Photo Flash: Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed to Star in Broadway-Bound ALADDIN; Get a Sneak Peek at Rehearsals in NYC!

By: Sep. 16, 2013
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The full cast of Disney's Aladdin, a new musical based on the Academy Award winning animated film, began rehearsals today in New York City. Aladdin will launch at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre (formerly the Canon) November 1, 2013 to January 5, 2014. Opening night there is November 21, 2013. BroadwayWorld has photos of the cast in rehearsal below!

Adam Jacobs (Aladdin) has appeared on Broadway as Marius in Les Miserables and Simba in The Lion King. Main stem credits of James Monroe Iglehart (Genie) include Memphis and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Courtney Reed (Jasmine) has appeared in the Broadway productions of In the Heights and Mamma Mia. As Jafar, Jonathan Freeman brings to the stage the role he indelibly created in the animated film. His Broadway credits include The Little Mermaid, The Producers and his Tony-nominated turn in She Loves Me.

The show also stars Brian Gonzales, Brandon O'Neill and Jonathan Schwartz as Aladdin's sidekicks Babkak, Kassim and Omar; Clifton Davis (Sultan) returns to Broadway where he received his first Tony nomination for the landmark production of Two Gentlemen of Verona in 1971; and Don Darryl Rivera as Iago. Merwin Foard and Michael James Scott will standby for several principals.

In a cast of 34, Aladdin will also feature Tia Altinay, Mike Cannon, Andrew Cao, Lauryn Ciardullo, Joshua Dela Cruz, Yurel Echezarreta, Daisy Hobbs, Donald Jones, Jr., Adam Kaokept, Nikki Long, Stanley Martin, Brandt Martinez, Michael Mindlin, Rhea Patterson, Bobby Pestka, Khori Petinaud, Ariel Reid, Jennifer Rias, Trent Saunders, Jaz Sealey, Dennis Stowe, Marisha Wallace and Bud Weber.

"We have an extraordinarily diverse and quite beautiful company of actors and dancers and singers who also happen to be blessed with vaudeville chops," said director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw. "I think that will surprise people who expect they're just going to see the film onstage."

"Partnering with Casey to gather this remarkable cast of Aladdin has been exhilarating," said Thomas Schumacher, President and Producer Disney Theatrical Productions. "The first day of rehearsal always represents the excitement of what's to come and I've rarely felt that more than with this group. I fell in love with some of them when we worked on the show in Seattle; others are just joining us, but collectively they are the perfect company to bring our new musical comedy to life."

Aladdin features music by Alan Menken; lyrics by the late Howard Ashman and Tim Rice; and book and additional lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs.

Tickets are on sale for the Toronto engagement at Mirvish.com or by calling (416) 872-1212 or (800) 461-3333. To receive news about Aladdin, sign-up for email alerts at www.aladdinbroadway.com.

Aladdin, adapted from the Disney film and centuries-old folktales including "One Thousand and One Nights," is brought to fresh theatrical life in this exuberant new musical. Aladdin's journey will sweep audiences into an exotic world of daring adventure, classic comedy and timeless romance. This new production features a full score, including the five cherished songs from the Academy Award winning soundtrack and more written especially for the stage.

The animated film Aladdin was released by Disney in 1992 and was a critical and box office smash, grossing over $500 million worldwide (not adjusted for inflation) and becoming the highest-grossing film of the year.

The film won the Oscar for Best Original Score and introduced the hit song "A Whole New World," which won the second of the film's two Academy Awards as Best Original Song. The Peabo Bryson/Regina Belle recording of the tune soared to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

A pilot production of Aladdin was mounted for four weeks in 2011 at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre with the goal of developing a script for a full-length version of the title for licensing. Strong response to that production prompTed Further development of the show resulting in this new production.

Aladdin will now be designed by six-time Tony winning scenic designer Bob Crowley, three-time Tony winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, two-time Tony winning costume designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis.

The production team also includes illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer and hair designer Josh Marquette. The music team is headed by music supervisor and music director Michael Kosarin, who will also create the vocal and incidental music arrangements, joined by orchestrator Danny Troob and dance music arranger Glen Kelly.

Photo Credit: Heidi Gutman




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