Showman P.T. Barnum may have declared that his circus was the “greatest show on Earth,” but as far as musicals go, Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ may be the greatest musical to hit Milwaukee in a long time. The national touring production of this well-known show is currently playing through Sunday.
The show is a huge, well-organized musical machine, filled with Middle East flavor and paying homage to the 1992 animated film on which it is based. It’s not the only musical currently playing in town, but it’s certainly got the largest budget.
This is Aladdin’s first visit to Milwaukee, although local residents previously may have seen the long-running Broadway version that is still packing them in after many years. Aladdin may not rival Disney’s The Lion King in popularity, but it has plenty of energy, illusions and dancing girls in harem pants (also dancing boys in shirtless vests) to dazzle any theatergoer. It is still going strong on Broadway, drawing big crowds for the past couple of years since the Covid lockdown.
For the uninitiated, the tale concerns Jasmine (a charming Senzel Ahmady), an empowered princess who chafes at her father’s wish to marry her to someone of royal blood. She’s got her own mind, and her own sense of adventure. When she shows up, disguised, in the local marketplace, she meets a “street rat” named Aladdin (a handsome, tall, and also charming Adi Roy). They discover a bond that remains even after Jasmine is escorted back to the castle by her father’s guards.
The smitten Aladdin is determined to get a better introduction to Jasmine than their chance meeting in the marketplace. Aladdin is convinced by Jafar, the Sultan’s Visor (a convincingly evil Anand Nagraj) that he must enter a distant “Cave of Wonders” to fetch an ancient brass lamp. Aladdin agrees, although he is too dazzled by the jewels puddled nearby. The cave is sealed, and things look grim for Aladdin.
Suddenly, Aladdin rubs the lamp to see some smudged writing on it, and voila! Out pops the Genie (an engaging performance by Marcus M. Martin). The congenial Genie basically steals the show with his big number, “Friend Like Me,” which is staged even more brilliantly onstage (by director Casey Nicholaw) than in the animated film. Soon Aladdin is surrounded by a bevy of dancers all wearing gold outfits. This has got to be one of the best production numbers that Broadway has ever seen. It has everything from a wardrobe of gold fez hats to a disco ball. It builds and builds and builds to an astonishing climax.
The Broadway musical has extra songs that were left out from the animated version, and new ones written specifically for the stage. Although the new material makes sense, it lacks the impact of the oh-so-familiar songs from the animated film.
Two other songs from the animated film, “Prince Ali” and “A Whole New World,” come off smartly. The latter song is complemented by an authentic-looking magic carpet. Aladdin and Jasmine sing this uplifting tune while poised on a moving carpet that sways from side to side and even seems to bob and dip. It is an enchanting moment.
Still, everything onstage is done the way Disney does it best: a large, talented cast; myriad costume changes; stunningly gorgeous sets; extravagant lighting; surprising special effects; etc. It all contributes to a top-quality show.
If parents have been saving their nickels to take their youngsters to a big Broadway show, this is definitely a not-to-be-missed experience. It has everything from sword fights to twirling dance numbers to bits of “magic,” all wrapped into a dreamy romance. It is a fantastic kick-off to the Marcus Performing Arts Center’s Broadway season.
