Disney Names Cast for Broadway ‘Aladdin’

Disney Theatrical Productions announced a cast of 34 actors on Monday for its next Broadway musical, “Aladdin,” led by the theater actor Adam Jacobs (Marius in the 2006 Broadway revival of “Les Misérables”) in the title role.

Based on the 1992 musical film by Disney, “Aladdin” will also star James Monroe Iglehart (“Memphis”) as the Genie, Courtney Reed (“In the Heights”) as Jasmine, and Tony Award nominee Jonathan Freeman (“She Loves Me”) as the villainous Jafar. Mr. Freeman was the voice of Jafar in the original Disney movie, which starred Robin Williams as the voice of the Genie.

The stage adaptation includes several songs from the movie, including the Academy Award-winning “Whole New World,” as well as several numbers written for the show; the music is by Oscar and Tony Award winner Alan Menken (“Newsies”) and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice; the book and additional lyrics are by Chad Beguelin.

The director and choreographer is Tony winner Casey Nicholaw (“The Book of Mormon”). “Aladdin” will run in Toronto this fall before coming to Broadway, where the show will begin preview performances on Feb. 26, 2014, at the New Amsterdam Theater and open on March 20.