Broadway at the Marcus Center presents: ALADDIN

Adi Roy as Aladdin in the North American Tour of ALADDIN. Photo by Deenvan Meer.

By Mary Boyle

Nothing makes you feel old like realizing the children who were born when Disney's animated film, Aladdin, was released are now old enough to drink.  I was in my Senior year of high school when the film came out, but you're really never too old for a Disney movie, and this one was a hit.  I mean, who could ever forget Robin Williams' amazing performance as the voice of the Genie?  I had no idea that there has been a musical based on the film running on Broadway since 2014 (with a small break for the pandemic), or that it has become the 10th highest grossing musical of all time, but thanks to a North American Tour and the Marcus Performing Arts Center's Broadway at the Marcus Center Series, Milwaukee audiences can experience ALADDIN live on the stage!

The tale of Aladdin is associated with the book One Thousand and One Nights, the collection of Middle Eastern folktales often referred to as "Arabian Nights."  Aladdin (Adi Roy) is an orphan living on the streets of Agrabah, trying to stay alive while not getting caught stealing by the palace guards.  Meanwhile, at the palace, the Sultan (Sorab Wadia) is constantly searching for a suitor for his daughter, Princess Jasmine (Senzel Ahmady), who stubbornly refuses every prince she meets.  This agrees with the Sultan's evil plotting advisor, Jafar (Anand Nagraj), who is next in line for the throne should Jasmine fail to wed; but, to make sure he succeeds, Jafar is searching for a magic lamp hidden in the desert. 

When Jasmine decides to escape her gilded cage to see what life is like outside the palace walls, she meets Aladdin in the marketplace. Unaware that the pretty girl he is falling for is the Princess, Aladdin helps her navigate the marketplace, but their blossoming friendship is soon interrupted by the palace guards, who arrest Aladdin for stealing and reveal that Jasmine is the Princess.  Jafar purchases Aladdin's freedom and sends him to the cave of wonders to get the magic lamp; however, though Aladdin is warned to touch nothing but the lamp, he is tempted by the teasure in the cave and becomes trapped inside.  Wondering what is so great about a dirty old lamp, Aladdin tries to polish it up and discovers the Genie (Marcus M. Martin), who will grant Aladdin three wishes.  Aladdin is certain that, if he were a prince, he would be able to win the heart of the Princess and, with the Genie to help him, he returns to Agrabah in style.

Directed by Thomas Schumacher and with book by Chad Beguelin, the Broadway musical of Aladdin is fairly close to the animated film, and features the songs by Alan Menken and Tim Rice from the film that people know and love, such as "Arabian Nights," "Friend Like Me," "Prince Ali," and "A Whole New World;" but, there are also several added songs with lyrics by Beguelin and Howard Ashman that, unfortunately, largely only help to move the musical along as a musical, and don't seem to really fit with the feel of the original music.  The other big change from the film is that the animal characters are replaced by people, but it doesn't take away from the story.  Iago, who is Jafar's sarcastic parrot in the film, is instead a sarcastic sidekick played by Aaron Choi, while Aladdin's animal friends are replaced by three human friends: Babkak (Jake Letts), Omar (Nathan Levy), and Kassim (Colt Prattes). Jasmine has an entourage of ladies (Lizzy Marie Legregin, Sonia Monroy, and Adriana Negron) instead of a tiger, but they don't really play much of a part in the tale.

A colorful feast for the eyes, Aladdin is full of sparkly costumes, magical special effects, and big Broadway dance numbers that are simply fun to watch and, while you might think the stars of the show are Aladdin and Jasmine, it's the Genie who drives this production.  Let's be honest: Robin Williams is a tough act to follow, but Marcus M. Martin does it right by putting his own spin on the character, while still delivering the stream of punchlines and rapid-fire impressions that Williams' Genie was known for, leaving the audience laughing and clapping.  This is a family-friendly production and a great first Broadway performance for kids, yet entirely palatable for adult audiences (especially those who grew up loving the animated film).  See it while you can!

ALADDIN runs through October 22nd at the Marcus Performing Arts Center's Uihlein Hall, located at 929 N. Water Street in downtown Milwaukee.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.marcuscenter.org/ or by calling 414-273-7206.  Run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission.  There is a Sign Language Interpretation on October 21 at 2:00 p.m.  For more information, visit AladdinTheMusical.com/tour.

About MarcusPerforming Arts Center
A mission-based non-profit organization located in downtown Milwaukee, the Marcus Performing ArtsCenter (MPAC) brings high-quality arts and cultural programming to Southeastern Wisconsin. MPAC strives to act as an energizing force that connects the community to the world through collaboration, innovation, social engagement, and the transformative power of the performing arts. Through multiple performance series, community events, and educational experiences, MPAC brings a diverse range of celebrated artists to the region. A fixture in Milwaukee for over 50 years, MPAC is proud to be part of the Milwaukee Theater District, as well as a dedicated War Memorial facility. Learn more at www.MarcusCenter.org.

Johnson Financial Group, with offices in Wisconsin and Minnesota, is a privately owned financial services  company offering banking, wealth and insurance solutions through its subsidiaries, JohnsonBank, Johnson Wealth, and Johnson Insurance Services.  For more information visit  johnsonfinancialgroup.com.

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands. Led by 20-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets withover 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, and Hamilton. Current productions include & Juliet, Hadestown, Hamilton, Kimberly Akimbo, MJ: The Musical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical.