Aladdin the (original animated) movie? Iconic. Aladdin the stage musical? Honestly surprisingly (and disappointingly) lackluster with the excption of Genie. The new songs just don't hit anywhere near as hard as the originals, the new characters are a little cringy, and there's so many cool things they could've done that they just, for whatever reason, didn't.
Aladdin is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, & Chad Beguelin, and book by Beguelin. Based on the 1992 Disney film of the same name, the show opened in 2011 in Seattle before coming to the New Amsterdam Theatre (located on W 42nd Street) in 2014, where it remains in residence today with over 3,500 performances as of March 2024. The show has also seen successful productions in the the UK's West End, as well as tours in Australia, Ireland, the UK, and the US. The original Broadway run was nominated for five Tony Awards in 2014, winning one (Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for James Monroe Iglehart). No news of a film adaptation yet, but with a filmed performance of Frozen on the way, who knows?
For this post, I will as usual focus on one song for each main cast member from the original Broadway End cast recording. Warning: potential spoilers ahead.
Aladdin (Tenor/Baritone)
Spotlight Song: A Whole New World
Honorable Mentions: One Jump Ahead; Proud of Your Boy; A Million Miles Away; Diamond in the Rough; Friend Like Me; Somebody's Got Your Back
Original Broadway Cast (2014): Adam Jacobs
Aladdin is a lovable enough character, even when he acts like a brat to Genie and you want to shake him a little bit. My main issue in this rendition of the show is that while Adam Jacobs has a great voice, he sounds way too mature to be Aladdin. I know it can't perfectly mirror the movie, but come on, he absolutely does not sound like an eighteen-year-old boy. Act II's A Whole New World duet with Jasmine is obviously the winner here as one of Disney's greatest love songs ever. It's also really cool to see onstage with the effects to use Carpet.
I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid/Tell me, Princess, now, when did you last let your heart decide/I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder/Over, sideways and under on a magic carpet ride/A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view/No one to tell us, "No," or where to go, or say we're only dreaming
Genie (Baritone)
Spotlight Song: Friend Like Me
Honorable Mentions: Arabian Nights; Prince Ali; Somebody's Got Your Back
Original Broadway Cast (2014): James Monroe Iglehart
Genie is one of the best Disney characters of all time, and we all know it. James Monroe Iglehart has become an absolute legend, largely due to the undeniably incredible job he did in this role, making Genie his own but still representing and respecting the original very, very well. Iglehart's voice is amazing, and he seems like he's having the time of his life bringing Genie to the stage. Act I's Friend Like Me is just as fun as the original with some great added flair to make the whole scene an absolute blast. It's a great moment for any Genie actor to just pop off and showcase their incredible talent.
Well, Ali Baba had them 40 thieves, Scheherazade had a thousand tales/But master, you in luck 'cause up your sleeves, you got a brand of magic never fails/You got some power in your corner now, some heavy ammunition in your camp/You got some punch, pizzazz, yahoo and how, see, all you gotta do is rub that lamp, and I'll say/“Mister Aladdin, sir, what will your pleasure be”/Let me take your order, jot it down, you ain't never had a friend like me, ha-ha-ha/Life is your restaurant and I'm your maitre d’/Come on, whisper what it is you want, you ain't never had a friend like me
Jasmine (Mezzo-Soprano)
Spotlight Song: These Palace Walls
Honorable Mentions: A Million Miles Away; A Whole New World
Original Broadway Cast (2014): Courtney Reed
Jasmine has long been a favorite princess of mine, and I was hopeful and excited that the show would give her some more time to shine musically. While Courtney Reed has a truly lovely voice, Jasmine's additional songs were honestly quite disappointing to me. Reed does capture the essence of Jasmine's fiery spirit; I just wish her songs reflected that more. Act I's These Palace Walls, sung between Jasmine and her ladies in waiting, is the closest thing Jasmine gets to a solo, which is another issue for another time. The song is fine, but nothing spectacular to write home about off.
Suitors talk of love, but it's an act merely meant to throw me/How can someone love me when, in fact, they don't know me/They want my royal treasure when all is said and done/It's time for a desperate measure, so I wonder/Why shouldn't I fly so far from here/I know the girl I might become here/Sad and confined/And always locked behind these palace walls
Jafar (Baritone)
Spotlight Song: Prince Ali (Jafar Reprise)
Honorable Mentions: Diamond in the Rough
Original Broadway Cast (2014): Jonathan Freeman
Jafar is honestly a great villain, both on screen and on stage. I absolutely love that Jonathan Freeman, the original Jafar from the movie, was able to bring him to life on stag as well because he's part of what makes the character so great. Film Jafar has one of my Top 5 Evil Laughs of All Time in this very song in the movie. Act II's Prince Ali (Jafar Reprise) shows just how unhinged Jafar truly is, and while I wish it was a longer section it's still great. Even though Freeman doesn't do that iconic laugh in the stage version, he still showss just how formidable a foe he is.
Prince Ali, yes, it is he, but not as you know him/Read my lips and come to grips with reality/Yes, meet a blast from your past whose lies were too good to last/Say hello to your precious Prince Ali
Iago (Tenor/Baritone)
Spotlight Song: Diamond in the Rough
Original Broadway Cast (2014): Don Darryl Rivera
As far as sidekicks go, I always enjoyed Iago in the movie. No shade whatsoever to Don Darryl Rivera, but I just don't think Iago translates well from animated parrot to live action man. He definitely loses the rough edges given to him by Gilbert Gottfried, but Rivera does a good job with what he's given. Act I's Diamond in the Rough, a trio with Jafar and Aladdin, tries to musicalify the prison scene from the film, but to me it just doesn't hit. This stage Iago spends too much time trying to keep Jafar calm for me.
Let's all rejoice the spooky voice/And you're the diamond in the rough/Look here's the diamond in the/Three cheers, the diamond in the/We found the diamond in the rough/You better find somebody else/There is nobody else/Talk about the girl
Sultan (Baritone)
Spotlight Song: Prince Ali (Sultan Reprise)
Original Broadway Cast (2014): Clifton Davis
I admittedly have a soft spot for Jasmine's dad, however mindblowingly clueless he might be. Broadway veteran Clifton Davis has a strong portrayal of Agrabah's ruler, even though he (like others) doesn't quite match up with the Sultan we grew up with. He's got a great voice, though, and it's fun to see this character get his own song. Act II's Prince Ali (Sultan Reprise) is a pretty short number, but it does its duty to help move us towards the end of the show. Shame it's Sultan's only song, but oh well.
Go, cry from the highest mountain tops/Rejoice, raise your voice, pull out all the stops/At last, we've a prince who should be glorified/Ring bells, throw rice, bang drums, bang them twice/Ali's gonna wed his bride
Babkak (Tenor), Omar (Tenor/Baritone), & Kassim (Baritone)
Spotlight Song: High Adventure
Honorable Mentions: Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim; Somebody's Got Your Back
Original Broadway Cast (2014): Brian Gonzales, Jonathan Schwartz, & Brandon O'Neill
Aladdin's three besties were new to us when the musical debuted, but they were actually written into the original draft of the movie and later replaced with the sidekick we now all know very well: Abu. Brian Gonzales, Jonathan Schwartz, and Brandon O'Neill bring a fun energy to the cast, even though like Jacobs they're absolutely not believable as teenage boys. Their harmonies are spot on, though, and I'm always going to love that in any music. Act II's High Adventure is honestly a pretty fun time as these three break into the palace to save Aladdin. It may not be for everyone, but I like it well enough.
Convince those guys, my lord and master/That's what I'm doing, Babkak/Well, do it faster, let's be gone/Everyone choose a weapon/Oh I should really be going/In wasting time we court disaster/Pick up that sword and strap it on/See I hate weapons because/This thing is awesome/Fate blows her kiss, chills your heart/Takes your hand/Fate feels like this, play your part/This was planned/And lo, before you know/You grab your horse, you grab your gear/Your moment's now, your moment's here/It's time for high, high, high adventure/You're off and riding, sabre flashing/Your banner high, your molars gnashing/You feel so dashing on a high, high, high adventure/Get set to give some guy a thrashing/‘Cause high adventure's in the air/To the palace/To the palace/To the palace
If you're a fan of the Disney stage musicals, this is probably a good one to check out even if it wasn't my favorite. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!
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