This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission when you make a purchase at NO additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our site in this way!
You know I couldn’t miss Disney Aladdin coming to Nashville as part of TPAC’s Broadway series this month. But as a lifelong Disney fan and Disney Social Media Mom, would I love Aladdin on stage as much as I love Disney’s Aladdin animated movie?
Should you go see this production? Stay tuned. This is my honest review of the Disney Aladdin Touring Company.
Honest Aladdin Tour Review: Disney Aladdin Broadway Show Needs 3 People for Every Missing Animal
Quick Aladdin Tour Review:
- Fun, fun show
- High Energy
- Talented Cast
- In some ways, it seems like this Disney movie musical was made for the stage!
Watch my full Aladdin musical review:
Aladdin Made for the Stage
My last quick bullet point is perhaps the one that surprised me the most! Of all the Disney animated movies that came out in the 1990’s during their resurgence, I thought Aladdin would be the most difficult to replicate on the stage. (Not to mention on a Broadway Tour).
To the contrary, Aladdin on stage was a glittery spectacle in all the right ways! There are a lot of HUGE production numbers and they do it well.
Lavish Scenery & Costumes
You will find a lot of what you love about Hamilton in this film. Many stage productions I’ve seen recently have trended toward a “bare bones” stage, including Six the Musical (which delighted me) and the Oklahoma Revival (which disappointed me).
This was not the case with Aladdin’s stage production.
I don’t know how they pulled it off, especially for a touring production. The audience was treated to lavish costumes, dazzling sets, and scenes that constantly moved, shifted and changed.
The Aladdin Cast Seemed to Multiply
One surprise was the size of the cast. I thought the cast was HUGE!
I know, you’re thinking, “Sami, you can see the cast in the Playbill before the show even starts.” But I didn’t look before the show started.
So when the cast came out for the final curtain call, I was shocked. I thought surely there had to be double the number of people on stage. I don’t know how they did it, but Disney truly filled the stage in every way possible.
Missing Aladdin Sidekicks
One thing you won’t find from the original animated film is some of your favorite sidekicks. Iago was played by a human, but Abu and Rajah were each replaced by 3 humans: 3 best pals for Aladdin and 3 ladies in waiting for Jasmine.
Original Aladdin Broadway Show Songs
I understand original songs are a natural addition when films get reimagined on stage. For the most part, I could have done without the original music and stuck to the classics.
The biggest miss was Aladdin’s anthem, “Proud of Your Boy”. It’s not that the song was bad, but that I don’t feel like they closed the messaging or brought it full circle by the end of the show.
The highlight was the “boy band” production sang by Aladdin and his best friends in the market.
Aladdin on Broadway
If you want to see Aladdin on Broadway in NYC, head to their website to get details on Broadway’s biggest party. If you’re hoping to catch Al and his gang in Nashville, you can visit Agrabah at TPAC from May 2-7.
