Aladdin 2017 Tour

[brdwybound04]

Looks like Disney's Aladdin will be launching its national tour next year! Chicago seems to be the origin of the tour starting on 4/11/17-7/2/17 @ The Cadillac Palace Theatre. In the Loop! I would love to see a revised book for the tour that maybe cuts back on the Babkok/Kassim/Omar songs/scenes, and possibly cuts some of the new songs that bog down the plot and slow the action of the show. It will be interesting to see how they tour the cave of wonders, magic carpet, and genie elevator for "Friend Like Me..."

http://broadwayinchicago.com/show/disneys-aladdin/

[Call_me_jorge]

Why edit something that's a hit?

[Phantom4ever]

Watching "Friend Like Me" with the Genie running in from the wings would not work. But, what other way is there on tour?

[Call_me_jorge]

They could always use one of those towers to have him appear out of.

[brdwybound04]

Is the magic carpet sequence fairly easy to recreate in theatres across America, or will they go the route of the Seattle tryout and just have Aladdin & Jasmine sing on a floating mattress surrounded by fog?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Call_me_jorge said: "Why edit something that's a hit?"

 

The same reason that lots of shows will go back and make cuts and changes once they are open. Tighten the run time, reduce costs, cut something that audiences never really responded to, the list goes on. Many hits have done it, including the original Broadway production of Les Miserables (trimmed to bring the show under 3 hours and reduce overtime costs) and The Lion King (cut the aerial ballet in "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"  and "The Morning Report" amongst some other changes).

 

Here's an article from Variety a few years ago that talks about some shows that underwent changes even after becoming certifiable hits.

http://variety.com/2010/legit/news/broadway-hits-not-averse-to-retooling-1118021067/

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Adam Jacobs will be leading the tour...
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Adam-Jacobs-to-Lead-the-North-American-Tour-of-Disneys-ALADDIN-20170113

[RippedMan]

It's there for awhile, so I'd imagine they'd have the same carpet sequence as on Broadway? At least for the first part of the tour with the longer engagements. Have any tours ever toured with trapdoors?

[disneybroadwayfan22]

YES! Now, I really need to see it again. It would be amazing if James tours too

[Call_me_jorge]

RippedMan said: "It's there for awhile, so I'd imagine they'd have the same carpet sequence as on Broadway? At least for the first part of the tour with the longer engagements. Have any tours ever toured with trapdoors?

 

"

The first national tour of wicked had elphaba come out of a trap door for the finale. 

[Fosse76]

AEA AGMA SM said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Why edit something that's a hit?"

The same reason that lots of shows will go back and make cuts and changes once they are open. Tighten the run time, reduce costs, cut something that audiences never really responded to, the list goes on. "

Exactly. The time distance between the production allows the creative team to see the material with a new perspective, and they will have had the luxury of time to see what changes can be made. Les Miz was trimmed down to under 3 hours, but that took over a decade to happen. Miss Saigon had three different endings, implemented with each of the first new productions. Phantom had a few lyric and pacing changes. And those were megahits of the Hamilton variety (in their day). 

Call_me_jorge said: "The first national tour of wicked had elphaba come out of a trap door for the finale."

Not at every stop she didn't. It depended on the venue.

[asmith0307]

Heck, they have even cut down The Lion King by 9 minutes or so (RIP The Morning Report), and added a song to Newsies. Disney revising their shows is not a new thing (see also, see Change in Me)

[EvanK]

I really hope whatever they do to make Friend Like Me work on tour is magical and brilliant. 

[RippedMan]

I don't feel like Casey is the most brilliant director with design/staging, but hopefully the geniuses at Disney have figured out how to make it work!

[EvanK]

They could build tall platforms into the cave set so he can spin out of a trapdoor from those? Might be a bit obvious though. 

[Call_me_jorge]

RippedMan said: "I don't feel like Casey is the most brilliant director with design/staging, but hopefully the geniuses at Disney have figured out how to make it work!

 

"

I'm sure they'll just copy the Australian tour set design 

[EvanK]

 ^ do you know what's different on tour in Australia? 

[bstrumwasser]

Jonathan Freeman as Jafar in Disney's Aladdin

This is a LIMITED EDITION print of 300, hand signed by Aladdin's Original Jafar JONATHAN FREEMAN as the Jafar in Broadway's production of Disney's Aladdin. The print is 8.5"X11" (6.5"x6.5" image). Signed with Sharpie marker. First Edition. 

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.

 http://www.brianstrumwasser.com/store/p28/Jonathan_Freeman_as_Jafar_in_Disney%27s_Aladdin.html

[PatrickDC]

http://magazine.shnsf.com/index.php/breaking/bay-area-native-and-original-aladdin-adam-jacobs-to-headline-national-tour-coming-to-san-francisco/

I didn't know Adam was a local boy, from Half Moon Bay, a town I love. Ok, I love the entire Pacific coastline in California, but HMB is a sleepy little town with my favorite furniture store: http://www.myhandmadehome.com/

His Wikipedia page says he was in SF Opera's "Harvey Milk," so I must have seen him on stage as Young Harvey. This was the season the War Memorial was being renovated so the Opera performed at the Orpheum Theater and Bill Graham Auditorium. Long time ago. 

Oh yeah, and those abs!! :) 

[LizzieCurry]

Yep, he and his sister Arielle appeared at Pistahan in 2008, too!

Here's Adam singing from Amazing Grace (ha, I didn't get to go that year and didn't know that's what he sang): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqdGh3Q_Ln0

[broadwayguy91]

Good for Adam.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "YES! Now, I really need to see it again. It would be amazing if James tours too"

It was just announced that James will be joining the Broadway cast of Hamilton...
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Tony-Winner-James-Monroe-Iglehart-Will-Join-HAMILTON-on-Broadway-20170117

[disneybroadwayfan22]

^I'm a little disappointed, but damn he's going to be perfection in Hamilton. Seriously can't happen to a more deserving and talented guy.

[wicked4l]

The tour genie is SPECTACULAR with crazy vocals. No need to worry! :)

[Call_me_jorge]

Is it someone who has performed/covered the role before or are they new to the show? 

[Phantom4ever]

I wonder what they will do instead of having the Genie spin out of the floor. Whatever, it is, it won't be as effective.