Aladdin the Musical

Aladdin The Musical, a show filled with wonder, color, and catchy songs is a delight for families and Disney fans. On February 20th, 2014, Aladdin the Musical premiered on Broadway. The musical was inspired by the popular Disney film, Aladdin, which quickly became the most popular movie of the year when it was released in 1992. Aladdin the Musical is currently touring the United Kingdom and Ireland until 2025, and getting a ticket would be an excellent way to spend time with family and to honor the 20th anniversary for such an extraordinary show. The songs, sets, and magic provide a powerful reminder of nostalgic Disney films by seeing them performed live.

Aladdin is based on the Arabic folktale of the same name from One Thousand and One Nights. The musical starts in the fictional city of Agrabah, where our titular character, Aladdin, expresses his desire to gain power and become something more than a boy stealing food to survive. After meeting Princess Jasmine, the two sympathize with one another about their wishes for more in life—Jasmine states that she is tired of royal life and wants to marry for love. Unbeknownst to them, Jafar, an evil sorcerer and consultant to the sultan, schemes to seize the throne. He uncovers a cave with incalculable powers but discovers that only a “diamond in the rough” may enter—that diamond is Aladdin. Unlike the movie, Jafar saves Aladdin from being put to death for kidnapping the Princess in exchange for Aladdin to follow Jafar’s commands and enter the cave. Inside, Aladdin stumbles upon a magical lamp containing a genie who will grant him three wishes, the first of which he uses to become a prince. He then must think of a way to use his last two wishes to free the Genie from the lamp, stop Jafar’s vile plans, and win Jasmine’s heart. 

Aladdin has broken many notable records in theatrical history. With a place in the top ten child-friendly Broadway performances, Aladdin the Musical delivers an amazing experience for families. From nominations for Tony Awards as a musical to winning Grammys as a film, the show has accumulated many accolades for stunning performances. Running for two hours and thirty minutes, the musical contains eighteen different scenes with Agrabah backgrounds. In addition to its numerous settings, Aladdin uses 337 costumes—and thirty-eight of them appear in under one minute during the performance. There are also a total of eighty-four special effects used in the musical, including a magical entrance for the Genie and the wondrous flying carpet. 

Even before breaking onto the scene on Broadway, Aladdin gained over $500 million worldwide within its first year in the entertainment industry. It became the highest grossing animated film until the Lion King because of its popularity with children and its incredible storyline. Today, Aladdin continues to amaze the audience through both film and live performance. 

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

Works Cited:

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“Aladdin.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0103639/awards/. Accessed 14 Jan. 2024.

“Disney Aladdin: The Hit Broadway Musical: About.” Disney ALADDIN | The Hit Broadway Musical, Disney, 12 May 2023, aladdinthemusical.com/about/.

Mathieu, Paige. “Performance Review: Broadway’s ‘Aladdin’ Shines with Special Effects, but Is Lackluster in Plot.” The Lafayette, The Lafayett, 11 Mar. 2022, lafayettestudentnews.com/130693/culture/performance-review-broadways-aladdin-shines-with-special-effects-but-is-lackluster-in-plot/#:~:text=The%20show%20also%20utilizes%20various,other%20than%20the%20magic%20carpet. 

Nash, Indiana. “‘Aladdin’ Costumes Key Piece of the Show’s ‘Disney Magic’; Now Playing at Proctors in Schenectady.” The Daily Gazette, Daily Gazette Inc, 19 Oct. 2022, www.dailygazette.com/ticket/aladdin-costumes-key-piece-of-the-show-s-disney-magic-now-playing-at-proctors-in/article_4f7e0b36-551e-5952-80f4-0b81b462c1ce.html.

Russo, Gillian. “Guide to ‘Aladdin’ on Broadway.” New York Theatre Guide, New York Theatre Guide, 5 Apr. 2023, www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-aladdin-on-broadway.

Staff, Broadway.com. “Best Selling Broadway Shows.” Broadway.Com, Broadway.com, 23 Jan. 2024, www.broadway.com/broadway-guide/6/best-selling-broadway-shows/.