The Broadway Collection Announces Disney’s Aladdin
Disney’s Aladdin, the new musical adaptation of the Academy Award-winning animated film, made its Broadway debut for previews at the New Amsterdam Theater on February 26th, 2014 and will officially open on March 20th, 2014. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken, lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman, three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin, who wrote the new book. The show is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw.
Adapted from centuries-old Arabian folktales including “One Thousand and One Nights,” Aladdin is the story of a street urchin who uses the help of a magic genie to win the heart of Princess Jasmine. Aladdin and Jasmine fall in love and learn to be true to themselves as they fight off an evil, power-hungry enemy. In an exotic, faraway land, this timeless story reveals how one man’s life is about to change with the lucky rub of an ancient lamp. Aladdin’s journey sweeps audiences into an exotic world of daring adventure, classic comedy and timeless romance.
The animated film Aladdin was released by Disney in 1992 and was a critical and box office smash, grossing over $500 million worldwide and was 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. This new production features a full score, including five cherished songs from the original soundtrack and more written just for the stage.
Aladdin was 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 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.
