Awards (keep those fingers crossed).  I just thought it was worth posting as its core message is so very true - it's fantastic to have great reviews and award nominations, but at the end of the day it's the audience that counts.  As long as the audience loves your show then the rest is all just a bonus.  There is a magic to Aladdin, a raw energy and enthusiasm that's like lightening in a bottle, something only live theatre can capture, Disney magic at its best.

On to the news updates!

James Monroe Iglehart talks with Broadway Box about the inspirations behind his Genie

The Actors Fund Gala celebrating 20 Years of Disney on Broadway was a big success raising $1.6 million to help those in need in the creative community.  The event saw Disney's Broadway stars past and present take to the stage for one night only to raise money for the cause.  Variety's write up of the event can be found here and Disney's own write up can be found here.

West End Frame offers a new review of the show that's positive but feels it the show played it too safe in sticking so closely to the film (a little ironic given the criticisms the earlier productions of the show got from some for being too far from the film version).  But the reviewer still enjoyed the show, praising both the cast, Friend Like Me, and the special effects during A Whole New World that allowed a carpet to take flight.

Examiner has also posted a new review of the show

DAPS Magic offers a Disney fan's review of the show and Disney In Your Day offers another.

Disney's Official Blog reveals 10 Things You May Not Know about Broadway's Aladdin

This month Aladdin's official Twitter began posting some special tweets with the hashtag #GenieTweet.  History is just more fun with Genie;

 

 

Fox 5 have posted a special 4 part "Broadway Up Close: Your Back Stage Pass" video series going behind the scenes of Beautiful, Les Miserables, Kinky Boots, A Raisin in the Sun, Of Mice and Men, and of course Aladdin.  The full series is well worth watching but it's part 3 that Aladdin fans will really want to check out as Anna Gilligan follows Adam Jacobs through his day from family life at home to his daily Aladdin work out (yep if you want to look that good the secrets are here!) to his pre-show routine!

Howard Ashman's sister Sarah has posted a wonderful piece on her blog about the lyrics in Aladdin that includes some fascinating glimpses into what might have been as she reveals some details of the original treatment that Howard created for the film.

Courtney Reed opens her fan mail in a new #SIP and features in an interview with Vanity Fair.

Broadway Fans Patty & Emily meet the 2014 Tony Nominees including Aladdin's own James Monroe Iglehart and Chad Beguelin.  Chad goes first and JMI is right at the end;

And on the subject of award nominations - Aladdin has 2 more!!  The Astaire Awards have been announced and JMI is up for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show and Director/Choreographer Casey Nicholaw is up for Oustanding Choreographer for a Broadway Show!  Massive congratulations to you both!!

Disney Teaching Artists bring "Aladdin" Workshop to James Monroe School in Edison

Aladdin's incredible stand by Michael James Scott (who I saw play a great Babkak and I've heard does an awesome Genie as well) along with other Broadway stars helped raise money for the Young at Arts program.

If you're a fan of Aladdin (and if you're reading this then you almost certainly are) then you're probably a fan of Alan Menken to.  Well prepare to hear a lot more of his music as his new TV series Galavant has been picked up by ABC for next their 2014-2015 season!  Reuniting Menken with Tangled screenwriter Dan Fogleman (who also serves as executive producer) and lyricist Glen Slater (Tangled, Broadway's The Little Mermaid) ABC describe the series as a musical comedy and have released the following description;

"Once upon a time, the dashing hero, Galavant (Joshua Sasse) lost the love of his life, Madalena (Mallory Jansen), to the evil King Richard (Timothy Omundson).  Now, our fallen hero is ready to take revenge and restore his 'happily ever after.'  But it won't be without a few twists and turns along the way."

More details can be found at Playbill and Broadway World and the trailer can be viewed here.

As the countdown to the Tonys continues Broadway World takes a look back at the stars before they were Tony nominees, including James Monroe Iglehart as Jim in Big River.

Theater Mania talks with Aladdin ensemble members Mike Cannon and Jenn Rais along with Matilda's Celia Mei Rubin about "split tracks" - what happens on those nights when the number of performers out of a show exceeds the number of understudies.

NewYork.com follows a "Day in the Life" of James Monroe Iglehart

The Hollywood Reporter takes a look back at Disney's 20 years on Broadway and reflects on the changing attitudes towards, and acceptance of, Disney Theatrical and what this could mean for Aladdin's Tony chances.

Adam Jacobs does a great interviewed with Backstage

Casey Nicholaw tells Playbill how the kindness of an airline attendant literally changed his life

I've already updated the last post with this but here it is again - PIX11 goes backstage with Adam Jacobs

Jonathan Freeman talks with Broadway World in their Friday Six Q&A

Deadline weighs in with some Tony speculation and even tips Aladdin to take home Best Musical on the night!

Aladdin is now casting "possible future replacements".  The casting notice for dancers is valid through to May 21st and auditions are May 23rd in New York.

Charity Buzz is auctioning off two tickets to Aladdin in support of The Performing Arts Project.  But that's not all, after the show the winner will be given a back stage tour!  The auction begins May 21st at 12pm EDT.

Casey Nicholaw and James Monroe Iglehart talk with Broadway World about Aladdin and Tonys.

Theater Mania talks with Adam Jacobs, James Monroe Iglehart and Chad Beguelin about their Drama Desk Award nominations.

And finally another vacation alert!  Jonathan Freeman will not be appearing in the 3pm matinee performance on Sunday 8th June.  That afternoon the part of "the tall dark and sinister ugly man" will be played by stand by Merwin Foard.  Best wishes to Merwin for his upcoming performance!

Broadway News Round Up 3 - News and Reviews!

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

Ok here it is (finally!)

I've posted several updates and some of the bigger news pieces since I got back but I've not done a proper news round up since before I went to NYC to see the show so I've a LOT to catch up on, including the reviews!  So, here we go!

The News

In my last news update I ended with a link to a Vanity Fair article where they talked with Director/Choreographer Casey Nicholaw so first up, here's a video from their photo shoot;



 

 

James Monroe Iglehart does a great interview with Playbill (and now I really want to hear JMI sing Me from Beauty and the Beast)

James Monroe Iglehart speaks with the Associated Press

Broadway.com wished Aladdin a happy opening night with a special piece of artwork from Justin Robertson

Getty Images - Opening Night Arrivals & Curtain Call

Getty Images - Opening Night Arrivals & Curtain Call (2)

Getty Images - Opening Night Arrivals & Curtain Call (3)

Getty Images - Opening Night After Party

Getty Images - Opening Night After Party (2)

The Los Angeles Times comments on Aladdin's opening and looks back at 20 years of Disney on Broadway

Broadway World Talks with the Cast on Aladdin's Opening Night

Broadway.com Talks with the Cast on Aladdin's Opening Night

Theater Mania talks with Purple Carpet arrivals and the Cast on Opening Night

Broadway World takes you inside Aladdin's Gypsy Robe Ceremony as Dennis Stowe is awarded the robe
Playbill reported on Aladdin continuing to sell out (as it has since it began previews) as part of their Box Office Analysis
Broadway World's "In the Spotlight" gallery features the cast of Aladdin on Opening Night
AM New York looks back at 20 years of Disney on Broadway from Beauty and the Beast to Aladdin
D23 offers a glimpse into its members special visit to Aladdin
NewYork.com offers 5 reasons for you to go and see Aladdin
And so does Dance Spirit
Aladdin gets in on the #SIP (Saturday Intermission Pics) action!
Carton Brew compares the stage show to the movie (something I'll probably be doing a little bit of in a few weeks when I compare this new Broadway production to the earlier production I saw at the Tuacahn)
James Monroe Iglehart talks to The Wall Street Journal
Yes, it's finally happening!!  Broadway.com goes behind the scenes at Aladdin's cast recording!!  Digital copies of the Cast Album will be available from 27th May with discs hitting the stores on 17th June.  Playbill and Broadway World also have photo coverage of the day!

Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed record the cast album, Photo by Bruce Glikas

Courtney Reed talks with the Marion Times about her passion for acting and playing Jasmine on Broadway
Broadway Radio talks Aladdin (the Aladdin part starts around 40 minutes in)
Could Aladdin be going to Australia?  Melbourne's Herald Sun seems to think it might as Thomas Schumacher calls Aladdin "probably our best reviewed show since The Lion King"!

Ok, there's been a lot of news links so far but this one is extra special so I wanted to single it out a bit.  At the start of April The Library of Congress' Performing Arts Blog posted a very special piece entitled "Aladdin: In Our Collections and Now on Broadway!" which takes a look at Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's early treatment of Aladdin from 1988.  This treatment served as inspiration for the tone of the Broadway show and also contained the songs Proud of Your Boy, Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim and High Adventure which have now found new life on Broadway.

Huffington Post has posted a piece on a "backlash" against the show from Arab-Americans.  Sadly this wasn't completely unexpected given that the film attracted similar controversy when it was first released.  Personally I'm with Disney on this, Disney Theatrical practices colour blind casting and Aladdin features an incredibly diverse cast, in fact I even go so far as to say it's one of the most diverse casts I've ever seen on stage.  Huffington Post makes this point more solidly in their second article, "What's Right with Disney's Broadway Adaptation of Aladdin" in which they highlight that BoomGen Studios was brought in by Disney to consult on the show and that the Broadway adaptation of Aladdin "has greater depth, maturity and cultural awareness than the film".

Celebrity Gossip takes a look at Aladdin's Opening Night
The Stage takes a brief look at Disney's 20 Years on Broadway
Howl Round takes a look at "The Broadway Effect" on Aladdin and other new shows this season
NewYork.com has named Adam Jacobs as one of the six sexiest men on Broadway and Courtney Reed one of the six hottest women
Reflections in the Light does a partial review of Aladdin
Clifton Davis talks with Playbill about returning to Broadway as the Sultan
Huffington Post talks with Chad Beguelin about Aladdin's journey to Broadway
Huffington Post talks with Don Darryl Rivera, Brandon O'Neill, Brian Gonzales and Jonathan Schwartz about Aladdin's skilful mix of high art and low clowning
This summer Adam Jacobs will be teaching a Master Class at Rider University
Aladdin tops City Guide's list of Broadway's Spring Must-Sees
Broadway World talks with ensemble member Yurel Echezarreta about Aladdin and his career
Racked talks with Hair Designer Josh Marquette about recreating Jasmine's famous locks
Inside the Mouse talks with Jonathan Freeman
Costume Designer Gregg Barnes talks with Broadway Direct
Sound Designer Ken Travis talks with Studio Live Design about Aladdin
James Monroe Iglehart talks to Broadway.com in a fascinating video interview
Adam Jacobs talks with Theater Mania in a great interview about bringing Aladdin to Broadway and becoming a father
 

And if it's merchandise you're after then Playbill's online store now has a selection of Aladdin items including the opening night Showbill!

The Reviews

Associated Press - Disney Hits Magic Again with Aladdin

USA Today - It's Genie-us! "Aladdin" Rubs You the Right Way

New York Theatre - A Genie Works His Magic on Broadway



The Hollywood Reporter - Aladdin: Theatre Review

Variety - Broadway Review: Disney's "Aladdin"

Broadway World - Disney Does Musical Comedy Right with Aladdin

New Jersey News Room - "Aladdin" Broadway Review: A Smooth Ride for the Family

Timeout - Aladdin

Entertainment Weekly - Stage Review: Aladdin

NY Daily News - Aladdin Theatre Review

Huffington Post - Brass Lamp Turns Gold

NY Post - "Aladdin" Musical Doesn't Quite Seem Like a Disney Hit

The Wrap - "Aladdin" Theatre Review: Disney's Animation Team Got It Right the First Time

Vulture - Theatre Review: Disney's Same Old World, Back in Aladdin

NorthJersey.com - Theatre Review: "Aladdin" on Broadway

Chicago Tribune - A Magical Genie in Broadway's "Aladdin" but Precious Little at Stake
Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones talks about this Spring's Broadway debuts, including Aladdin

NBC - "Aladdin" Will Leave You Dreaming of Genie

The Wall Street Journal - "Aladdin" Proves its Worth on Broadway (subscription needed)

Newsday - "Aladdin" Review: Sweet Broadway Disney

The Washington Post - "Aladdin" Opens on Broadway

The New York Times - Sly Alchemy from that Lamp
Time - Aladdin: More Magic from Disney
Huffington Post (2nd Review) - "Aladdin's" Old Fashioned Charm
TheAndyGram - Aladdin: A Magical Carpet Ride
NY Theatre Guide - Broadway Review: "Aladdin"
Stu on Broadway - Review of "Aladdin"
Palm Beach Arts Paper offers a brief review of Aladdin
A Blog about Things to Do, See and Eat in NYC - Disney's Aladdin on Broadway Will Make You Believe in Magic All Over Again
Teen Kids News - Aladdin Review and Sneak Peek
Perez Hilton - Aladdin on Broadway

 

And from Aladdin's original Omar, Andrew Keenan-Bolger;

 

@KeenanBlogger - JUMPED OUT OF MY FREAKING SEAT!!! "Friend Like Me" at the @Aladdin opening! AHHHHH! @jamesmiglehart

 

@KeenanBlogger - So proud of Disney and all my pals with their new hit @Aladdin.  Pure excitement and family entertainment at the highest level!

 

In the aftermath of the mostly positive reviews Disney Theatrical have released a new trailer for Aladdin which can be seen here.

And this post is (finally) up to date!  That's all the reviews and news through to April 27th, I'll do another post soon catching everything up from the end of April to mid-May and then it's on with the show!

A New Song for Jasmine and a D23 Fan Event for Broadway's Aladdin

Was my last post really only December 2nd?  It feels like so much longer and these last 10 days have seen some pretty big announcements for Aladdin.

Firstly the big news!  This week saw a pretty major change to the show with Ashman/Menken's Call Me a Princess (and presumably the Menken/Beguelin reprise as well) being cut and a new Menken/Beguelin song being added for Princess Jasmine.  I'm still trying to find out the title of this new song and I'll update this post as soon as I do.


Courtney Reed as Princess Jasmine and Brandt Martinez, Photo by Cylla  Von Tiedemann

 There's been no official word on the reason for this change but I'm guessing that this is being done (at least partially) in reaction to some of the criticisms of Jasmine's character in some of the reviews.  Honestly, Call Me a Princess isn't one of my favourite Ashman/Menken songs and back when they first announced that they'd be using some of the "lost" songs in the show I fully expected it not to make the cut due to how much the character changed between concept and screen.  That said, I absolutely loved how Chad Beguelin made the song work in the show and in that context it's a great little number that I really enjoyed so I'm sad to see it go.  You can see Courtney performing the song here when she was promoting Aladdin's Pilot Production back in 2011.

As for the new song, no idea!  I'm guessing it'll be something more along the lines of To Be Free from the Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular show at Disney's California Adventure, giving Jasmine her own "I want" song that better reflects her true character.

Staying in Toronto for a moment, here's a quick round up of a few more reviews;

Garebian on the Arts gives a largely positive review whilst the Toronto Sun, the Huffington Post and The Post offer more mixed reviews that still include plenty of positives.  And yes, everyone still loves JMI (the Huffington Post calls him "ten kinds of fabulous, each with its own theme song").  One of the best things Disney could do when this show hits Broadway, even before the official opening, is let James do more episodes of his JMI Show like he did in Seattle.  I know fans who thought the original cast were perfect based just on those interviews and 5th Avenue's Spotlight Night.  Let him do his thing and just wish as hard as you can that he stays with Aladdin as long as he did Memphis.

NY1 was also in Toronto for the show's opening and they've posted a short report here that includes some comments from cast and crew.  If you're a Time Warner Cable customer there's also a video you can watch (I'm assuming it's the same as the written report but I can't view it here in the UK).

And now, moving to Broadway, the 2nd big announcement of this week; D23's Member Night at Aladdin on Broadway!  D23 is offering Gold and Silver members "a welcome fit for Prince Ali Ababwa" on 14th March 2014 with premium orchestra seats to see the show followed by a private Q&A with the cast!  In addition to the standard premium seat benefits (non-alcoholic interval drink, souvenir lanyard, etc.) members will also receive an additional special gift for being D23 members.  So if you fancy seeing the show and getting the chance to meet and talk with the cast make sure you click on the above link for more details.  Tickets go on sale December 18th at 10am PT.

I'd also like to say a huge congratulations to Alan Menken who was this week awarded the York Theatre Company's Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at the 22nd Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala.  The evening was hosted by Tony Nominee Norm Lewis (who played King Triton in The Little Mermaid) and one of the evening's performances saw him duetting with Sierra Boggess (The Little Mermaid's Ariel).

And finally, if you live in New York you probably know that Aladdin's publicity drive has now started.  The marquee at the New Amsterdam Theatre is up!!

Tickets for the remainder of Aladdin's Toronto run can be bought here and tickets for the Broadway run are now on sale at the show's official site.

Updated - Thanks to Brandon O'Neill's official Facebook page I can now confirm that Jasmine's new song is called Beyond These Palace Walls.

Two More Reviews and a LOT of News



Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Photo by Cylla Von Tiedemann

Two more reviews surfaced yesterday, the first was a mixed to positive review by The Vancouver Sun ("Aladdin's Magic May Charm Kids, but Maybe Not Their Parents").  The review is well worth checking out as it also contains a short video from The Canadian Press featuring interviews with the cast.  Though the reviewer felt that the show may appeal more to kids than adults they also say "it's hard to argue with simple, straightforward fun" and that's exactly what this show is - a lot of fun!

The second review by The National Post's Robert Cushman has quite possibly my favourite title of any review; "Forget the Lion, this Aladdin is King of the Stage".  Like the Vancouver Sun review, this review also highlights how much fun the show is, stating "though it may not be as outlandishly imaginative as The Lion King, it has its own kind of inventiveness and is frankly more fun".  Continuing the comparison to The Lion King the Cushman goes on to state "and it has, obviously, a much better score. Alan Menken's music, and the lyrics of the late and much lamented Howard Ashman, have the kind of verve and wit that used to be taken for granted on Broadway and is now mostly a memory".  Cushman praises Chad Beguelin's book and "new lyrics worthy of the Ashman tradition", Adam Jacobs' engaging performance as Aladdin, Courtney Reed for giving Jasmine more dimension than she had in the film and calls James Monroe Iglehart's Genie a legend brought to life.  Honestly, with the exception of A Whole New World (the song not the staging) I don't think there's anything he didn't like!  He closes the review fittingly, saying "what a joy to encounter a big, splashy, funny musical that works".  A few more reviews like that would be nice!!

Ok, now for some news updates!  In the week leading up to opening night there was a lot of stuff I didn't get time to post so here's a quick round up!

Firstly a BIG congratulations to Don Darryl Rivera (Iago) and Brandon O'Neill (Kassim) who have both been nominated in the 2013 Broadway World Seattle Awards!  Don is up for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Local) for his performance in Illyria and Brandon is up for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (Local) for his performance in The Pirates of Penzance.  Please click on the above link and show them your support!

Disney Legend Alan Menken did an interview with The Star's Richard Ouzounian discussing his life and bringing Aladdin to the stage ("Alan Menken Puts Howard Ashman's Vision into Aladdin The New Musical").  It's a very touching piece with Alan saying that even now Howard is still with him.  Talking about Aladdin he says "I see what's on the stage now, and I say, 'Yes, this is what Howard would have wanted all along.'"

CHCH have posted a short article and video containing interviews with Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed, James Monroe Iglehart and Jonathan Freeman.

Canada's CTV News have posted a short video interview with James Monroe Iglehart about playing the Genie, Jonathan Freeman is there too but this is definitely the JMI Show ;)

But don't worry, if you want to hear from Jafar then Broadway Direct have posted an interview with Jonathan Freeman that you can read here.  They've also posted an interview with director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw here.

Both of the Broadway Direct articles contain special priority codes that will allow you access to the advanced ticket sale for Aladdin on Broadway, so if you haven't already signed up for the official site's updates and want a code this is the place to go!  Or if you're a D23 member you can go here.  I can't find the link (probably because I'm not a member) but apparently Disney Vacation Club members also have a code available to them.  All advanced tickets are discounted from their standard rate, so book now before general sales start 2nd December!

And speaking of tickets Broadway World is reporting that more tickets are due to be released for the final dates of Aladdin's pre-Broadway Toronto run.  Additional seats for shows December 17th through January 5th go on sale tomorrow morning at 9AM and can be bought here.

Disney on Broadway have posted a new video to their YouTube channel;

It's the same video that Mirvish posted a few weeks back, now featuring the Broadway title design and dates, but still great to watch.

Cleveland.com have included Aladdin in an article of new attractions in Toronto, saying that "the magic carpet scene ... is worth the price of the ticket all by itself".

And finally, now that the official photos have been released and the show is officially open Courtney Reed has posted the first SIP (Saturday Intermission Pic) of the show.  The photo, taken by Michael James Scott, shows her and Adam Jacobs along with their dolls :)

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

Last Chance to See Aladdin at The Muny!!

If you're in St Louis and planning to see Aladdin: The New Stage Musical you now have just two chances left to see the show before the end of its run!  Tickets for tonight and tomorrow are available here.

If you're still undecided here's another review, this one from KDHX, calling Aladdin "everything a stage musical should be" and "a treasure of fun and surprises for everyone".

So if you want to see some live camels...

Eddie Korbich and Jason Graae as Babkak and Omar, Photo by The Muny

Call her a princess...

Samantha Massell as Jasmine with ensemble, Photo by The Muny

Watch some fantastic villains plotting...

Thom Sesma and Curtis Holbrook as Jafar and Iago, Photo by The Muny

Or just see two friends makin' some magic...

Robin de Jesus and John Tartaglia as Aladdin and Genie, Photo by The Muny

Then make sure you grab your tickets now and catch this amazing show before the magic carpet flys away!

Edit - Last night tonight!!  I just want to take this opportunity to wish everyone at The Muny all the best for their final show of Aladdin tonight.  I hope they've all had a magical time with the show.