THEATRE REVIEW: "Aladdin" at the New Amsterdam Theatre (New York, NY)

      On March 4th, 2026, I saw the matinee performance of the Broadway musical "Aladdin" at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City.  While this was the fourth Disney stage musical I've seen, it took me about twelve years to see it.  Coincidentally,  I didn't see the Broadway Production of "The Lion King" until twelve years after it opened.  In Chicago, I saw the First National Tours of "Beauty and the Beast" (in 1997) and "Newsies" (in 2016).  I never saw the stage adaptations of "Aida," "Tarzan," or "Mary Poppins."  While the touring production of "Beauty and the Beast" was probably the most jaw-dropping Disney stage adaptation I've seen to this date (which had a $12 million production cost), "Aladdin" was one incredible spectacle--but more about that later.

   

     Based on the 1992 animated film, the musical is about poverty-stricken Aladdin and how he becomes enamored with the Sultan's daughter, Princess Jasmine, while being granted three wishes by a genie from a magical lamp--all this taking place in and around the fictitious Arabian city of Agrabah.  The villian in the musical is the sultan's royal vizier Jafar, whose scheming and boundless desire for power and greed inevitably brings everyone together.  After all, what is a fairy tale without a common enemy?

     On the afternoon I saw "Aladdin," the cast included Rodney Ingram (Aladdin), Sonya Balsara (Jasmine), Dennis Stowe (Jafar), Jacob Ben-Shmuel (Omar), Colt Prattes (Kassim), Ryan Gregory Thurman (Babkak), J.C. Montgomery (Sultan), Don Darryl Rivera (Iago), and Michael James Scott (Genie).  This is not the entire cast, by any means.  The Broadway Production of "Aladdin" features a grand total of over thirty cast members.  The characters Omar, Kassim, and Babkak were created for the stage version of "Aladdin," and take the place of Abu--Aladdin's monkey sidekick from the film version.  The only cast member of "Aladdin" I've seen on stage before is J.C. Montgomery.  He was a member of the First National Touring Company of "Les Misérables" when I saw it back in 1991.  At the time, he played the Innkeeper, Jean Prouvaire, and various other roles.

     The scenic designer of the Broadway Production of "Aladdin" is Bob Crowley.  He was also the scenic designer for the 2013 Pre-Broadway Tryout of the musical in Toronto.  Anna Louizos had been the scenic designer for the prior tryout engagements of "Aladdin," including the 2011 World Premiere Engagement at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle.  Louizos designed the set for the Original Broadway Production of "In the Heights," which I saw in 2010.  I guess her design wasn't what the producers had in mind.  Some cast members were also replaced for the Toronto Engagement.  Bob Crowley has designed the scenery for many musicals and plays, including the Broadway musical "The Sweet Smell of Success," which I saw the 2001-2 World Premiere Engagement of in Chicago, where "Aladdin" had its national tour debut in 2017.  Crowley's design for "Aladdin" is incredible, along with Jim Steinmwyer's illusion design.  I'm sure many collaborated on the magic carpet scene... which was either Broadway magic, a clever illusion, or both!

     "Aladdin" features a book by Chad Beguelin, Music by Alan Menken, and Lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, and Chad Beguelen.  Besides Chad Beguelin, I recognized all these names from previous Disney films and/or stage adaptations.  I'm sure thats not the only reason Disney stage musicals have such a following, but it's one of them.  I was not prepared for how enthusiastically the audience cheered at various times throughout the show.  At times, the cheering was so high-pitched it sounded like I was at a Beatles concert.  Yet the audience response was understandable.  This light-hearted show, with all the stops pulled out and a magic carpet that actually flies Aladdin and Jasmine around the enormous proscenium stage of the New Amsterdam Theatre, is a sure way to chip away at one's tough exterior, and leave an infectious smile. 

     While the entire cast did a great job, Michael James Scott stole the show as Genie.  Its hard to compare his interpretation of Genie with that of Robin Williams in the film version.  I watched the film countless times as a kid, and would sometimes rewind the movie to rewatch some of the Genie's antics because of how funny Robin Williams' interpretation was.  Michael James Scott's version of Genie is vastly different.  It would be difficult to find similarities in order to compare the two.  I would compare the various interpretations of Princess Jasmine, but two people played her in the movie.  While Linda Larkin voiced the speaking lines of Jasmine, Lea Salonga gave voice to  Jasmine's songs.  Sonya Balsara gave her all as Jasmine, plus gave a stirring speech following the performance in honor of National Woman's Month, and invited all the women behind the scenes of "Aladdin" to come on stage and take a bow.  

     This might not be a popular opinion, but I might have found "Aladdin" to be more enjoyable than "The Lion King."  While "The Lion King" is a great show, I think the rest of the show pales in comparison to the opening number.  While I probably won't see either show again, "Aladdin" gets better as the show progresses, which is why I would chose "Aladdin" over "The Lion King" to rewatch.  With that being said, I do recommend "Aladdin," and don't regret seeing it.

Newspaper Ad for the Broadway Production of "Aladdin from the Fall of 2021, not long after it reopened following the covid-19 shutdown.

     If you aren't exactly a fan of "Aladdin," the beauty of the New Amsterdam Theatre is reason enough to go.  Designed in the Art Nouveau style by Henry Beaumont Herts and Hugh Tallant, the New Amsterdam Theatre opened in 1903 and was home to the Ziegfeld Follies within ten years of operating.  In the 1930s the New Amsterdam Theatre became a movie palace.  In the 1980s, it became a historical landmark and was acquired by the Nederlander Organization.  Disney bought the theatre in 1992 and spent three years renovating the theatre prior to presenting the 1997 Premiere Broadway Production of "The Lion King," which performed there for nearly ten years.  Besides "The Lion King,"  Disney's "Mary Poppins" enjoyed a lengthy run at the New Amsterdam Theatre, which was also host to various Broadway concert presentations.  "Aladdin" is the latest Broadway sensation to call the venue home.

I got this photo from cityexperiences.com