Aladdin On Broadway Review: A Vibrant Gem

Aladdin on Broadway Review

I had that bedspread with the characters in squares on it, Cave of Wonders velcro sneakers and an Abu puppet. Aladdin is the first movie I remember seeing in theaters. Twenty two years later, it’s still in demand and glittering on Broadway. Literally. This is the sparkliest show I’ve ever seen. Costumes stunned and the Cave of Wonders was a magical dream. One thing was shining, shimmering and a bit more splendid than everything else. James Monroe Iglehart’s performance as Genie was captivating and cool with (unlike the Disney California Adventure version) timeless and/or vague pop culture references that warranted laughs but didn’t distract.

Aladdin is a well-rounded Broadway show with a beautiful Arabian set, dazzling costumes, lovely vocals and high energy performances all wrapped up in a tale we know and love. You won’t see Abu at all or Iago and Carpet in their usual states as this version is just slightly different. Aside from that and a different and less charming sounding “A Whole New World”, Aladdin is almost exactly like Disney’s animated classic. Despite it’s musical differences, the “A Whole New World number” is a visual paramount along with the Cave of Sparkles. I mean Wonders.

Aladdin and Jasmine look the part and the princess is absolutely beautiful. The dreamy duo delivered solid vocals but more excitement comes from this next detail. The voice of Jafar from the film plays the character on stage. Every scene Jonathan Freeman was in had me listening intently and awe struck by villainous familiarity. This is such an interesting item considering the movie is over two decades old. Also, Iago is a powerhouse of insanity. As he should be.

James Monroe Iglehart as Genie in an email I got the day of the show

The Theater
The New Amsterdam theatre is refreshing compared to other New York City theaters. If you have a minute, go see the elaborate New Amsterdam Room adjacent to the restrooms on the lower floor. If you have another minute, go peep down into the Orchestra pit, right in front of the stage, before the show and see how neat it is. The New Amsterdam Theater is located at 214 West 42nd Street between 7th Ave and 8th Ave. It has a Subway exit and entrance conveniently located right next to it. If you’re exiting the Subway into Times Square, look for the 42nd Street and 7th Avenue exit and you’ll be let out with the theater directly to your left. If you were wondering, Mary Poppins lived here before Aladdin.

The Seats
I sat in the Orchestra in seat K 108. This was ten rows back and stage height and perfect. For many shows I like to be closey-close but if I think a show may have large, spectacle set I like to go about this far back for full enjoyment. I got a blast of energy in this seat from many performers, especially Genie. Aladdin favors the balcony, though. For this show, I’d recommend any seat near where I sat.

Broadway is a happy place of mine.