Michael James Scott Will Depart ALADDIN in May
Scott has played nearly 4,000 performances across four companies on three continents.
Michael James Scott, Aladdin’s longest-running Genie and an original cast member, will play his final performance Sunday, May 3. Scott has played nearly 4,000 performances across four companies on three continents. He joined Aladdin as the Genie standby during the show’s pre-Broadway engagement in Toronto in 2013 and opened in the Broadway company in March 2014. He went on to originate the role in the Australian production in 2016, earning him the prestigious Helpmann Award, before leading the West End and North American touring companies. He returned to Broadway in 2019 and has anchored the production since then. His replacement will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Playing ‘The Genie’ on Broadway has been the creative journey of a lifetime—one that pushed me, shaped me and reminded me every night why I fell in love with the stage,” said Scott. “I’m deeply aware that opportunities like this haven’t always been accessible to actors who look like me, and it’s not lost on me how rare it is for an actor of color to lead a Broadway show for this long. This experience has changed me forever, and I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. I’m endlessly grateful to my Disney on Broadway family for trusting me, uplifting me and making this Genie journey unforgettable.”
Scott can currently be seen as “Nurse Francois Dubois” on ABC’s hit revival of Scrubs. His Broadway credits also include originating the role of “The Minstrel” in Something Rotten! and Dr. Gotswana in the Tony Award–winning The Book of Mormon, as well as appearances in Hair, Elf, The Pirate Queen, All Shook Up, Mamma Mia! and Tarzan. He began his career as Ben Vereen's standby on the international tour of Fosse. Television credits include “Black Monday,” “Central Park,” “South Park” and “The Carrie Diaries.” He is the voice of Disney Cruise Line’s Wish campaign and a member of the Grammy-nominated Broadway Inspirational Voices. His holiday album, A Fierce Christmas, is available on all streaming platforms.
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 and quickly established itself as one of the biggest hits in Broadway history.
The Broadway production has set 17 New Amsterdam Theatre house records and spawned 11 productions on four continents. Worldwide it has welcomed over 22 million people and can be seen currently on Broadway and in Tokyo, Japan.
Produced by Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt and Anne Quart, 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 (Hercules, 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 and winning two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for the indelible hit “A Whole New World.”
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 was originally produced by Thomas Schumacher. The creative 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.
