Musical Review: Disney’s Aladdin is ‘One Jump Ahead’

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The quilt-like curtain displayed before the show.

Broadway Across America has once again made a tour stop at the Orpheum Theater, and this time they hit on all cylinders with Disney’s Aladdin.

Set in a fictional Arabian kingdom called Agrabah, the classic tale takes viewers on the magic carpet ride that is the life of the Aladdin, a marketplace thief whose life is changed when he meets a genie. The stage version portrays the story with bright lights from the instant the curtain is drawn. It includes clothing made with over 2,000 fabrics. The elements of the show may sound like too much, but it leaves audience members mesmerized from the beginning of the opening song, Arabian Nights.

The show rarely slows down–with the exception of staple song A Whole New World –and is high-powered. Aladdin, portrayed by Clinton Greenspan on this tour, is constantly running, jumping and doing flips.  The genie (Michael James Scott) instantly became a crowd favorite, earning roar after roar from the instant the other staple song, Friend Like Me, went on.

Princess Jasmine (Lissa deGuzman), comes on as a strong, independent woman that will not have the traditional way of marrying a prince who is only after her fortune. She does not place trust in a lot of people, and deGuzman put the emphasis on that in the most necessary of ways.

Abu, Aladdin’s monkey friend in the movie, is absent in the stage version and is replaced by a hilarious trio of other street rats. The trio, which consisted of actors Zach Bencal, Philipe Arroyo and Jed Fedder, brought most of the relatable adult humor to add to James Scott’s silly diva role, providing just the right amount of laughs for the audience.

Iago, the main villain Jafar’s parrot friend in the original version, is also absent from the stage, and is replaced with a quirky, short man that provides rationale when Jafar is hot headed.

I took the trip downtown with my brother, who is eight, and the lights, fast-moving scenes and compelling story were enough to keep him engaged throughout the entire two hour show.

Broadway Across America’s production of Disney’s Aladdin is upbeat, engaging and perfect for all ages. The show will run through Sunday, January 27 with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. through Friday, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.