Hey! Clear the way in the old Bazaar
Hey you! Let us through!
It’s a bright new star!
Adam Jacobs — who plays the
title role in Disney’s
big new Broadway-bound production of “Aladdin”
— grabs a snack on the first day of rehearsal.
Photo by Heidi Gutman.
Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Oh Come!
Be the first on your block to meet his eye!
Courtney Reed — who will
play Princess Jasmine in
the all-new stage version of this Academy
Award-
winning film — looks on as rehearsal gets
underway. Photo by Heidi
Gutman.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
Make way!
Here he comes!
Ring bells! Bang the drums!
Are you gonna love this guy!
Tony Award-winning director Casey
Nicholaw (R) confers with James Monroe Iglehart (L),
who will be playing the
Genie in this new musical comedy. Photo by Heidi Gutman.
Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Today marks a very special day for Disney Theatrical. For —
after weeks of behind-the-scenes casting sessions & negotiations — they
finally got the talented group of performers who will be appearing in their
brand-new musical comedy, Disney’s “Aladdin.”
Now some of you may recall the pilot production of this show that was mounted at Seattle’s
5th Avenue Theatre back in
the Summer of 2011. That early iteration of Disney’s “Aladdin” was so
well received that many of the lead players from that production are now part
of the Broadway production which Disney Theatrical is mounting. Among them Adam
Jacobs (Aladdin), Courtney Reed (Princess Jasmine), James Monroe Iglehart (Genie)
and — in a bit of casting that is sure to thrill all you Disney Animation fans
out there — Jonathan Freeman (who originally voiced the character of Jafar in
Disney’s 1992 animated version of “Aladdin”
) will now be playing the
evil vizier onstage.
Jonathan Freeman (R) poses with
Gary Martori (L), the Broadway veteran
who will be serving as Production Hair
Supervisor for this soon-to-be-
headed-out-of-town show. Photo by Heidi Gutman.
Copyright
Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
This new musical comedy version of Disney’s
“Aladdin” will feature music by Alan Menken; lyrics by the late
Howard Ashman & Tim Rice; and book & additional lyrics by Chad
Beguelin. Casey Nicholaw will serve as the
overall director & choreographer of this production which promises to mix
high elegance with old school Broadway-style buffoonery.
Chad Beguelin (L) yuks it up
with Casey Nicholaw just before the first day of
rehearsal begins on Disney’s
“Aladdin.” Photo by Heidi Gutman. Copyright
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved
“”We have an extraordinarily diverse and quite
beautiful company of actors and dancers and singers who also happen to be
blessed with vaudeville chops,” said Casey. “I think that (this show
will) surprise people who expect they’re just going to see the film
onstage.”
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
Following several weeks of rehearsal in NYC, Disney’s
“Aladdin” then heads out-of-town to begin a series of performances at
Toronto’s Ed Mirvish Theatre
(formerly the Canon) from November 1,
2013 to January 5, 2014. This show’s official opening night there is November 21, 2013.
Look for further stories on this Broadway-bound musical
comedy in the weeks & months ahead here at JHM. But in the meantime …
… try your best to stay calm,
Brush up your Sunday salaam