Aladdin on Broadway

[rubyslippers]

Some more Tony Awards Instagram posts:

The cast on deck for Friend Like Me: http://instagram.com/p/pAMgJaGW7s/#

Backstage: http://instagram.com/p/o_OKvbGWyW/#

On the way to dress rehearsal: http://instagram.com/p/o_C5SbmW9p/#

Hugh Jackman selfie! http://instagram.com/p/o_M_S5ER2u/

On the way the Tonys: http://instagram.com/p/o_fTRzER5-/

Courtney Reeds tony red carpet dress (STUNNING!) http://instagram.com/p/pAIp-oMVb_/

[Disney's Divinity]

I'm surprised Aladdin actually won one of its nominations. Also, going back to check on their previous shows, it is behind most of them, but definitely above TLM (2 noms, 0 wins) and Tarzan (0, 0) shows. (It also has the same number of wins as the B&tB show, but that one had twice as many nominations.) It's on level with MP, which had 7 noms and 1 win.

I actually fell asleep before the show came on, so I only just checked. I'm going to see if I can find anything on YouTube. Besides the Aladdin performance, was there anything worth seeing? I believe I read something about a Wicked tribute?

[bruno_wbt]

I believe I read something about a Wicked tribute?

Yes, they sang "For Good"

And Idina Menzel sang the new song from her new musical If/Then. She was great!

[Lady Cluck]

Idina and Neil Patrick Harris gave the best performances of the night

James had a fun speech

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHs7p_ZxPCc[/youtube]

[TsWade2]

And so my dear friends, that Aladdin didn't win a Tony for Best Musical. And I'm very upse...JUST KIDDING! Aladdin got a Tony. That's what matters. And that was Disney's 20th Tony Award. I have a great time watching the Tony Awards. Hugh Jackman was fantastic. He's more entertaining than Neil Patrick Harris. I enjoy the performance of A Gentlemen's Guide To Love & Murder and I got to admit, I'm very glad it won a Tony for Best Musical. The only thing I do not like is the performance of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. That was terrible and I was very upset that it won for Best Musical Revival. Les Miserables should of won. But nonetheless, this year's Tony Award has been very enjoyable. Better than last year.

[Avaitor]

You're crazy, NPH is great.

[Tangled]

I wish that James was a "big name" actor like Hugh Jackman or Neil Patrick Harris, because with the energy he was showcasting last night I honestly think that he would make a great Tony host. I haven't seen Aladdin yet, nor do I intend to travel to New York just to see it, but James' enthusiasm and performance totally sold me.

Also, did anyone else see him excitedly dancing along when Hugh Jackman did the Music Man rap tribute? The camera cut to him a lot throughout the entire show.

[moviefan12]

The "Oh My Disney" Blog just posted this video of Nick Pitera doing a One Man Aladdin Tribute and I really liked it but then again, I like all of Nick's Disney videos. They are just so much fun to watch.

http://blogs.disney.com/oh-my-disney/20 ... e-musical/

[Disney Duster]

Does James Monroe Igleheart have trouble saustaining notes or did the creative team decide for the Genie not to hold the the notes as long as he did in the original animated film's "Friend Like Me"?

[ProfessorRatigan]

He sang it the same way Howard Ashman sang it. Like a Jazzy song-and-dance man. Cab Calloway was the big inspiration for the Genie in those original Ashman/Menken demo tapes. And that version blows Robin Williams' out of the water. I'm glad they went back to that for the musical. They could have went with the tacky guy-in-a-blue-suit look like Aladdin: a Musical Adventure at Disneyland and just tried to mimic Robin Williams wholesale. James's Genie may, indeed, be the BEST thing about this show (LOVE Jonathan Freeman, but he didn't have shit to do here). And I'm SO happy he thanked Howard Ashman in the acceptance speech.

[Disney Duster]

Whoops! I listened to the animated one and the Tony one and they both held their notes about the same.

[rubyslippers]

I thought this was really neat: ensemble member Marisha Wallace has been bumped up to understudy.... for Babkak! She was on for the role the other day, according to Twitter.

I really love the casting for this show and I love that they aren't limiting themselves creatively. I wonder if they will consider doing this for Kassim, Omar, or even other roles in the show?

[PatrickvD]

Babkak is a woman now?!?! Did I miss something?

Shouldn't they be casting Middle Eastern actors before unnecessarily changing character's genders?

[rubyslippers]

Babkak is a woman now?!?! Did I miss something?

Shouldn't they be casting Middle Eastern actors before unnecessarily changing character's genders?

When Marisha is on as an understudy, Babkak is a woman.

There are actors in the show who have Middle Eastern heritage, but Disney does colorblind casting and does not require actors to reveal their ethnicity or background when auditioning for roles or after they have been cast. I can understand why people would be disappointed that Disney did not specifically look for Middle Eastern actors, but on the other hand the end result of their colorblind casting is one of the most diverse shows on Broadway.

Courtney Reed touched on a similar subject in interview recently, saying that she preferred to not reveal what her particular ethnicity was because it led to typecasting--if you're Latin-American, you tend to get pushed into what are considered "Latin" roles, etc.

[DisneyJedi]

Hey, is the show currently sold out till late November?

Because I got an email two or three days ago that the show was having a presage soon for shows from late November to early January.

[rubyslippers]

Hey, is the show currently sold out till late November?

Because I got an email two or three days ago that the show was having a presage soon for shows from late November to early January.

Nope, it's not sold out! I think the email is because the latest block of tickets ends in November, so they're having a presale for the next block of tickets to go on sale.

[Sotiris]

"Aladdin" Breaks New Amsterdam Theater House Record for the Week Ending August 10, 2014
http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief ... -2014.aspx

INDUSTRY INSIGHT: Weekly Grosses Analysis - 8/11; ALADDIN Breaks Record!
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/IN ... -lzbOOSy_g

[Disney's Divinity]

It hurts my soul that TLM was the only one of the Fab Four not to be successful on Broadway. I'm very happy for Aladdin though; I still wonder why they haven't resurrected Beauty and the Beast.

[ChrisLyne]

I loved TLM on Broadway. I still feel it would have had a longer run if not for the bad economic timing (it had very high running costs and hit Broadway near the start of the downturn). It's doing well regionally, the Tuacahn in Utah are doing it again this summer. I'd love to see it there, they flood the stage for some parts!

Back to Aladdin, I'm extremely excited and honoured to be able to present an interview with Adam Jacobs!! http://aladdinmusical.blogspot.co.uk/20 ... -adam.html

[blackcauldron85]

Aladdin coming to Tokyo
http://laughingplace.com/w/news/2014/09 ... -in-tokyo/