Disney on Broadway -- specifically Aladdin.

OK, I was watching Aladdin today -- babysitting four kids, it shuts them up. And so I decided to download "A Whole New World" of Kazaa. I like the song. What can I say?
I know Disney has a somewhat crappy 40 minute long stage version at the California Adventure Park -- complete with a new song for Jasmine ("To Be Free") that is such a rip off of "A Change In Me" from Beauty and The Beast that it makes every Webber show look totally original. BUT! I was thinking..... what if they ever adapted it to the stage, or wised up and let someone else do it, who would be cast?????

Here are some of my ideas:::
Aladdin :: Joe Machota, Gavin Creel, David Burtka, or Adam Fleming
Jasmine :: Jessica Grove, Kerry Butler
Genie :: Christopher Sieber
Sultan :: Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella
Jafar :: James Barbour, CHuch Wagner, Terrence Mann, Marc Kudisch
Iago :: Mario Cantone

Just ideas.



Here are is a link to a website that has videos of some of the musical numbers (which are staged very badly in most cases) featuring the original cast of Cast #1 (they had two cast) starring Micheal K. Lee and Roxanne Taga, as wella s tons of photos of both casts from the dress rehearsals.

Aladdin -- A Musical Spectacular!

Would he be up to it though??
I haven't heard much about him in recent years.

First, let me get this clear: the soft spot in my heart for Disney musicals? Yeah, Aladdin's sitting nice and posh in it. The film is a long-time favorite, as are the songs.

But, um, a stage version would require way more special effects than are practical just to get the Genie and the Carpet going. Not to mention Jafar -> Giant Snake. It'd never fly, simply because the whole thing would be too complex to pull off without it looking completely cheesy.

-Wayne

"Crappy" is a bit harsh. It is a real crowd pleaser and the biggest attraction at Disney's Great Adventure- pulling in more than anything else on that lot (sometimes more than everything else there combined).

Yes, it is being aimed for Broadway - eventually. With a new edition of the short 40-minute version possibly trying out in Orlando Disney World next.

Then work begins on a full-length Broadway version which will be totally different from either of these - and different than the film.

I doubt Disney will want to cast all caucasian actors in the lead roles in a decidedly ethnic story.

Correct...in casting the current Aladdin at Great Adventure...Disney specifically sought ethnic actors.

Looks good :)

If they're going to adapt a Disney musical for the stage they need to make Mary Poppins. Musical films don't get better than casting Julie Andrews as a nanny (ahem! Sound of Music). And Poppins has those Sherman and Sherman tunes we all love like "Let's Go Fly A Kite" and "A Spoonful of Sugar." I was even reading somehwre that before Disney did Lion King they wanted to do Poppins instead. What was that Eisner guy thinking?
Another option would be Bedknobs and Broomsticks. That is a Disney gem. Maybe I'm just in a Sherman mood today. But how can you beat "Substitutiary Locomotion" and "The Age of Not Believing?" I mean, what Disney songs beat them?
So you can "Pop" or you can "Nob", but I don't think the "Din" from Aladdin can beat these classics.

---

They are working on a musical of Mary Poppins. It's opening in the West End.

New songs are by Styles and Drewe. Apparently it's not going to be like the film entirely. It starts out-of-town tryouts in Fall 2004 so I imagine a Broadway opening could be perhaps 2005/6 depending on the success. More 2006 I'm afraid. That being said, look at Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, still no opening.

WOW!.....

Think we'll see this thread again in 2011????

---

It's interesting to read old threads :)

---

They are working on a musical of Mary Poppins. It's opening in the West End.

I read that and thought "What?" I didn't even realize this thread was old until I read that.

---