DREAM CAST ANNOUNCED FOR DISNEY’S ALADDIN
But who will play Jasmine?
An exceptional group of Australia and New Zealand’s most outstanding musical theatre performers and exciting fresh faces has been announced for Disney’s new musical comedy, Aladdin.
Based on the classic Academy Award-winning animated film, Aladdin will open in Sydney at the Capitol Theatre in August 2016.
In what will be one of the most diverse multicultural casts to ever appear on the Australian stage, the dream cast for Aladdin has been achieved after intense and competitive auditions.
American performer Michael James Scott will play the pivotal role of the Genie. Michael has performed in many Broadway shows including the original company of The Book of Mormon, the 2010 Broadway and London revival of Hair, as well as playing in the original ensemble in the Broadway cast of Aladdin. He was most recently seen in Casey Nicholaw’s third current Broadway hit, Something Rotten.
Joining him will be the exciting new discovery Ainsley Melham making his mainstage debut in the title role of Aladdin. Ainsley is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
The principal cast features international musical theatre star Adam Jon Fiorentino (Saturday Night Fever, Mary Poppins) as Kassim, stage & television performer Adam Murphy as Jafar and Robert Tripolino in the role of Omar. Filling out the principal ranks is one of Australia’s most accomplished character actors and musical theatre stars Troy Sussman as Babkak and stage and television actor Aljin Abella as Iago.
The distinguished New Zealand actor George Henare will play the Sultan.
The search for the coveted role of Jasmine continues and casting will be announced at a later date.
The ensemble cast are: Dean Vince, Gareth Jacobs, Jakob Ambrose,Caleb Bartolo, Dion Bilios, Max Bimbi, Daniel Camilleri, Will Centurion, Ross Chisari, Mia Dabkowski-Chandler, Nicholas Eaton, Mitchell Fistrovic, Alex Gibson-Giorgio, Chaska Halliday, Joel Hewlett, Mitchell Hicks, Kimberley Hodgson, Leah Howard, Graeme Isaako, Emily Keane, Madeleine Mackenzie, Heather Manly, Rechelle Mansour, Joseph O’Sullivan, and Anica Scott-Garrell.
Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, Aladdin features music by Alan Menken and Tim Rice. With a book by Chad Beguelin, Aladdin is directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw.
The animated film Aladdin was released by Disney in 1992 and was a critical and box office smash. The film won the Oscar for Best Original Score and introduced the hit song “A Whole New World,” which won the second of the film’s two Academy Awards as Best Original Song. The Peabo Bryson/Regina Belle recording of the tune soared to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
This new production features a magnificent score, including the five cherished songs from the Academy Award-winning soundtrack, and additional music and songs written especially for the stage.
Aladdin, adapted from the Disney film and centuries-old folktales including “One Thousand and One Nights,” is brought to fresh theatrical life in this bold new musical. Aladdin’s journey sweeps audiences into an exotic world of daring adventure, classic comedy and timeless romance.
Aladdin opened on Broadway to critical acclaim on March 20th, 2014.
“FABULOUS AND EXTRAVAGANT WITH RELENTLESS RAZZLE DAZZLE” New York Times
“IT’S PURE GENIE-US!” USA Today
