Andie McGurren

Maya Marques ’26 and McCartie McPadden ’27 take pictures pre-show.

“Aladdin” the Musical has been touring and delighting people on Broadway since mid 2011. The musical – which is based on the 1992 animated Disney movie – is about a kind orphan boy who gets caught in a fight with a power hungry Vizier over a mythical lamp. The original story, the musical, and the movie remake all include fun (but slightly different) music. Each story includes themes of fun, friendship, loyalty, and love. The musical especially really draws the audience in, song by song and scene by scene. The people that you watch it with are also really important, and we were in really great company, with Andie McGurren ’27 and each other. We saw the show at Bass Performance Hall on February 3, right before closing night. This made the experience even more fun. 

• “Arabian Nights”- Genie & Company
  • One Word STAMINA. This number is one of my favorites, it’s such a fun way to introduce the musical and gives context to the musical in an entertaining and detailed way. The genie of this iteration (Marcus M. Martin) was so funny and talented. He knew how to keep singing well without losing rhythm and was really fun to watch.

• “One Jump Ahead”- Aladdin & Ensemble
  • This number had a super fun and adventurous feel. The choreography and set use was really creative and gave the upbeat song even more depth. Every part of the stage had something interesting going on. The costumes and character tricks – like the actor playing Aladdin pretending to be a woman for a few seconds – were creative and beautifully executed. 

• “One Jump Ahead (Reprise)”- Aladdin
  • A more emotional version of its bigger number, this reprise was well done with a lot of emotion and very good singing. This Aladdin was very in touch with his character and quite entertaining to watch. 

• “Proud of Your Boy”- Aladdin
  • The music and lyrics of this number had a really powerful message. The actor (Adi Roy) had a good voice, and the theme of living up to others’ expectations while still being yourself was portrayed for the first time during this song. 

• “These Palace Walls”- Jasmine & Female Attendants
  • This Jasmine (Senzel Ahmady) was REALLY talented. She had a good tone and a raspy and sultry voice that really embodied the character. Her attendants were really talented as well and had a lot of character in their voices. Jasmine knew how to belt and not sound as if she were straining her voice, which for a song like this seems hard to do. I think Jasmine was really talented on that account and she was fun to watch, too. 

• “Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim”- Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim, & Ensemble
  • It was a really funny number. Aladdin’s three friends were the comic relief of the musical, so the song was a fun change of pace after the two songs beforehand. It had great acting that let you get to know the characters individually. The choreography was fun and upbeat and matched the music really well. 

• “A Million Miles Away”- Aladdin & Jasmine
  • Set choice was really cute and creative, and Aladdin and Jasmine seemed to have a lot of chemistry and this number really showed that. I also really enjoyed how the actors harmonized with each other. The song itself is not my favorite, I find it repetitive and after a while boring. But objectively the actors did very well.  

• “Diamond In The Rough”- Aladdin, Jafar, & Iago
  • The actor who portrayed Jafar was a great villain. He had a great voice that really showed his talent and allowed the audience to feel the power and evil of the character. The song overall had a dangerous, but fun feel. It had fun beats for choreography, and was greatly added to by Iago, Jafar’s pet parrot, and the evil comic relief. 

• “Friend Like Me”- Genie, Aladdin, & Ensemble
  • This number was long, convoluted, fun, and did I mention long? “Friend Like Me” is the biggest number of the show, with so many elements and parts to this number, it seems exhausting to sing, but an audience member would never guess. Once again the ensemble did incredibly well, they were entertaining and smiled all the way through the number. Their attitude made such a huge difference in the numbers. Also, the stage effects were so good and well designed.  

• “Act One Finale (Friend Like Me (Reprise I)/Proud of Your Boy (Reprise I))”- Aladdin & Genie
  • This number was a perfect number to summarize and end off the first act of the musical. It was upbeat and exciting, and left the audience wanting more in the next act. 

• “Prince Ali”- Genie, Babkak, Omar, Kassim, & Ensemble
  • Really funny, Aladdin’s friends were so entertaining and this being their true intro was really perfect. Prince Ali is iconic and so fun. The change in melody was so entertaining and I felt like dancing the entire time. Even re-listening to the song was so exhilarating. The actors’ ability to vocalize the words without it sounding muddied was really good, and every word was completely understood. The rhythm was amusing and made me want to get up and dance. 

• “A Whole New World”- Aladdin & Jasmine
  • This number was stunning. It was emotional and heartfelt and the lyrics had just the right amount of tension and longing in them. The technology and lighting that were used to create this were incredible and breathtaking. 

• “High Adventure”- Babkak, Omar, Kassim, & Ensemble
  • This was one of my top songs, it was SO funny and even if the humor was childish it was very fun. The three boys were super vocally talented and had really good chemistry together on stage. This song is fast, then slow, then cacophonous, but in the best way possible. I had fun and even felt like singing along. I didn’t though, that would be a crime. 

• “Somebody’s Got Your Back”- Genie & Company
  • This was a fun number. It was a fun plot advancer, and really just moved a lot of stuff along. It had cool, energetic choreography that was great for a pre-wrap up number. 

• Finale Ultimo (“Arabian Nights (Reprise)”/”A Whole New World (Reprise)”) – Company
  • The MELODY was so fun and a great way to wrap up the show. I had fun and I was happy with the energy that the actors had throughout the entire number, especially after how demanding the show itself was. The dancing and music was really good and made it worth it watching the show until the very end. The only thing I will say is that I wish that the wedding clothes were a little more accurate in their colors because it would have been so fun to see Jasmine in red rather than white. 

All in all “Aladdin” the musical was a very fun experience, but most of the fun came from the people I watched it with. The energy of watching a musical together was incredible. It is definitely a family and friends show that will bring people together, and overall, spread joy to everyone who wishes to witness it.