Ainsley Melham Will Return to ALADDIN This Month
Melham originated the role in the Australian production in 2016 and joined the Broadway company for several months in 2019.
By: Stephi Wild Aug. 12, 2025
Aladdin has announced that Ainsley Melham will return to the Broadway production in the title role Tuesday, August 26 through Sunday, November 30. Melham originated the role in the Australian production in 2016 and joined the Broadway company for several months in 2019, marking his Broadway debut. Adi Roy, who originated Aladdin on the most recent North American tour prior to starring on Broadway for the past year, will play his final performance Sunday, August 24.
Ainsley Melham most recently originated the role of Dwayne in BOOP! The Musical. He starred as Aladdin in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway, following his Helpmann-nominated performance in the Australian national tour. Other credits in his home country—Australia—include the national tours of Wicked (Fiyero), Pippin (Pippin), and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Prince Topher). Also Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Molina), Merrily We Roll Along (Charley Kringas), The Normal Heart (Felix), Xanadu (Sonny), Watershed: The Death of Dr. Duncan (Lost Boy), and Hi-5 (host). He is a proud graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and his work on Aladdin is a celebration of his Arab heritage.
About Aladdin
Aladdin, the hit musical based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre to critical acclaim on March 20, 2014.
Produced by Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt, Anne Quart and Thomas Schumacher, Aladdin features music by Tony Award and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and six-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).
Aladdin, adapted from the animated Disney film and centuries-old folktales including “One Thousand and One Nights,” is brought to fresh theatrical life in this bold new musical. Aladdin’s journey sweeps audiences into an exciting 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, 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.
Aladdin is designed by seven-time Tony-winning scenic designer Bob Crowley, eight-time Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, three-time Tony-winning Costume Designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis.
The production team also includes illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer, hair designer Josh Marquette and makeup designer Milagros Medina-Cerdeira. The music team is headed by music supervisor and music director Michael Kosarin, who also created the vocal and incidental music arrangements, joined by orchestrator Danny Troob and dance music arranger Glen Kelly. John MacInnis is the associate choreographer, Jason Trubitt is the production supervisor and Myriah Bash is the general manager. Anne Quart serves as executive producer.
