The new Disney musical “Aladdin†will have a pre-Broadway tryout in Toronto for nine weeks starting Nov. 13 before opening in New York at the New Amsterdam Theater in spring 2014, Disney Theatrical Productions announced on Tuesday. Disney had previously declined to confirm that “Aladdin†would be the next show at the New Amsterdam after “Mary Poppins,†which is scheduled to close on March 3.
“Aladdin,†which is expected to cost between $12 million and $15 million, represents a return to big-budget shows on Broadway for Disney, the producer of several hits like “The Lion King†and “Beauty and the Beast†as well as two expensive failures, “The Little Mermaid†and “Tarzan.†Disney’s latest Broadway vehicle, “Newsies,†opened last spring with a $5 million budget and has since turned a profit; the budget for “Aladdin,†by contrast, is more typical fora Disney show on Broadway.
Based on the company’s 1992 animated film, “Aladdin†will feature songs, scenes, illusions, and a flying carpet that were not part of the show’s world premiere production in Seattle in 2011. Among the songs in the musical is “Proud of Your Boy,†which was cut from the original movie but is highly regarded among the Disney producers and has been performed by Clay Aiken. The show has music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin; Mr. Beguelin wrote the book as well. Casey Nicholaw, one of the Tony Award-winning directors of the hit musical “The Book of Mormon,†will direct and choreograph.
“Aladdin†casting and specific performance dates for Broadway will be announced later; the Toronto engagement at the Ed Mirvish Theater will run through Jan. 12, 2014.
