Aladdin on Broadway

[disneyprincess11]

Haters of Call Me a Princess: Great news! I just heard that it has been cut and Jasmine will have a new song. Idk what it is yet.

Why should anyone be celebrating the fact that yet ANOTHER Howard Ashman song has been gutted from this show?

Call Me a Princess is hysterical. God forbid they make Jasmine funny...

I am not celebrating, a lot of people hate it, so that's what I meant. And yeah I was thinking about how another Howard Ashman song got cut

[rubyslippers]

From a user on Broadway World:

"I spoke with a few cast members and they told me that the creatives are aware of the problems and are taking the time to fix them. They are going back into rehearsal in NYC A LOT earlier than originally scheduled to rehearse new material. So it seems to me that they are trying to make this right. They are also cutting Jasmine's song and adding a new one.
Since it started previews they have cut a bunch of material and IMO its made the show a lot tighter and flow much better.""

On the one hand, I'm glad the creative team is not only acknowledging the problems with the show but actually fixing them. I think the mistake Disney made with The Little Mermaid was throwing surface fixes at the show while avoiding the underlying problems and basically assuming that because it was Disney, it would make money.

On the other hand, I hope that they don't cut too much of what made the show a unique blend of the film and the "Ashman" concept. For me, the thing I loved about the show was that it wasn't just a cut-and-paste of the film.

I'm also hoping they do not cut A Million Miles Away! As soon as I heard it in the show I knew that I couldn't wait for the professional cast recording version of the song.

[thelittleursula]

Haters of Call Me a Princess: Great news!

I'm happy about this because I feel like too many people misunderstand this song and get the wrong idea about it and think that Jasmine is being a cow, when really she's only acting like it to push away suitors.

It's a alright song, but imo To Be Free is a better fit for Jasmine and the audience.

[disneyprincess11]

Just got my tickets for May 22nd!

[ChrisLyne]

Merry Christmas everyone!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gY6fazUyyEA/U ... /image.jpg

[Musical Master]

So, what kind of changes will Aladdin make before it heads to Broadway? The reviews sure were torn up.

[TsWade2]

So, what kind of changes will Aladdin make before it heads to Broadway? The reviews sure were torn up.

Well, I heard they cut the Call Me A Princess number and the reprise, and Jasmine new song is called Beyond These Palace Walls. I don't know how the song goes, but I'm sure that will be a better song for Jasmine.

[JiminyCrick91]

I have my ticket for Friday ordered now, thanks to some Christmas cash!

-Skyler

[JiminyCrick91]

I have my ticket for Friday ordered now, thanks to some Christmas cash!

-Skyler

[Atlantica]

Ahhhh I'm so so jealous!!!!!!

Have a wonderful time

[rubyslippers]

From Broadway World:

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/read ... 847&page=4

"Although Call Me a Princess and its reprise are still listed in the program, they have been replaced by Jasmine's new song - Beyond These Palace Walls, which is a much better song and makes Jasmine a much more sympathetic character. I loved the show before, and I love it even more now that Jasmine's character is more likeable. I didn't notice any other big changes. Some small ones that i noticed - the Genie performance has gotten bigger and broader, the camels have been removed from the opening scene, and Babkak does a bit of ad-libbing at the top of act two and Genie also does some ad-libbing at the end of Friend Like Me. "

It'll be interesting to hear the new song. I liked Call Me a Princess but oh well.

[PatrickvD]

Call Me A Princess made Jasmine sassy and funny.

Now she's just another generic princess with zero personality. Beyond These Palace Walls is no doubt a bland I want song.

I think Menken needs to stand up for the work instead of let Disney's suits waltz over him and his work. This is Mermaid all over again with all these rewrites and what not.

[ProfessorRatigan]

Call Me A Princess made Jasmine sassy and funny.

Now she's just another generic princess with zero personality. Beyond These Palace Walls is no doubt a bland I want song.

I think Menken needs to stand up for the work instead of let Disney's suits waltz over him and his work. This is Mermaid all over again with all these rewrites and what not.

THIS. I've said this before and gotten crap for it, but I feel Menken is too much of a yes-man. Unlike Ashman, Menken doesn't seem to have that almost maternal protectiveness of his work. And it's BEYOND frustrating.

[disneyprincess11]

FROM BROADWAYWORLD.COM BOARDS:

They fixed the ending!

I was at the final performance today as well, having first seen the show on opening night. I had found the finale very underwhelming - Aladdin and Jasmine riding off on camels with a "Just Married" sign on the back. Today their exit was completely different, and it ends the show on an emotional high that wasn't there previously. (I'm not going to spoil it.)

I agree with the person above who says Friend Like Me will get a standing ovation in New York. Today at curtain call, James Monroe Iglehart (Genie) got the loudest roar I've ever heard from a Toronto audience. Also agree that Jasmine's new song is a better introduction for the character. Overall the show felt tighter than it did opening night and I enjoyed it more today.

[TsWade2]

FROM BROADWAYWORLD.COM BOARDS:

They fixed the ending!

I was at the final performance today as well, having first seen the show on opening night. I had found the finale very underwhelming - Aladdin and Jasmine riding off on camels with a "Just Married" sign on the back. Today their exit was completely different, and it ends the show on an emotional high that wasn't there previously. (I'm not going to spoil it.)

I agree with the person above who says Friend Like Me will get a standing ovation in New York. Today at curtain call, James Monroe Iglehart (Genie) got the loudest roar I've ever heard from a Toronto audience. Also agree that Jasmine's new song is a better introduction for the character. Overall the show felt tighter than it did opening night and I enjoyed it more today.

Excellent!

[Flanger-Hanger]

That ending change has been around for a while now (at least since I saw the show a month ago).

They fly off on carpet at the end like in the movie. Though as presented on the stage it reminds me of the 1924 Thief of Bagdad.

[disneyprincess11]

That ending change has been around for a while now (at least since I saw the show a month ago).

They fly off on carpet at the end like in the movie. Though as presented on the stage it reminds me of the 1924 Thief of Bagdad.

Do they go over the audience?

[JiminyCrick91]

That ending change has been around for a while now (at least since I saw the show a month ago).

They fly off on carpet at the end like in the movie. Though as presented on the stage it reminds me of the 1924 Thief of Bagdad.

Do they go over the audience?

Not yet but maybe on Broadway. It's not that easy to instal that sort of thing for short periods so effects of that nature are normally not in out of town previews or on most tours. The flying is lovely but far more Peter Pan than Spider-Man.

I for one loved the show. Two little nitpicks may be that the new song for Jasmine at the moment is the weakest of the show but it is nice enough and the climax is rather rushed, which happens in many Broadway shows anyway. I was really emotional during the whole thing. I teared up a little of pure joy during 'One Jump Ahead', then again out of being completely moved every time a 'Proud of Your Boy' reprise was sung and flat out cried during the full song proper. The costumes are wonderful, the sets were gorgeous, the dancing was spectacular, the script (and possible ad-libs?) is/are hilarious, and the acting was superb.

On a purely superficial level I could also note how this show as a LOT of shirtless/near shirtless-ness which is expected with Aladdin but daaaaamn this cast. lol That was a plus.

The stagedoor thing is not as big a deal in Toronto as anyplace else so I didn't get everybody's autograph but I DID get most of the leads (including the people who played Aladdin, Kassim, Genie, Iago, Jasmine and someone else whose name I can't really make out at the moment...). Jonathan Freeman sadly did not come out but again it was an amazing afternoon I wish I could relive and wish the show luck in New York!

There are so many things I'd love to talk about but I don't want to spoil too much at the moment. You all need to go as soon as you can!
-Skyler

[rubyslippers]

I'm glad that the team seems open to making changes and trying to improve the show. I hope that they improve the climax and give Jonathan Freeman more to do to make the character more menacing, but even the show "as is" when I saw it in November was completely worth the 4+ hour drive and price of tickets+hotel. If New York wasn't too expensive to travel to, I'd definitely be booking it there to see the show on Broadway proper!

As it is, I can't WAIT for the cast recording!

[Atlantica]

This was talked about on Elaine Paige's musicals show on the radio at the weekend; she was very excited for it and my friends in the car with me were like Aladdin is coming to the West End ?! With a lot of excitement …. but had to sadly say that it was just Broadway at the moment.