By Chris Barone
Like many, I grew up watching all of the “old school” Disney movies and am happy that so many have made the transition successfully to the stage. Full scale productions of “Mary Poppins,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid” have all found great acclaim all over the world.
Leave it to Disney and the creative minds of so many to bring some of their most popular films to the Broadway stage. Shows like these are the perfect gateway to introduce kids to the theater. Judging by a lot of the youth that were in the audience at “Aladdin” recently, there are lots of parents that agree. Disney is definitely in the business to make memories and they do it well.
I’ll never forget seeing “The Lion King” on Broadway on Sept. 16, 2001; five days after 9/11. Broadway had just returned and everyone was desperate for some sense of normalcy. The show was playing then at the New Amsterdam Theater, which is where Aladdin is currently running in its just celebrated 10th year. I remember the audience being so awkwardly quiet and uneasy. We were living in a new world and nobody knew quite what to do. Then, with the first word of “Circle of Life,” the entire place erupted. People jumped to their feet sharing tears, hugs and a feeling of release from every single person in that building. Stopped the show before it even started. Theater is a healer and I felt it that night. A memory that will always be in my mind.
This past week, I saw a production of Disney’s Aladdin at the San Diego Civic Theater that left me very pleasantly surprised. I originally saw this five or so years ago in the same place, and that production didn’t leave a very memorable impression on me. To be honest, I think I may have been more interested in the Prosecco that evening. I have always enjoyed the story and the songs, so I decided to give it another go, and I’m so happy that I did. After seeing this particular production, I can understand why it has found such longevity on the stage. From the first note of the show’s opener, “Arabian Nights,” I knew I was in for a highly entertaining and fun filled (magic carpet) ride for the next two hours.
The musical journey of Aladdin follows our title character, a poor, young man, who is granted three wishes by a Genie in a magic lamp, which he uses to woo a Princess and to thwart the Sultan’s evil Grand Vizier. Set in the fictional Arabian city of Agrabah, the audience meets a cast of characters that bring the story alive with songs written by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, and Chad Beguelin. This particular show is a host of several memorable songs from the 1992 animated film (which featured the voice of the iconic Robin Williams as Genie) plus some new ones.
The strong cast and ensemble are why this production works as well as it does. Beginning with the title character of Aladdin, played exactly right by Ali Roy, he embodies all of the qualities of the character that everyone knows; a kind face, big smile and expressive eyes. Aladdin is likable from the first time we meet him and that never ends. Roy brings charisma to the role and the chemistry he shares with Jasmine is palpable. He definitely makes you root for the underdog. Most importantly, he nailed my favorite song of the show, “Proud of Your Boy.”
I was impressed by the beautiful vocals of Senzel Ahmady, who portrayed Princess Jasmine as the perfect personification of the character. At times, her voice reminded me of Lea Salonga, who also provided the vocals for the character in the movie. However, while both her speaking and singing voices were lovely to hear, I did sometimes have issues with hearing her. I don’t know whether it was a diction issue or a technical flaw, but I really didn’t care because I enjoyed her so much.
The show may be called Aladdin but it is clear that the star of this show is the Genie, brought to life masterfully by Marcus M. Martin. What a whirlwind, 100 miles per hour, powerhouse of a performer!
When a character asks Genie, “Who are you?,” he is 100% correct in delivering the line, “The guy about to steal this show!” HE SURE DOES! You could feel the energy emitting from the stage, especially in the act one showstopper, “Friend Like Me,” which brought shades of “A Chorus Line,” “42nd Street” and handfuls of pop culture references and song clips from other Disney musicals. Good thing this number is the finale of act one, so the actors all have some time to catch their breath during intermission.
The other supporting characters and an amazing company all paint the story and keep it playfully moving along.
As Jafar, Anand Nagraj provided everything needed to nail that character; the fabulous, flowing cape, the eyebrows and of course, the rich, baritone voice. His sidekick, Iago, portrayed hysterically by Aaron Choi, was the one cast member who I couldn’t stop watching. I love the fact that he wasn’t afraid to play into the physical comedy of the character. Additionally, I really liked Aladdin’s trio of friends, Babkak, Omar and Kassim (Jake Letts, Nathan Levy, Colt Prattes) and found them to be enjoyable. Their distinct physical differences also played very well into the likability and success of these three characters. I’d be friends with them, too.
Not to be overlooked is the amazing ensemble, who were all standouts. It seems like they never stopped moving. The audience is witness to an amazing blend of voices and the execution of joyful choreography created by Tony winner, Casey Nicholaw.
The costumes were bright, ornate and moved beautifully. They effectively set the scene for an Arabian oasis. The sets were lit and swathed in lush tones of pinks, blues, greens, and oranges, and decorated in rich textures and fabrics fitting of the fictional city of Agrabah. The Genie’s cave was a vision in gold with tons of glitter, sequins and tap shoes. Super opulent and perfect for the setting of the “Friend Like Me” number.
The only slight disappointment I had all night was that during “A Whole New World,” the stage was quite dark and there was a lot of fog. I still loved the effect of Aladdin and Jasmine flying over on a magic carpet. I just wish I had seen it better.
All in all, I had a fun night at the theater. Was Aladdin the best show I have ever seen? No. BUT it was an evening that kept me very entertained and made me laugh and forget about life on the outside for 2+ hours. I consider that a success all on its own.
–Originally from upstate New York, Chris Barone (aka “Miss B”) has been a part of the San Diego/Hillcrest community for 20 years. You probably know him mostly from Baja Betty’s, where he has worked since opening in 2004. Keen eyes may even remember him from his now retired drag persona, “Shalita Buffet.” Besides theater, his interests include cooking, traveling, New York Yankees baseball, and anything involving Dolly Parton. You can reach him at christopher5409@yahoo.com.
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