OUTscene Editor
The new live stage musical version of Aladdin has officially opened at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. Directed by Casey Nicholaw, the production will continue through July 31. After that? Who knows.
Aladdin, inspired by Arabian folktales and the famous One Thousand and One Nights, has a score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and book and additional lyrics by Chad Begulin. It tells the story of a resourceful young man who dares to woo a princess with the help of an all-powerful Genie.
The company features Tony Award nominee Jonathan Freeman, who voiced the character of the evil royal vizier Jafar in the film, in the same role on stage, as well as Adam Jacobs as Aladdin, Courtney Reed as Jasmine, James Monroe Iglehart as the Genie, Seán G. Griffin as the Sultan, and Don Darryl Rivera as Iago. In addition, the show restores a trio of characters originally conceived by the film's creators: Omar, Babkak, and Kassim, played by Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Brian Gonzales, and Brandon O'Neill, respectively.
The show starts of like Main stage Children's theater (with songs from the film). Freeman's Jafar is deliciously familiar and the show is stolen by the appearance of Inglehart's Genie. It literally becomes a completely different show, with elaborate sets, costumes, and CAMP.
This according to a SOURCE, is intended to be a workshop and a work in progress. What they did last night, could be changed the next.
The show (odd for Disney) lacks the budget and magic of Mary Poppins and Lion King. But with Great characters, Bigger production values and cutting a few scenes from Act One to bring the Genie on Faster, The show has potential.
From the gay man's perspective, the amount of characters (i.e. Jacobs and O'Neil) and chorus boys shirtless with only a vest on will certainly keep your attention.
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