After an eventful first day in the city, we headed back to the hotel to get glam for our first show of the weekend: Aladdin!
We gossiped and took Buzzfeed quizzes together over dinner at Aoki, a delicious and conveniently located Japanese restaurant on 48th.
Dessert was on the way to the theater-my fave, Pinkberry!
The Broadway production of Aladdin is currently playing at the New Amsterdam Theatre on 42nd Street. Leased to Disney in 1993, the New Amsterdam previously hosted The Lion King and Mary Poppins before transforming itself into Agrabah.
Aladdin was first announced as being adapted into a musical in 2010, and the show premiered in 2011 with a 21 day run in Seattle. After several other productions it hit Toronto for its official pre-Broadway run. Thanks to a little inside scoop we got after the show from Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart, the show has gone through many changes since it premiered, including an entire re-write of the first 45 minutes of the show!
As I’m sure you know, Aladdin in it’s original form is a Disney animated film that was released in 1992. I absolutely adored this movie as a kid (and I still do as an adult). A lot of the “changes” that are seen in the musical are actually characters and musical numbers that were cut from the original film.
When the girls and I first started to plan this trip, I insisted that we go to see this show. I was excited to see how the minds behind the production would adapt the film, as there are many aspects of the movie (Abu, the extent of the Genie’s magic, etc.) that I knew would not translate to the stage.
Oh! And fun fact: Jonathan Freeman, the voice of Jafar in the 1992 film, is currently reprising his role in the Broadway production!
After a goofy selfie in the bathroom mirror, we took our seats in anticipation of what was ahead of us.
And my goodness. What. A. Show!
Even though Aladdin is clearly toted as a musical comedy, I really wasn’t expecting to laugh as much as I did. Don Darryl Rivera, playing Iago, steals the show in every scene he is in and I told him just that at the stage door!
Adam Jacobs is the perfect “real life Aladdin”; goofy grin, kind, and just plain adorable!
And how can I even sum up how fantastic James Monroe Iglehart is?! One of my favorite moments was when he first walked out of the stage door. He smiled warmly at the large crowd and announced that he was ready to take every picture and sign whatever he was asked to. He truly emulates a professional actor who is devoted to his fans.
As if the evening hadn’t already been picture perfect, there was a little bit of magic left in store for us….
From flying carpets to high adventures, talking to the ensemble about fight calls and quick changes, and of course experiencing standing on stage at the New Amsterdam Theatre this truly was a night to remember forever!
