Aladdin

Aladdin

National Tour
Buell Theater
Denver, CO 
April 6-28, 2018

Disney’s Broadway division in known for its spectacular effects. In Aladdin they have proved that no one can present a production number better. From the opening “Arabian Nights” they have pulled out all the stops in set and choreography.

When bringing Aladdin to the stage, significant changes were made the script. While the story remained the same, the changes in characters was most notable. All of the animal sidekicks were different in the show. Iago became a human stooge while Rajah and Abu were replaced with a trio of friends for each Aladdin and Jasmine. These changes made the story more believable and allowed for better development of the main roles.

The sets of the show were nothing short of spectacular. The Cave of Wonders was blinding and Jasmine’s room was what a palace should look like. The costumes added to the spectacle. Every performer on stage glittered in the finale.

The choreography was the star of this show. ”Friend Like Me” was a show stopping number that seemed to fill up half of Act One. The songs which were added exclusively for the stage show were enjoyable, if not memorable. "A Whole New World" was impressive as the mechanism to make the carpet fly was not at all visible.

The performances were solid for the most part. The role of the Genie was flawless. The combination of the original material, modern references and local jokes kept the audience engaged. Clearly, Disney did not just take the film and put it on stage. They used Aladdin as a vehicle to present their biggest theatrical spectacle to date.