Edinburghers love a good musical, so the big news that Aladdin is coming to the UK for the very first time is going to be warmly welcomed. The production is based on the 1992 Disney film Aladdin which most millennials grew up with.
The multi-award-winning songs by Alan Menken will stir up nostalgia and all those fuzzy feelings, starting with the Edinburgh Playhouse from October 24. The tour will later travel to Cardiff, Plymouth, Sunderland and Milton Keynes, with further cities to be announced.
Adapted from Disney’s 1992 animated film and centuries-old folktales including ‘One Thousand and One Nights‘, Aladdin musical is brought to the stage in a dazzling way. The show also continues its record-breaking run on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre, and since opening in March 2014, nine subsequent productions have launched around the world, including its 2016 West End premiere at the Prince Edward Theatre, London where the show ran until 2019.
The UK and Ireland tour of Disney’s Aladdin will star Yeukayi Ushe as Genie and introduce Gavin Adams as Aladdin. A recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Gavin will also be making his professional debut. Desmonda Cathabel will play Jasmine when the show opens in Edinburgh.
They will be joined by Adam Strong as Jafar, Jo Servi as Sultan, Angelo Paragoso as Iago, Nay-Nay as Babkak, Adam Taylor as Omar, and Nelson Bettencourt as Kassim.
The magic of flying rugs, talking tigers and wish-fulfilling wizardry is brought to life by director Thomas Schumacher, who is assisted by designer by the famous scenic designer Bob Crowley, seven-time Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, two-time Tony-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis.
“As Aladdin approaches its second decade onstage, we are thrilled that the 11th production of the glorious Broadway show will soon be seen by audiences throughout the UK and Ireland. Thanks to Casey Nicholaw’s direction, Alan Menken’s music and the peerless design team of Bob Crowley, Natasha Katz and Gregg Barnes this show is a powerful tonic, an irresistible lift for every audience who sees it.”, said Thomas Schumacher, President and Producer at Disney Theatrical Productions.
“The musical theatre performers in the UK and Ireland rival any on the planet and we look forward to presenting the best of them in this joyous new production.”
Tickets go on sale on March 31, with the opportunity to sign up for early access online.
UK Tour Dates
October 24 – November 18: Edinburgh Playhouse
December 7 – January 14, 2024: Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
January 17 – February 11, 2024: Theatre Royal Plymouth
February 15 – March 10, 2024: Sunderland Empire
April 24 – May 19, 2024, Milton Keynes Theatre