Aladdin Seattle premiere- Page 2

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/14/11 at 3:27pm

It's a reprise of "High Adventure"

Also, here's a photo of the cast with the original director/writer of the movie



Backstage Photos Updated On: 8/1/11 at 03:27 PM

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 7/14/11 at 3:59pm

SPOILER QUESTION:




How does Aladdin get stuck in the Cave of Wonders if Abu (who is not in the musical) there to touch a forbidden gem?

[Overkill]

Posted: 7/14/11 at 4:07pm

UGH. Why aren't we seeing more of this yet??

I don't like Iago as a short bumbling side kick rather than a bird. If we can have human sized birds, crabs and fish in The Little Mermaid, I don't think a wise cracking parrot in Aladdin would have thrown too many people off...that being said, I'm glad they cut Abu. That character just can't work on stage as a person, without it being too cheesy.

I hope they make a cast recording. Since it's a regional show, I suppose it's a bit of a stretch, but it's Disney, Alan Menken has a lot to do with the show and Jonathan Freeman (the REAL Jafar) is in it...so it's not completely out of the question, I suppose.

Posted: 7/14/11 at 8:37pm

I actually am kinda glad they don't have a bunch of people playing animals. Of course I've never liked Iago anyway (I have a problem with the Disney thing where, at least in the more modern films, the villains have these bumbling, obnoxious sidekicks for no real reason).

I was going to say we haven't seen much, because it was still in previews, but I notice I'm wrong. Have the Seattle papers reviewed it yet? 5th Avenue usually doesn't do too many clips, but there usually are at least a few...

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/14/11 at 9:11pm

Here is Jasmine and Aladdin's new song
A Million Miles Away

Posted: 7/14/11 at 9:56pm

Maybe we'll get more clips then. Pretty enough song--I don't think it's one of the ones composed and dropped from the film, so who did the lyrics? Rice? Slater? And that's a kinda wobbly set...

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/14/11 at 11:20pm

That set looks dangerous, but the song is lovely. If it's true that Disney doesn't plan on bringing the show to Broadway I would assume that they still intend on releasing the rights through MTI and then, hopefully, there would at least be a reference recording.

In the meantime, an "unofficial" cast recording wouldn't be too much to ask for would it?

[Jonwo]

Posted: 7/15/11 at 4:13pm

I imagine it was Casey Nicholaw's choice not to have puppets and I imagine from the licensing POV, it's cheaper to have just actors rather than puppets hence why Abu was cut.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 7/15/11 at 4:32pm

The preview video sounds awful, the costume and sets look cheap (panto like) and it sounds so typically Disney. I miss the Lion King days when they at least tried to make it sound fresh and inventive.

[Overkill]

Posted: 7/15/11 at 4:58pm

"In the meantime, an "unofficial" cast recording wouldn't be too much to ask for would it? "

Exactly what I was thinking. lol

The song is nice. Nothing amazing, but it's nice and what you expect from Disney. The show is apparently kinda small in size, but I find that refreshing. Disney is always a huge spectacle. It's nice to see them take a smaller take on things.

I'm really interested in seeing "A Whole New World"...the way they do it sounds very cool.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 7/16/11 at 2:10am

whats the Overture like?

[Hannahbelle]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 4:17pm

I saw Aladdin last week and I loved it. I thought that what this show has that some Broadway musicals seem to be lacking is heart and trust. Instead of pulling out all the "big stops" and telling a story through special effects, set, and lighting tricks, the actors used movement and their voices. It was really refreshing. I thought all the actors pulled their own weight and no one seemed to be lacking. I liked the genie's choice of playing up pop culture references instead of copying Robin Williams. Three of Aladdin's buddies functioned as narrators to move the plot along and make jokes about food. I usually looked forward to their appearances, but didn't always like them breaking the fourth wall.
I really loved hearing fleshed out live versions of the old Aladdin songs from the movie and found myself lipsynching along. I was always a little disappointed when cast members would sing songs that weren't from the movie and that I didn't know. Some new songs were great, like Call Me A Princess, and others, like the song Aladdin sang about his mother, were less so.
Although I loved seeing this bare bones production, the flying carpet needs to actually fly. Right now, it's on a pole that you can see and doesn't really move. That is the time to pull out the big stops and wow the audience. It would be super cool if it could go over the audience some how.
The last critique that I have is that the director might want to think about how his show depicts Arab culture. It feels a bit hokey.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 8/1/11 at 3:42pm

Here are some thoughts on the recently closed production and some creative suggestions should this production someday make it to Broadway.

Overall, I thought it was a very good show and showed a lot of promise. It is a musical that does deserve to make in on Broadway unlike many of the try-outs I have seen in Seattle or other cities. It is very commercial though it is unable to maintain its energy through the end of the program. The script is witty and the wordplay is very fun to listen to. It's inevitable that a musical called "Aladdin" will have people expecting to see magic. Yes, the show does deliver that. Unfortunately, there is not enough of it. I'm not merely referring to stage trickery either but the magic that live theater can bring. The sets are beautiful and appropriate for what Disney is referring to as a template for licensed regional productions. Again, if an iteration of this makes it to Broadway, then I would love to see a few additional layers to the set. Simple additions such as clotheslines hanging in the background can make Agrabah look more slum-like or curtains can make the Sultan's palace look more plush. Overall, these additional layers will help add to the richness one expects to see from a Disney musical.

This production truly shines in two aspects. The first is costuming. They spared no expense on the costumes so even in her skimpy film-copy outfit, Jasmine does look like a princess. The costume changes alone during "Prince Ali" are phenomenal. The second is in casting. The actors bring to mind their film counterparts without mimicking those performances. They make it their own, especially James Monroe Igleheart who makes you forget of Robin Williams' Genie. This is his show. While the final bow goes to the title character, I think James deserves this distinction. You want to see more of him and I would have loved an additional number performed by the Genie. Still, Adam Jacobs has such a beautiful and clear voice and hearing Jonathan Freeman's Jafar laugh alone is enough to send shivers down your spine. New characters such as Aladdin's sidekicks are welcome additions with great performances that you accept them easily into the storyline. If there was a weak link in the cast, it would have to be on Courtney Reed's Jasmine. She physically fits the character but does not make me want to fall in love with her other than for her looks. I do not blame her entirely for this though since the character isn't really given much to do nor does she have any memorable songs that would impress an audience.

As far as individual numbers:
Arabian Nights - It opens the show nicely and sets the tone. It is very colorful and cartoon-like though very real. I like that it establishes that the show is more light-hearted and not too gritty… that you can expect a good night at the theater. The camels which begin the scene are cute but unnecessary.

Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim - The producers constantly refer to this production more akin to the old Hope/Crosby pictures. This number captures this feeling nicely with additional hints of Gene Kelly/Frank Sinatra. Unfortunately, we don't get much more of the Hope/Crosby feeling in numbers later on in the show. It is nevertheless beautifully performed and the harmonies from the four actors play out wonderfully.

One Jump Ahead - Aladdin mentions early on that he would no longer steal as promised to his mother. This seems like a cheap ploy to be able to bring "Proud of Your Boy" later on. I think establishing this as his motivation to sing that song is unnecessary since he quickly breaks that promise with this number. Yes, Aladdin didn't do the stealing but this makes it seem like he does not regret it either. Aladdin is supposed to be a promise-breaker but him still being the thief makes him somewhat not as endearing. It is also staged in a hokey manner with a "chase" that isn't really much of one. This can easily be choreographed into a beautiful dance number which expresses the same thoughts without seeming forced on a smaller stage.

One Jump Ahead (reprise)/Proud of Your Boy - As with the earlier song, Adam Jacobs perform these beautifully and gives him his "I want" song. The later reprise of "Proud of Your Boy" could be made bigger though.

Call Me A Princess/Call Me A Princess (reprise) - While this makes sense in the context of the story, this isn't necessarily the first song I would like to hear from Jasmine. It is how she is introduced to us and she not only becomes unlikable to her suitors but she also becomes unlikable to the audience. In many ways, I see Jasmine as an equal to Aladdin. This would have been a great spot for her own "I Want/Motivation" song which could also highlight the actress' vocal talents.

Why Me - The song indirectly highlights the relationship between Jafar and Iago and as mentioned earlier, seeing Jonathan Freeman ham it up as his character is simply delicious.

A Million Miles Away - Beautifully performed, drives the story but other than that, is not as memorable as "A Whole New World" as a love song.

Friend Like Me - The highlight of entire show. It has a lot of energy and brings a lot of magic visually without really using stage tricks. So much energy from James. As a crowd pleaser, think of it as "Be Our Guest" from "Beauty and the Beast." Unfortunately, the set for the Cave of Wonders isn't really anything to feel wonderful about. It looks cheap and and not very exciting. The way this was presented at the theme park show was a whole lot better – from the cave entrance to the actual cave itself.

Act 1 Finale - This is acceptable as a first act finale but I think it can be pushed further. This is Aladdin's time to shine and while he does strive for that, it doesn't quite get there. Aladdin should be left in the middle of the stage as the curtain comes down instead of running to the wings. Give him a song that could be his "Mamma Rose" moment.

Prince Ali - The song opens the second act well enough and as I said, the costume changes are amazing. However it can be made grander with a few additions. First is taking it out of the setting of the interior of the palace and putting it on a bare stage. It would make it seem bigger than it is. Fill the space with banners and streamers rather than with the palace walls. It would be fine to end the song by bringing in the walls then to signal that Ali has arrived at the palace. Second is to bring the entire company together at the same time rather than in waves to fill the stage up with the pageantry required of this song. Otherwise, it looks sparse and not too impressive using the palace setting.

A Whole New World - While the simplicity is a times beautiful, this is the song most people are looking forward to. We are not given the "unbelievable sights" nor the exhilaration one would feel from a magic carpet ride. For a brief moment, the stars in the background moved giving us some additional movement to the non-mobile magic carpet. A little bit more of this would have added so much to the number. Since projections have been used throughout the show, by simply projecting moving stars in "hyperspace" could give the audience a magical ride. Likewise, the puppets used in these earlier projections could have been introduced here to visualize what Jasmine is experiencing for the first time. Or the chorus can be dancing showing the different cultures Aladdin and Jasmine pass by on their trip. There are many opportunities to make this song even more wonderful.

High Adventure - The number if performed beautifully by Omar, Babkak and Kassim. It elevates them as mere sidekicks to being more integral to the show. This is also a chance for the choreographer to inject more of that Hope/Crosby/Kelly feel into the show. A good tap number in the spirit of "I've Got Rhythm" from "Crazy for You" or "Anything Goes" from "Anything Goes" would help bring more theatrical excitement to the second act.

Somebody's Got Your Back - A good number, performed well, drives the story, nothing too special. Right after this song would also be a good spot for an 11 o'clock number, probably from the Genie lamenting Aladdin breaking his promise and the loss of the possibility of his freedom.

Wedding Day Suite/Finale Ultimo - This is when the show starts to lose its mojo. Yes, it will be very difficult to replicate what was done in the film but this is where I would have wanted more visual storytelling. It feels very rushed with Aladdin explaining what was going on. No, we don't need to see the giant snake from the film but simple stage magic could have added more interest to this portion. A quick change on Jafar's costume once he becomes a Genie (as done by those people from America's Got Talent, or even Dreamgirls or Drowsy Chaperone) could have told the story better and made it visually interesting. Likewise, using the projections to signify Jafar's additional powers didn't convey the effect that it should have. Better lighting techniques could have just as easily shown that though practical effects would have been nice as well at this point of the show. Likewise, ending the show with Al and Jasmine riding off in the hokey camels didn't have the oomph that it should have had. Investing in a magic carpet that could have flown from one side of the stage to the other would have tied the story together nicely and made it visually more interesting (not to mention romantic) without having to resort to the carpet flying over the audience that many want to see (all you'd see from below anyway is just the carpet -- this is not as interesting as Mary Poppins or Peter Pan flying over the audience's heads).

I enjoyed the show and would work wonderfully for regional productions as is. However, I would love to see it taken further that I know Disney Theatricals can do. It certainly deserves it more than Tarzan did.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/1/11 at 3:48pm

Everything I've seen and heard so far makes it look like a cruise ship show.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/1/11 at 3:58pm

Wildcard,

Where is the "High Adventure" reprise placed in the second act? And who sings "Somebody's Got Your Back?"

[Wildcard]

Posted: 8/1/11 at 5:21pm

It's definitely better than any cruise ship show. It is high quality but it can definitely be improved upon. Just have to add that the middle-eastern/indian-inspired dancing during the finale is phenomenal. Would have loved to have seen more of that.

"Somebody's Got Your Back" is sung by the Genie, Aladdin, Babkak, Omar & Kassim after Aladdin makes his second wish.

The "High Adventure" reprise is sung while Aladdin and Jasmine are preparing for their wedding. It comes right before Jafar's version of "Prince Ali."