Cast Announced for Aladdin's New National Tour!

 

A long overdue blog update and what fantastic news to return with! The cast for Aladdin's new National Tour was officially announced yesterday so please join me in extending a warm Agrabah welcome to:

Adi Roy as Aladdin, Senzel Ahmady as Jasmine, Marcus M. Martin as Genie, Anand Nagraj as Jafar, Aaron Choi as Iago, Sorab Wadia as Sultan, Ben Chavez as Omar, Jake Letts as Babkak, and Colt Prattes as Kassim!

Joining them on this magic carpet ride across the United States (in photo order) will be Dwelvan David (standby Genie, Jafar & Sultan), J. Andrew Speas (standby Genie, Babkak & Sultan), Alyssa Anani (Attendant, Fortune Teller, ensemble), Carina R. Avila (ensemble), Daniel Brackett (emsemble, understudy Aladdin), Victoria Byrd (Attendant, ensemble, understudy Jasmine), Cody Hernandez (Razoul, ensemble, understudy Jafar), Edward Cuellar (ensemble, understudy Kassim), Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson (ensemble, understudy Iago & Omar), Tayler Johnson-Campion (ensemble), Brandon J. Large (ensemble, understudy Aladdin), Melissa Hunter McCann (swing, dance captain), Angelina Mullins (ensemble), Ryan Rodino (swing, understudy Prince Abdullah), Omar Nieves (swing, understudy Razoul), Cameron Sirian (ensemble, understudy Babkak & Iago), Taylor Mackenzie Smith (ensemble), Asten Stewart (swing), D. Jerome (Prince Abdullah, ensemble, understudy Kassim), Lauren Louis (Attendant, ensemble, understudy Jasmine), and Maya Kazzaz (swing).

What an incredible looking cast! I wish you all a long and magical run with the show and hope I get to see you all in action one day!

And speaking of seeing them in action, tickets for the National Tour are on sale now with venues announced through to next July! Here are all of the stops confirmed so far:

Schenectady, NY - October 11-23, 2022

Erie, PA - October 27-30, 2022

Worcester, MA - November 3-6, 2022

Hartford, CT - November 8-13

Indianapolis, IN - November 16-20

Buffalo, NY - November 22-27

Springfield, MO - November 30 - December 4, 2022

Appleton, WI - December 6-11, 2022

West Palm Beach, FL - December 14-23, 2022

Miami, FL - January 3-8, 2023

Jacksonville, FL - January 10-15, 2023

Naples, FL - January 17-22, 2023

Sarasota, FL - January 24-29, 2023

Little Rock, AR - February 1-5, 2023

San Antonio, TX - February 7-12, 2023

Austin, TX - February 14-19, 2023

North Charleston, SC - February 22-26 2023

Huntsville, AL - February 28 - March 5, 2023

Cleveland, OH - March 8-12, 2023

Ottawa, ON - March 21-26, 2023

Montreal, QC - March 28 - April 2, 2023

Charlotte, NC - April 5-9, 2023

Rochester, NY - April 11-16, 2023

Washington, DC - April 19-30, 2023

Nashville, TN - May 2-7, 2023

Chicago, IL - May 17-28, 2023

Kansas City, MO - May 30 - June 4, 2023

Albuquerque, NM - June 7-11, 2023

Boise, ID - June 20-25, 2023

Spokane, WA - June 27 - July 2, 2023

Edmonton, AB - July 11-16, 2023

Calgary, AB - July 18-23, 2023

Vancouver, BC - July 25-30, 2023

Aladdin's Second National Tour was first announced in February 2022 after the First National Tour was sadly cut short due to the pandemic. The three venues that saw performances cancelled, San Antonio, Austion, and Kansas City will all feature on this new tour.

In Memory of Gilbert Gottfried 1955-2022

 

Yesterday the world lost one of the most unique voices in comedy as Gilbert Gottfried passed away aged 67. His death, announced by his family, came after a long illness that he had kept private. Through it all Gilbert had kept doing what he did best, making people laugh.

Like many people, I knew him best for his voice work, specifically his voicing of Iago in Aladdin. And not just the original movie, Gilbert voiced the villainous sidekick turned heroic sidekick in both sequels and all but two episodes of the animated series. His voice is so synonymous with the loud mouth parrot that's it's almost impossible to believe Iago (or Sinbad as he was then known) was originally conceived to be prim and proper with a British accent. He went on to voice Iago for the rest of his life, in more TV series, in theme parks, and video games. I always loved the character, but as I got older he truly became one of my favourites and a large part of that was Gilbert Gottfried's performance. He brought the character to life in a way that went beyond what was on the page. He made him evil, but lovable, he made him redeemable, heroic even, but without losing that abrasiveness and biting sarcasm that made the character who he was. There was a lot of the public Gilbert in Iago. In private those who knew him always said how sweet and soft spoken he was, something he would jokingly tell them not to repeat in case it ruined his image.

Beyond Iago, I remember his work in the classic Superman: The Animated Series as well as the more recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Like I said, I knew him best through his voice work. And without ever seeing his face, you always knew it was him :) There was also that 50 Shades of Grey reading that is totally inappropriate to link to from this blog but never failed to make me laugh. And yes, I would totally have bought that audio book if he'd actually recorded it.

Last night, Aladdin's own Iago, Don Darryl Rivera led the cast in dedicating the performance to Gilbert, saying "Thank you for the laughs."

Gilbert's long time partner in Disney villainy, Jonathan Freeman led the tributes to his friend of over thirty years with two posts on social media. The first a shared statement between himself, Scott Weinger, and Linda Larkin:

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A post shared by Jonathan Freeman - Actor (@thejonathanfreeman)

And the second a reflection on the partnership they shared for 31 years:

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A post shared by Jonathan Freeman - Actor (@thejonathanfreeman)

Rest in peace Gilbert, and thank you for the laughter.

Aladdin Celebrates 8 Years on Broadway

 

Michael Maliakel (Aladdin), Shoba Narayan (Jasmine), and Michael James Scott (Genie), Photo by Evan Zimmerman

It's hard to believe that its been 8 years since this amazing show opened on Broadway! Like all of us, its been through a lot, including one of the most challenging times in Broadway history, and is back stronger than ever, making people laugh and smile 8 shows a week. And that's the real magic that makes this show so special.

We have so many incredible memories with this show, from the pilot production in Seattle (which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year), to seeing the show on Broadway for the first time (8 years ago yesterday!), to the joy of finally being able to return to New York and see the show live again last year. I am so grateful to have witnessed this amazing journey, the joy this show brings me, I can't put into words and I treasure every chance I get to see it.

Since its premiere in 2014, Aladdin has broken 14 house records at the New Amsterdam Theatre and received the fastest international roll out of any Disney show, with eight productions around the world. I've been blessed to see the show in New York, London, and on the first US Tour (as well as a pre-Broadway regional production at the Tuacahn) and have loved every moment . And, as Aladdin begins its 9th year on Broadway, a new US Tour is in the works for October.

Tonight's evening performance marks 2,679 shows on Broadway! According to Disney this means that Aladdin and Jasmine have flown over 88 miles on the magic carpet in A Whole New World, Genie has set off nearly 100,000 pyrotechnics in Friend Like Me, and the cast and wardrobe team have made over 185,000 lighting-fast costume changes in Prince Ali! That last one is definitely real magic!

After the last few years I don't think anyone will take live theatre for granted again, and Aladdin's gift of joy and laughter is just what the world needs in these uncertain times. It's an escape to a land of music, fantasy, romance, and magic. A place where good will always triumph and wishes come true. So thank you to everyone for 8 magical years, for the energy, passion and commitment that bring Agrabah to life 8 times a week. Here's to the next 8! Keep making magic!

A Royal Welcome to Dennis Stowe, Aladdin's New Jafar!

 

All hail the new Grand Vizier! Tonight Dennis Stowe officially takes over as Aladdin's new Jafar!

A member of the original Broadway cast, Dennis has been Aladdin's standby Jafar since 2018 and now steps into the iconic role full time following the departure of the legendary Jonathan Freeman. It's a big turning point for the show as Jonathan was the original voice of Jafar and played the role on stage for more than a decade before passing on the staff in an emotional farewell on Sunday night at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

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A post shared by Aladdin the Musical (@aladdin)

The moment was also captured beautifully in this photo by Broadway World's Jennifer Broski (and be sure to check out the full gallery here). 

Having seen Dennis in two performances when we visited the show last month I can safely say that Jafar is in great hands. Dennis brings a wonderfully sinister touch to the character, and I'm excited to see him take over the role and for audiences to get to experience his Jafar.

 

Dennis, I wish you a long and magical run as Jafar, and can't wait to see you on stage again!

End of an Era as 'Aladdin' Bids Farewell to Jonathan Freeman, THE Original Jafar

Every time a show changes principal cast members it can be said to be the end of an era, especially if that cast member is one of the original company. But this truly is a once in a life time as Jonathan Freeman bids goodbye to a role he not only originated on stage a decade ago, but to a role he first brought to life thirty years ago in the original animated Aladdin.

If you can sum up his performance in a word, it is simply "iconic". If you closed your eyes you would think you were watching the movie. His voice, and that incredible laugh, as captivating now as they were when I was a child. Open your eyes though, and it's not just his voice. His looks, his body language, he is Jafar. As I wrote in my original review back in 2014 "Jonathan knows the character inside and out, he knows what makes him tick, his mannerisms and his psychosis and he uses this to great effect, bringing the character to life as well on stage as he did on screen."

As Jafar he brought joy to so many who got to witness their childhood come to life before their very eyes. And as he introduced others to his villainous vizier for the first time. His partnership with Don Darryl Rivera's Iago is one of the highlights of the show, with the villainous duo easily topping my list as Disney's greatest stage villains.

But all good things must end, and after a decade of plotting and scheming as Agrabah's treacherous vizier on stage, and three decades of giving him voice, Jonathan certainly deserves a well earned rest. Well... kind of end. Jonathan has already confirmed that he will continue to provide Jafar's voice so we've not heard the last of him just yet. All that remains is for me to say thank you. That movie and this show both changed my life, and getting to see you bring Jafar to life in person is something I will treasure forever. I feel blessed to have met you and seen you perform. Happy trails Jonathan, thank you for all the wonderful memories and best wishes for whatever the future may hold.

And you can tell it truly is the end of an era as several major theatrical site have carried out exit interviews with our favourite Disney villain! I've tried to link all of them here.

New York Daily News (via Yahoo)

Playbill

D23

Broadway.com

TheaterMania

I just want to end with this quote from Jonathan from those interviews: "It's such a great character. It's quintessentially awful. He's so disgracefully awful. So deliciously awful. Without a villain, you don't have a good story. They're like gasoline that make the stories go."

UPDATE - Disney Theatrical have shared Jonathan's final bow and his passing of the snake staff to Dennis Stowe in a video posted to the official Aladdin Instagram which you can see below!

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Mena Massoud on Aladdin Sequel and Star Wars Rumours

 

It feels like forever since it was officially announced that Disney's live action Aladdin was getting a sequel. So what's been happening over at the House of Mouse?

According to the film's star, Mena Massoud, not much. In a new interview with Screen Rant, Mena offered the following update:

"They're working on it. They're trying to make it happen. That's really all I know. As you know, usually actors are the last piece of the puzzle, so the studio has got a lot to worry about before they start thinking about the actors."

So the film is officially still in the writing phase. That doesn't mean nothing has happened. Last February it was confirmed that a story direction had been settled on and a year and a half is plenty of time for a script to be written, revised, etc. So hopefully writers John Gatins and Andrea Berloff have been hard at work getting the story into the best possible shape so that Mena and the rest of the cast hear something soon!

For his part, Mena is certainly hoping to return to the role of Disney's famous street rat:

"Obviously, I would hope that all of us come back and Naomi, Will, and I all come back and the rest of the cast, Marwan, Navid, Nasim, everybody. But right now, as far as I know, they're just working on the script and trying to make it happen."

He also addressed those Star Wars rumours. Will he be playing Ezra Bridger in the upcoming Mandalorian spin-off Ahsoka? Mena was a little less forthcoming here.

"Yeah. Just manifesting, just manifesting, trying different things. Yeah, there's not much more I can say about that, but, you know, I had heard murmurings that this role was coming up and this is becoming a real thing. So I just kinda wanted to throw my name in the ring and  - yeah, just part of manifesting what you want. I think we live in an age now that's so different than '70s, '80s, 90s, Hollywood, where there was no social media. It was really just your representatives, putting things out there for you. But now, we have the ability to to put things out there for ourselves because of social media and because we can put things out there. So yeah, I just wanted to put it out there, I guess."

So does he want to join that galaxy far, far, away? And bring my two favourite franchises crashing together in the process!

"It would be a dream come true. Obviously, I've already had one of my dreams come true with Aladdin. I think I have that under my belt now and thankfully the film did really well, so I think I've proven that I can be successful in that environment. I think it would just be a great opportunity to take everything that I learned on a set like Aladdin and implement it into the Star Wars or DC or Marvel universe. We're talking about manifesting, so yeah, it would be a lot, it would mean a lot. I think I would also do a solid job and work really hard. I like what they're doing with that world and how they're expanding the universe."

Hopefully everything works out and we get to see Mena in both Aladdin 2 and Star Wars soon!

The Magic is Back! Aladdin Reopens on Broadway!

 

Michael Maliakel & Shoba Narayan as Aladdin & Jasmine., Photo by Matthew Murphy

"Come on down, come on in, let the magic begin..."

Tonight the magic begins again! After almost eighteen months Disney's Aladdin returns to Broadway, bringing with it that joyful energy that the world needs so much at the moment. Tonight, the historic New Amsterdam Theatre will once again be filled with an audience who loves theatre, with music, laughter, and applause. It will be one of the most exhilarating night's in the show's and the theatre's history.

I just want to wish everyone there tonight the very best of luck for this historic reopening. Whether it's your Broadway debut or if you've been with the show from the beginning. From the ushers and backstage crew to the orchestra and stars on stage. You've all earned this. This is your moment. Enjoy it, savor it, and, most importantly, have fun with it and let your joy radiate from that stage tonight. You deserve every success and I hope your reopening night audience is absolutely wild!

I wish we could be there, supporting you in person, but we are one hundred percent there in spirit and I can't wait to see you all in person in November. I'll make sure to give Friend Like Me a standing ovation when I watch the TikTok live stream tonight!

Make some magic everyone, and may all your wishes come true!

Michael Maliakel as Aladdin, Photo by Matthew Murphy

Shoba Narayan as Jasmine, Photo by Matthew Murphy

Michael James Scott (Genie), Michael Maliakel (Aladdin) and the Broadway ensemble of Aladdin, Photo by Matthew Murphy