Disney Theatricals to Open ALADDIN in Tokyo, 5/24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Thursday, May 21st 2015) - Disney Theatrical Productions and Shiki Theatre Company celebrate the opening of the first international production of Disney'sAladdin in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, May 24th at The Dentsu Shiki Theatre Umi in Tokyo. The Tokyo production was cast locally in Japan and is performed in Japanese.

Aladdin will mark the fifth collaboration between Disney Theatrical Productions and Shiki Theatre Company following the successful and current runs of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, AIDA and The Little Mermaid. 16 million people have seen a Disney musical produced by Shiki, resulting in cumulative runs of nearly 5000 performances for Beauty and the Beast and a staggering 9000 performances for their two concurrent productions of The Lion King.

The Tokyo production is the first of several international productions of Broadway's biggest hit in several seasons. Hamburg, Germany will follow in December 2015 with more productions to be announced soon.

About ALADDIN:

Disney's Aladdin, the Tony Award-winning new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, is now in its second smash year on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street).

Aladdin opened to critical acclaim on March 20th, 2014 and went on to receive 24 major theatrical award nominations. Entertainment Weekly has deemed Aladdin "Broadway's biggest new hit!" New York Magazine calls it "Musical comedy wish-fulfillment!" while The New York Times hails the show as "Fabulous... Extravagant! It defies expectations," and the Daily News declares, "Seriously, it's amazing!"

Since beginning performances on Broadway, Aladdin has been seen by over three quarters of a million people and broken six New Amsterdam Theatre house records. Despite beginning performances eight weeks into 2014, Aladdin was the third highest-attended Broadway show of last year - only the juggernauts Wicked and The Lion King entertained more people - and finished 2014 as the fifth highest-grossing show of the year, the only show of last season to make the top five.

Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show 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 four-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin(The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).

Aladdin, adapted from the 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 exotic 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, grossing over $500 million worldwide (not adjusted for inflation) and 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 six-time Tony-winning scenic designer Bob Crowley, three-time Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, two-time Tony-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis.

The production team also includes illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer, hair designer Josh Marquetteand 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.