Casey Nicholaw News

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre on March 20. Below, hear what Jonathan Freeman -- the original voice of Jafar in the animated film -- had to say about bringing his infamous villain to the stage!

The New York City Center Encores! production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella, running for seven performances, April 2 - 6, 2014, is set to star Laura Benanti, Shuler Hensley, Cheyenne Jackson, Heidi Blickenstaff, Brian Cali, Bradley Dean, Zachary James, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Jessica Molaskey and Kevin Vortmann. The Most Happy Fella will be directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, with music direction by Rob Berman. The company met the press last week, but you can check out the first photos of the whole cast together below!

The New York City Center Encores! production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella, running for seven performances, April 2 - 6, 2014, is set to star Laura Benanti, Shuler Hensley, Cheyenne Jackson, Heidi Blickenstaff, Brian Cali, Bradley Dean, Zachary James, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Jessica Molaskey and Kevin Vortmann. The Most Happy Fella will be directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, with music direction by Rob Berman. The company met the press earlier today, and below you can check out interviews with the cast, plus a special performance preview!

Tony winner Laura Benanti is soon set to return to the stage in the The New York City Center Encores! production of Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella- running for seven performances, April 2 - 6, 2014. The production will star Benanti, alongside Shuler Hensley, Cheyenne Jackson, Heidi Blickenstaff, Brian Cali, Bradley Dean, Zachary James, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Jessica Molaskey and Kevin Vortmann. The Most Happy Fella will be directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, with music direction by Rob Berman. In the video below, Benanti chats about preparing for the show, as well as releasing her live solo album- 'In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention: Live At 54 BELOW.' Click below to check out the full interview!

The Gypsy Robe began in 1950, when Bill Bradley, in the chorus of GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, borrowed a dressing gown from Chorus member Florence Baum and sent it to a friend in CALL ME MADAM on opening night Oct 12, 1950 saying it was worn by all the Ziegfeld beauties and would 'bless' the show. A cabbage rose from Ethel Merman's gown was added and the robe was passed along to next Broadway musical on opening night. The tradition evolved so that the robe is now presented to the 'gypsy' who has performed the most Broadway musicals on a chorus contract. Along the way, the robe is decorated, painted, patched, stitched, and signed by everyone in the show, becoming a fanciful patchwork for an entire Broadway season.

This tour is quite well done, with strong vocals for the leads. Evans nails 'I Believe' and Ncube shows a lovely soprano in her national tour debut. O'Neill, making his professional debut, shows solid comic ability as the awkward Cunningham

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there for the opening night after party, where he got to chat with all of the stars on their big night. Check out what they had to say below!

BroadwayWorld was there for all of the magical opening night festivities, and Richard Ridge was on hand for the special purple carpet to chat with the evening's guests. Below, check out interviews with Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Kate Wetherhead, Michael Arden, Harvey Fierstein, Corey Cott, Josh Strickland, Alan Menken, Cheyenne Jackson, Laura Benanti and more!

BroadwayWorld was there for all of the magical opening night festivities, and below you can check out full photo coverage from the theatre arrivals!

BroadwayWorld was there for all of the magical opening night festivities, and below you can check out full photo coverage from the curtain call!

The laughs are plentiful, the songs are bright and jazzy and there's not an actor dressed as an animal or inanimate object in sight .

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, opened on Broadway last night, March 20th, 2014, at the New Amsterdam Theatre, after beginning performances on February 26th, 2014. 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 winnerTim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winnerCasey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). BroadwayWorld was there for all of the magical opening night festivities, and below you can check out full photo coverage from the after party!

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, opens on Broadway tonight, March 20th, 2014, at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

They're at it again! Hop on a magic carpet ride with the writers of MURDER FOR TWO and escape to a whole new world as they play you one of the songs they definitely wrote from the new Broadway show ALADDIN. Watch below!

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, opens on Broadway tonight, March 20th, 2014, at the New Amsterdam Theatre, after beginning performances on February 26th, 2014. 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 winnerTim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winnerCasey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). BroadwayWorld brings you highlights of the cast in action below!

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, opens tomorrow night, March 20th. 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 two-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). Scroll down to learn more about the full company, plus watch interviews with the cast!