This blog is dedicated to Disney's Aladdin: Broadway's New Musical Comdey. Following a successful Pilot Production at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in 2011, and regional and international productions in 2012, Disney announced that Aladdin would be coming to Broadway in 2014. Aladdin had it's pre-Broadway engagement at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre and opened on Broadway 20th March 2014.
Whilst we'll have to wait a little longer for the full cast announcement, Good Morning America revealed this morning that Michael James Scott will be returning once more as the Genie when Aladdin reopens on Broadway this September!
Appearing in GMA's first in person interview since the pandemic began (!) Michael and The Lion King's L. Steven Taylor discussed how they felt learning Broadway was coming back, what it means for them, Disney's Double the Magic offer, and bringing the light of Broadway back to NYC.
Let's make some magic!!! Aladdin returns to Broadway on September 28th!
Disney on Broadway's website has been updated today to announce the return of Aladdin and The Lion King to Broadway after over a year. I am so happy right now I can't quite put it into words so I'll just let this incredible video from Disney do the talking (and yes, I did have tears in my eyes by the end).
As speculated yesterday, The Lion King will return first with performances beginning Tuesday, September 14th, with Aladdin opening two weeks later on Tuesday, September 28th.
And that's not all!
As part of their return to Broadway, Disney will be offering an incredible Double the Magic offer with a special ticket to BOTH shows with prices starting from just $149! No service fees, free exchanges and refunds, you can even book your tickets now and choose your performance dates later!
Tickets will go on sale next Tuesday, May 11th, at 7AM.
I am so, so happy right now. After this last year I need the joy that this show brings. I can only imagine how those involved with the show must be feeling right now, and how amazing that re-opening night will be. Come on down, come on in, the magic is back.
UPDATE 05/11 - Seems I may have broken this story a little earlier than the official announcement! I've updated the links and video so they should work properly now!
In a statement released this morning Disney Theatrical's Thomas Schumacher said:
"After 18 months of being apart we are thrilled to welcome our audiences back and are proud to introduce these unique benefits to make buying Broadway tickets risk-free, flexible and affordable. Broadway's reopening - before tourists fully return - will be the perfect time for us tri-staters to attend Broadway as shows will be more accessible than ever."
Tickets are now on sale for Aladdin's magical return to Broadway. I spent a crazy amount of time clicking refresh today but I am overjoyed to have been able to get tickets for the show's reopening night on Broadway. Now I just have to hope travel restrictions ease and we can travel to the US! The atmosphere that night will truly be once in a lifetime. Broadway is back!!
It's been too long since we heard those words. Over a year after Broadway went dark due to the pandemic, the orchestra is beginning to tune up once more as Broadway prepares to return. According to Broadway World, New York Govenor Andrew Cuomo announced this morning that Broadway will be back on September 14, 2021, at 100% capacity! Not only that, but tickets for shows could be sold as early as tomorrow!
So does this mean that Aladdin will be back on September 14th? Maybe, but also maybe a little later. According to the New York TimesThe Lion King, Hamilton, and Wicked, the three juggernauts of the Great Bright Way, have been planning a joint announcement for their mid-September return. Broadway World suggests this will come next week. As the NY Times says, these three juggernaut shows are best placed to face the risks of the post-Covid market.
Aladdin, along with Chicago, Come From Away, and American Utopia, is also hoping to reopen in September, but, unlike the three juggernauts, it doesn't sound like an announcement was already planned. Producers likely want to see what ticket sales are like for the big 3 before announcing the details of more returning shows. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long.
Even if Aladdin's reopening is announced later that The Lion King's, there's still a good chance both shows will reopen together on September 14th. Or Disney could choose to reopen The Lion King on the 14th with Aladdin following soon after so they both get the spotlight on their reopening night.
Either way, we're almost there! In just a few months the magic will be back!
The West End's very own Aladdin faced the blind auditions of The Voice UK this week and absolutely smashed it with his rendition of "Come What May" from Moulin Rouge.
Matt's show stopping performance earned him a place on Team Olly and some incredible praise from the panel of judges. Having successfully passed the auditions, he now goes through to head to head battle rounds.
I've honestly not watched The Voice in years but you can bet I'll be tuning in each week and cheering Matt on!
What's this? What's this? James Monroe Iglehart is producing something extra special this Halloween!
In support of The Actors Fund and the Lymphoma Research Foundation, Broadway's original Genie and current Hamilton star James Monroe Iglehart is teaming up with some of his friends to present a one night only charity concert version of The Nightmare Before Christmas!
"We're extremely grateful to Tim Burton, Danny Elfman and the Disney Music Group for allowing us the opportunity to bring our virtual concert interpretation of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas to everyone this Halloween," said James about the one night only event which will be available to stream for 24 hours starting at 7pm (ET) on Saturday, October 31st.
Joining James, who will of course be playing Oogie Boogie, will be Rafael Casal as Jack, Adrienne Warren as Sally, Danny Burstein as Santa, Nik Walker as Lock, Leslie Margherita as Shock and Rob McClure as Barrel. Bringing the rest of Halloween Town and Christmas Town to life is Kathryn Allison, Jenni Barber, Erin Elizabeth Clemons, Fergie L. Philippe, Jawan M. Jackson and Brian Gonzales! These Broadway stars will be getting into the fiendish festive spirit of things using only props and clothing from around the home as they recreate Burton's seasonal classic.
You can buy your ticket now via Vimeo on Demand for just $4.99, so get set for some ghoulish delights all whilst helping two incredible causes! Don't miss it!
Ainsley Melham in the Australian production of Aladdin
"Hail! Your attention I pray. Oh, ye people of Agrabah. THIS IS OUR LUCKY DAY!!"
Your wish is granted! The magic of Disney Theatrical's Aladdin is coming to Disney+ later this year!
Whilst we're still awaiting the official announcement from Disney, a sharp eyed fan found the poster for the upcoming musical event and shared it on Twitter:
When Aladdin closed in London's West End last year, Disney took advantage of having an empty theatre to create a very special recording. Bringing together an all star international cast under the guidance of original director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw, the show was fine tuned for film and recorded across five days before bringing in a live audience for a special recorded performance.
This truly was a once in a lifetime event, bringing together original cast members from Broadway, Australia, the West End and the US Tour to create a timeless version of the show. Headlined by the West End's Trevor Dion Nicholas as Genie and Australia's Ainsley Melham as Aladdin, the cast stars the US Tour's Isabelle McCalla as Princess Jasmine, Broadway's Jonathan Freeman and Don Darryl Rivera as the villainous Jafar and Iago, Broadway's Brian Gonzales as Babkak, Australia's Robert Tripolino as Omar, and Broadway's Brandon O'Neill as Kassim, along with the West End ensemble of Aladdin.
I was lucky enough to attend the filmed performance last August and it was truly magical. It was a little surreal to see cameras and film crew on the stage so I can't wait to see how the final movie looks. After Newsies and Hamilton I have high hopes that this is going to be something truly special. The cast was fantastic, it was incredible to see these cast members come together and getting the chance to see people I've not seen before in the roles. It really was a one of a kind production and I'm insanely excited for it to be shared with the world.
I actually wrote a piece on this film performance for Movie News Net last year after Disney confirmed that the filming had taken place (I'm so glad they did as not talking about it for a year would have driven me insane). Looking back now I can see I didn't do a similar piece for this blog. I have no idea why that is and I'm so sorry that I didn't.
Back then I speculated that the plan would be for the recording to be shown in cinemas first before coming to Disney+ like Newsies did. But, as with Hamilton, if that was the plan then the current pandemic changed things. Whilst we're still awaiting an official date, the poster does confirm that Aladdin: The Broadway Musical will be arriving this year. Honestly, I think this is coming at the perfect time. If ever we needed a little joy and theatrical magic, now is the time.
Stay safe everyone. Broadway will be back, and now we have a little theatrical magic to look forward to.
