Aladdin on Broadway

[disneyprincess11]

Uh oh.

Maxwell Haddad ‏@cinemaxwell 4m

Aladdin on Broadway, that is. Some shows in previews deserve time to work. Some are clearly misguided disasters. Not salvageable.

[rubyslippers]

A quick note from a friend that saw it tonight:

"LOVED the Genie, Aladdin, Jafar and Iago the most!! Friend Like Me + A Whole New World were AMAZING. Jasmine was okay but her voice seemed strained in her 'palace' song and she felt out of place with almost everyone else comedic/hamming it up... Loved the friends but some of their jokes were too cheesy. Ending was weird and really fast."


Song list from the first Broadway preview:

Act I

Arabian Nights
One Jump Ahead
Proud Of Your Boy
These Palace Walls
Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim
A Million Miles Away
Diamond in the Rough
Friend Like Me
Act One Finale

Act II

Prince Ali
A Whole New World
High Adventure
Somebody's Got Your Back
Proud Of Your Boy Reprise II
Prince Ali Reprise
Finale Ultimo Arabian Nights Reprise/ A Whole New World Reprise

--

Every Arabian Nights Reprise but the finale reprise is gone. Wow! Thank goodness A Million Miles Away is still there... I hope they don't cut it.

[ProfessorRatigan]

Wow, we got a grand total of four of the original Howard Ashman songs in the final line-up... And I thought cutting Humiliate the Boy and How Quick They Forget was bad... I have to admit, all my enthusiasm for this show dried up the minute they announced they were cutting Call Me a Princess. Cutting the ingenious Arabian Nights reprises is simply unforgivable. Oh, well. Hopefully, in the future, we can get a version that isn't afraid of incorporating the original elements. Those songs are true gems. (Dare I say, 'diamonds in the rough?')

I'll still end up buying the cast album. But, man, I'd be pissed right about now if I had shucked out several hundred bucks for tickets and airfare to see this show almost entirely for the Ashman songs/Jonathan Freeman and found out I'd be getting so little of either at the last minute. (Which I considered doing back in December. Bullet dodged, I guess.)

[zackisthewalrus]

A friend of mine who went to see it tonight said it was amazing and that "Friend Like Me" got a 5-minute standing ovation.

[rubyslippers]

Wow, we got a grand total of four of the original Howard Ashman songs in the final line-up... And I thought cutting Humiliate the Boy and How Quick They Forget was bad... I have to admit, all my enthusiasm for this show dried up the minute they announced they were cutting Call Me a Princess. Cutting the ingenious Arabian Nights reprises is simply unforgivable. Oh, well. Hopefully, in the future, we can get a version that isn't afraid of incorporating the original elements. Those songs are true gems. (Dare I say, 'diamonds in the rough?')

I'll still end up buying the cast album. But, man, I'd be pissed right about now if I had shucked out several hundred bucks for tickets and airfare to see this show almost entirely for the Ashman songs/Jonathan Freeman and found out I'd be getting so little of either at the last minute. (Which I considered doing back in December. Bullet dodged, I guess.)

Well, by the Toronto previews the Arabian Nights reprises were no longer the Ashman versions (aside from a few lines) because they didn't fit with the new structure of the show... so I suppose the only Ashman sung cut from previews was CMAP. Though, apparently they are now replaced by additional scenes, including a few with Jafar, Iago and the Sultan... and more Jafar = A+ in my book.

My concern about the removal of the reprises is that because the Trio is no longer narrating the show, their frequent fourth-wall-breaking jokes will either a) make no sense and fall flat or b) be confusing to the audience because it will seem out of the blue. And I have seen at least one comment from someone that show this first preview who felt that Genie breaking the 4th wall made sense, but the Trio doing the same, and often, did not. It's a shame because when I saw the show, they got some of the biggest laughs!

zackisthewalrus: That's great!! It really was the best number in the show, no contest.

[ChrisLyne]

I'm just skimming through the comments from last night as I'm trying to avoid spoilers so I've not read the song list though I have a pretty good idea what's included (or more specifically not included).

That said, one thing really stands out as strange - Babkak, Omar and Kassim are no longer narrators (this much we learnt from last week's Press Day) but they still break the 4th wall? That makes no sense to me. Genie I get, he's Genie, but if the trio aren't narrators then where's the internal logic for them breaking the 4th wall whilst others (Aladdin, Jasmine, etc.) don't. I'd have thought they'd have changed that when they stopped being narrators. Then again, Jafar broke the 4th wall once in Tuacahn's production and I never gave it a second thought, it just fit the tone of the show. As long as it feels right and matches the tone of the show I don't think it will matter too much (hopefully!)

Ratigan - Humiliate the Boy and How Quick They Forget weren't cut, they were never in the show to begin with. Call Me a Princess they left in as long as they could, it was criticisied in Seattle and they left it in, when the critcisms continued in Toronto they obviously felt it had to go for the good of the show. I can't judge for myself as I haven't seen it yet but people who saw both in Toronto said the changes were for the best. The only cuts between Toronto and Broadway are (I'm assuming, as I said, not read the final song list) the Arabian Nights Reprises due to the trio no longer being narrators. Now let's be fair, Reprise 1 was Ashman's, Reprises 2 & 3 are both Beguelin's and I'm assuming reprise 4/finale (mix of Ashman/Beguelin lyrics) is still in the show. So the only Ashman song cut between Toronto closing and Broadway opening is Arabian Nights Reprise 1. Jonathan Freeman's role in the show hasn't changed at all. The only change for him was between Seattle and Toronto (Why Me for Diamonds in the Rough), if anything his role has increased as I've read comments saying some new scenes have been put in following the narrators being cut.

[teej]

I went to the first night of previews on Broadway (the 26th), and it was INCREDIBLE. I'm shocked to see all the negativity towards it! And it's not just me - the crowd was electric that night, and that's not a word I'd normally use for musical theater.

Iago was funny, but there was a lot of violent humor that didn't come across well or get the crowd laughing the way I think it was anticipated. Aladdin and Jasmine were great fits, but I can't help but wonder how much better Jasmine's character would have been if they let her have more fun in the show (I remember reading one of her funnier songs got scrapped?). Jafar got cheers from the crowd because of who he was, which was nice to see, but his character had some really great moments too. And the Genie stole the entire show; Friend Like Me had a standing ovation like I've never seen in the middle of a show on Broadway! It went on for a solid three minutes at least, to the point where the guy playing Aladdin mouthed "oh my god" in his pose, and the Genie had to gesture for everyone to sit down! He was fantastic from the second he showed up in Arabian Nights. There was a Disney medley during Friend Like Me that was HILARIOUS, the references he made to present-day events were spot on (His "ain't nobody got time for that!" line had the crowd roaring), and his line delivery and overall ability to capture the energy of the Genie was perfect.

I loved the three characters they added as Aladdin's friends, but also the fact that they incorporated Abu and Raja in the show as well through quick references (Omar says he's going to get a pet and name it Raja, for example). I think if they kept the animals or made Iago into a guy that looked like a bird, it would have been way too corny.

The sets were fantastic. The Cave of Wonders had everyone cheering from how nicely it was done, and A Whole New World was beautiful. Everyone was trying to take pictures, so the theater employees were running all around during that scene to stop them.

TL;DR - the show is incredible, probably my favorite of the Disney on Broadway shows (which says a lot because I was obsessed with Mermaid), and I highly recommend seeing it. I'll be going again!

Here I am with Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie and Jafar after the show! All incredibly nice. My Playbill has autographs from most of the other cast members as well.
http://instagram.com/p/k6DxJ9j6Ws/

[rubyslippers]

So glad you enjoyed the show, teej!! I feel like, even if it won't be a critical darling, it will definitely be a fan favorite.

You mentioned that Genie showed up in Arabian Nights--what did he do during the song? (During previews, he didn't show up at all until the Cave of Wonders scene.)

[Sotiris]

Aladdin is off to a great start.

The latest outing from Disney Theatrical Prods., “Aladdin” also looked strong out of the gate, hitting $691,812 for five previews. Fueled by a familiar Disney title and an all-ages target demo, the musical played to full houses but average ticket price came in at a relatively low $80 a pop, in part because of the direct-mail deals that most producers offer ticket buyers during early performances.

Source: http://variety.com/2014/legit/news/broa ... 201124819/

Here’s a look at who was on top—and who was not—for the week ending March 2:

FRONTRUNNERS (By Capacity)
1.The Book of Mormon (102.40%)
= 3. Les Miserables (100.00%) **
= 3. Aladdin (100.00%) ***
4. The Lion King (98.93%)
5. Wicked (98.79%)

** Number based on 1 preview performance
*** Number based on 3 preview performances

Source: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/174793/bro ... -broadway/

Disney's new "Aladdin" is off to a strong start with $826,491 over six previews.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/AP17b8f12 ... 3d870.html

Disney's Aladdin enjoyed its second week of 100% attendance.

Source: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20 ... for-spring

Aladdin, the new Disney musical, also continued to show box-office muscle in its preview period. For the second week running, it played to full houses at the New Amsterdam, with box-office sales standing at 92% of the potential take.

Source: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/18 ... ice-Boosts

[TsWade2]

Aladdin is off to a great start.

The latest outing from Disney Theatrical Prods., “Aladdin” also looked strong out of the gate, hitting $691,812 for five previews. Fueled by a familiar Disney title and an all-ages target demo, the musical played to full houses but average ticket price came in at a relatively low $80 a pop, in part because of the direct-mail deals that most producers offer ticket buyers during early performances.

Source: http://variety.com/2014/legit/news/broa ... 201124819/

Here’s a look at who was on top—and who was not—for the week ending March 2:

FRONTRUNNERS (By Capacity)
1.The Book of Mormon (102.40%)
= 3. Les Miserables (100.00%) **
= 3. Aladdin (100.00%) ***
4. The Lion King (98.93%)
5. Wicked (98.79%)

** Number based on 1 preview performance
*** Number based on 3 preview performances

Source: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/174793/bro ... -broadway/

Awesome! It might not win a Tony for Best Musical, but that is great news.

[teej]

So glad you enjoyed the show, teej!! I feel like, even if it won't be a critical darling, it will definitely be a fan favorite.

You mentioned that Genie showed up in Arabian Nights--what did he do during the song? (During previews, he didn't show up at all until the Cave of Wonders scene.)

He did the narration in the beginning. My memory is horrible but I asked my boyfriend, who confirmed he was definitely there in the beginning. I can't remember if he sang Arabian Nights, but I know it went into the ensemble from whoever started it. I definitely feel confident in saying that the Genie started singing Arabian Nights, but like I said, my memory is horrible so take it with a grain of salt.

[rubyslippers]

The lyrics to Jasmine's new song have popped up on Tumblr! (If you check the 'aladdin the musical' tag, they're in there.)

JASMINE
Suitors talk of love
But it’s an act merely meant to throw me
How can someone love me when, in fact
They don’t know me?

They want my royal treasure,
when all is said and done.
It’s time for a desperate measure
So I wonder

Why shouldn’t I fly so far from here?
I know the girl I might become here
Sad and confined
And always locked behind these palace walls

LADIES
[????] and devotion every day
And not second guess it

JASMINE
If a new emotion comes my way

LADIES
You suppress it

JASMINE
What would be your suggestion?

LADIES
Standing on your own two feet
And ask why a certain question keeps repeating

JASMINE
Why shouldn’t I fly so far from here?
I know the girl I might become here
Follow your heart or you might end up cold and callous

LADIES
Love comes to those who go and find it
If you must dream then stand behind it

JASMINE
Maybe there’s more beyond these palace walls
What if I dared?
What if I tried?
Am I prepared for what’s outside?

Why shouldn’t I fly so far from here?
Something awaits beyond these palace walls

[Disney's Divinity]

The lyrics seem a little bland, but it's hard to judge without hearing. The ending ("What if I dared?" to "Something awaits...") sounds very climactic though, tying to the image of the birds she lets out alongside the "To Be Free" score in the movie.

I hope the show is a success for Disney. It'd be nice to see it sitting alongside B&tB and TLK as successful films-turned-shows. I expect Frozen will be turned into a successful show, too; it's hard to imagine how they could screw it up. Now if only they'd completely re-do TLM someday....

[Musical Master]

The lyrics seem a little bland, but it's hard to judge without hearing. The ending ("What if I dared?" to "Something awaits...") sounds very climactic though, tying to the image of the birds she lets out alongside the "To Be Free" score in the movie.

I hope the show is a success for Disney. It'd be nice to see it sitting alongside B&tB and TLK as successful films-turned-shows. I expect Frozen will be turned into a successful show, too; it's hard to imagine how they could screw it up. Now if only they'd completely re-do TLM someday....

I hope Aladdin is successful because of all the hard work the cast and crew have done.

What did you think of the book of the BatB musical that Linda Woolverton wrote? In my opinion, I thought it was a nice extension of the original narrative from the movie and the new songs were well done.

[xxhplinkxx]

I'm going tonight to see it!!!! I'll let you all know what I think of it

[xxhplinkxx]

Aladdin - The Musical: A Review

To say that Aladdin was good, or even great, would be a grave understatement. I loved every second of this show from the first note to the last. It gave me [mostly] everything I loved from the classic movie, plus a bunch of new, and in some cases different things, I didn't know I'd love.

One of the major differences was the absence of Aladdin's (Adam Jacobs) best furry friend, Abu. Instead we have Aladdin's three new best [human] friends, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim, (Brian Gonzales, Jonathan Schwartz, and Brandon O'Neill, respectively) who were originally supposed to appear in the movie but were later dropped. They add a nice touch of comedic relief to an already funny show. Their solo song, "High Adventure," was highly entertaining and it showcased each of the three of them nicely.

Some other notable differences are there is no Rajah and Iago is no longer a parrot, but Jafar's human henchman (played hilariously by Don Darryl Rivera). Special note for those of you not aware, Jafar is being played by none other than Jonathan Freeman, who voiced Jafar in the original movie! AMAZING!

Jasmine's (Courtney Reed) new solo song, "These Palace Walls," was probably my least favorite (but still enjoyable) of the new batch of songs. Which is a shame, because she's one of my favorite Disney Princesses and I was hoping for something... with a little more umph. But I can see it possibly growing on me once the Cast Recording is available.

I love that they incorporated the deleted song "Proud of Your Boy" back into the mix. It was originally meant for the movie but was dropped along with Aladdin's mother. I love singing this song and glad it's being brought back for audiences to enjoy.

Next up we have Genie. Genie, Genie, Genie. He stole the show! I wondered how someone was going to be able to top Robin Williams, but no longer! James Monroe Iglehart did a wonderful job and keeping up with Williams' high energy and jokes. I also couldn't imagine how the stage version would be able to keep up with all of his movie counterpart's visual gags since he was so animated (literally) but they did him justice by giving him plenty of "magic" props to work with.

I have to say, my favorite part of the show was easily the "Friend Like Me" number. I couldn't get enough! Again, Iglehart did a fantastic job with the song, and the production value for it was jaw-dropping. He had me once he started singing snippets of other Disney classics like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Pocahontas. The crowd went wild! This number received a much-deserved standing ovation from the audience which went on for at least a good 2 minutes!

In the second act, "A Whole New World" was done beautifully. The stage went dark as Aladdin and Jasmine flew through the air on a magic carpet ride accompanied only by the twinkling of the stars and the moon behind them on the stage. It was absolutely breathtaking. (But to the fucking CUNT that was sitting next to me who decided to use flash photography in the middle of the song- there's a special place in hell for people like you.)

Oh, something else I wanted to mention was that the ensemble was excellent! Yes, there were plenty of sexy ladies (if you're into that), but more importantly tons of hunky, barely-dressed men! All the choreography they had to learn was brilliant. And I loved that the dancing incorporated Indian dance into the choreography! It was a great touch.

All in all, Aladdin was freaking amazing. I literally can't say anything negative about it. Even though I saw it during the preview stages of it and things can possibly change between now and opening night, it was still an absolute delight. I fell in love with this show and hope to see it again. If you're in NYC or plan to be while the show is playing do yourself a favor and GO SEE IT! Oh, and buy tickets in advance because it's sold out!

[xxhplinkxx]

To add to what I said about Jasmine's song, I REALLY wish "To Be Free" would've been part of the show.

[Disney's Divinity]

Everyone is making this show sound so amazing... I wish there was some way I could go see this with the original cast, but I think going to New York would be a bit terrifying. >>;

On another note, I wonder why they never brought B&tB back to Broadway after TLM flopped anyway? It was still making money, from what I remember. I assumed the only reason they closed it at the time is they probably thought it and TLM would conflict since they're both Princess films.

[disneyprincess11]

These Palace Walls has bee on posted on Tumblr

http://stressie.tumblr.com/post/7951977 ... al-march-5

[teej]

Everyone is making this show sound so amazing... I wish there was some way I could go see this with the original cast, but I think going to New York would be a bit terrifying. >>;

On another note, I wonder why they never brought B&tB back to Broadway after TLM flopped anyway? It was still making money, from what I remember. I assumed the only reason they closed it at the time is they probably thought it and TLM would conflict since they're both Princess films.

That, and it was being put in the theater BatB was in. Mary Poppins closed and Aladdin went into that theater, so I'm guessing Disney just rents three theaters? I'm still so sad TLM didn't do better; it was a really fun show.

Also, New York isn't terrifying! Don't let a fear of the city stop you from seeing a great show!

Edit: Here's Friend Like Me from the show, where the Genie does a (hilarious when you're seeing it live) Disney medley.
http://stressie.tumblr.com/post/7874936 ... rch-5-2014