Out and About

Disney's Aladdin soars into DPAC for the first time

The hit musical, based on the 1992 Academy Award-winning animated film and box office smash, opened on Broadway in 2014.

Posted 2019-10-04T17:21:12+00:00 - Updated 2019-10-07T18:05:51+00:00

Laura Worthington, Out

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Amid record-setting temperatures in the Triangle, the scene was set perfectly for the DPAC premiere of Disney’s Aladdin, set in the fictional Middle Eastern city of Agrabah.

The hit musical, based on the 1992 Academy Award-winning animated film and box office smash, opened on Broadway in 2014. The plot has roots in folktales including “One Thousand and One Nights.”

If you’re a fan of the animated film, you will delight like I did in seeing it all come to life with a few adaptations that don't tarnish the overall nostalgia you may feel towards Aladdin and his pals.

Just know going in that Aladdin’s partner in crime Abu is replaced by human friends Babkak, Omar and Kassim.

While the show transports the audience to the colorful, vibrant city of Agrabah, it also transported me back to my childhood experience of watching the film. Seated beside a little girl for the show, we both tapped our feet, bobbed our heads and sang quietly along to music by Tony Award and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken, lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman, three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice and six-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin.

After seeing the musical versions of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin all at DPAC, it’s pretty clear Disney has perfected Broadway musicals for all ages. The handmade costumes (337 in the show!) and detailed sets are audacious and mesmerizing. The puns are actually funny. And I’ve already mentioned the award-winning music, but the orchestra comprised of touring and local musicians push the entire production over the top, and I haven’t even gotten to the actual magical elements.

Some may argue that the star of the show is the Genie, and Korie Lee Blossey did kill it (be prepared to laugh and possibly even cry a bit at the end), but the stunning magic carpet ride scene gave my goosebumps goosebumps. Jonah Ho’Okano as Aladdin and Keanaonalani Kekoa as Jasmine hopped aboard the carpet on a starry night and dazzled us with the beautiful song “A Whole New World.” This was the most magical part of the show for me, even if the magic carpet didn’t have the personality from the animated film.

But back to the all-powerful Genie. He set the scene in the opening “Arabian Nights,” but he and many of the other cast members pulled out all the stops for “Friend Like Me.” Needless to say, there are plenty of fun surprises in store during the glittery, showstopping performance, including a montage of other classic Disney songs.