![]() ![]() What results is a fast-paced, quick-witted tale, punctuated with physical comedy and contemporary gags. Book writer Chad Beguelin restored cut scenes, characters and songs from composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman’s early drafts of the film, assuring that this screen-to-stage transfer feels anything but copycat. Aladdin (Adam Jacobs) still finds a magic lamp, is given three wishes from the Genie inside, and transforms himself into a prince to win the heart of the princess Jasmine (Courtney Reed). You’ll also marvel at Gregg Barnes’ stunning costumes, rich in jewel-tones, feathers and sparkle.įans of the film, which brought in half a billion dollars worldwide, will be pleased to see that most of Aladdin’s journey, based on the Middle Eastern folk tale from “The Book of One Thousand and One Nights,” remains unchanged. It’s the number you’ll leave the theater talking about.īut Iglehart’s Genie is not the only thing worth talking about in “Aladdin.” Director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw (“The Book of Mormon”) has done wonders staging “Aladdin.” From the opening “Arabian Nights” to Act II’s standout “Prince Ali,” Nicholaw uses his multicultural ensemble flawlessly, unraveling layers to each number that surprise and wonder. Iglehart is so outstanding as Genie that his take on “Friend Like Me” stopped the performance I attended with thunderous applause and a standing ovation. Iglehart, last seen on Broadway in “Memphis,” uses his background in improv to create a comedic and charismatic Genie, who’s equal parts Fats Waller, Luther Vandross and Oprah Winfrey (“You get a wish! You get a wish!”). It’s rare that you see an actor playing a character he was born to play in a career-defining performance. That’s due to the casting of the energetic James Monroe Iglehart, who all but erases the memory of Robin Williams, the voice of the Genie in the 1992 animated film. “Aladdin” may be named after its lead street urchin character, but the musical comedy that just opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre is all about one character: the Genie. Where: Broadway/San Diego at the San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown.Don’t be fooled by the title of Disney’s latest film-to-stage transfer. ![]() And big show - with enough energy to light up a few thousand lamps. Nicholaw’s choreography injects zip into such effervescent ensemble numbers as “Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim,” which seems an ode to the “gym dance” scene from “West Side Story.”Īnd the tunes get rich tones from music director/conductor Faith Seetoo’s 15-piece orchestra, with ear-pleasing horns on the likes of “Prince Ali.”īig band, big sound. Jonathan Weir is a paragon of comic villainy as Jafar, who with flunkie Iago (Jay Paranada) tries to stymie Jasmine and Aladdin’s union and take power Zach Bencal, Philippe Arroyo and Jed Feder lend plenty of laughs as Al’s pals and Jerald Vincent is a warm presence as Jasmine’s dad, the Sultan.īob Crowley’s sets are spectacular, particularly the gleaming golden cave in “Friend Like Me” and Gregg Barnes (another San Diego-launched talent) matches with his sumptuous costumes. The show, as written by Chad Beguelin, has one too many “hummus” gags for my taste, and the songs (mostly taken from the movie) by go-to Disney composer Alan Menken and lyricists Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Beguelin are remarkably short on Middle Eastern textures.īut those tunes get solid, occasionally stirring renditions from the big cast, with the funny and versatile Greenspan joining the self-assured, sweet-voiced Lissa deGuzman as Princess Jasmine for appealing harmonies on their signature romantic number, the Grammy-winning “A Whole New World.” (Cue the magic carpet.) And runs.)Ĭasey Nicholaw - the San Diego-bred Broadway maestro who directed and choreographed the show - and his team are savvy to salt in pop-culture updates: When Aladdin asks Genie, “You’re from inside the lamp?” he responds with a cool, “No, I’m from Wakanda,” striking a “Black Panther” pose. But Attaway (great name for an irrepressibly kinetic actor) takes the part and runs with it. It’s a scenery-devouring role, to be sure, and it won James Monroe Iglehart a Tony Award in the Broadway production. If you were to make one of those website “word clouds” about what looms large in “Aladdin,” it might look something like: jasmine, aladdin, jafar, lamp, GENIE GENIE GENIE.Īnd when Major Attaway, who plays that wisecracking character, gets unbottled just in time to join Aladdin (Clinton Greenspan) on “Friend Like Me,” you can feel the show start to levitate as if it’s on, I don’t know, some kind of magic rug or something. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |