It's been an eventful year for Australian actor Ainsley Melham, who originated his first leading role on Broadway earlier this season in the joyful BOOP! The Musical, which played its final performance at the Broadhurst July 13 after 25 previews and 112 regular shows.
Melham played Dwayne, the love interest for Jasmine Amy Rogers' Betty Boop, and the two had obvious affection for each other. In fact, Rogers told Playbill after the Tony nominations had been announced that her favorite scene in the show was one with Melham, "Why Look Around the Corner." "I just get to sit with him," Rogers explained at the time. "I just get to be with him on stage, and we get to dance together and sing together. He's become like a brother to me and my best friend. Getting to share that moment with him is my favorite.…I said when we met, I was like, 'I think this man has a piece of my soul with him.' He's perfect."
Following the closure of BOOP!, Melham has returned to familiar territory, playing the title role in the Disney hit Aladdin at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre. The actor has a long history with the family-friendly musical, having originated the title role in the Australian production in 2016, subsequently making his Broadway debut in the role in 2019. He says his work on Aladdin is a celebration of his Arab heritage, and his current engagement is scheduled through November 30.
Melham's other credits in his home country include the national tours of Wicked, Pippin, and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella as well as productions of Kiss of the Spider Woman, Merrily We Roll Along, The Normal Heart, Xanadu, Watershed: The Death of Dr. Duncan, and Hi-5.
In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Melham says his favorite moment for Aladdin actually lasts 45-seconds and shares a few of his dream roles.
Where did you train/study?
Ainsley Melham: I completed at BA in Musical Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, a fantastic school in Australia with alum like Heath Ledger and Hugh Jackman.
Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
Yes! My high school drama teacher, Charmeon Jooste. A mentor filled with passion, and curiosity, and a need to discover. She set me on the path to a career in the arts, and championed me from very early on.
You've played the title role in Aladdin in Australia and on Broadway. How do you go about keeping your performance fresh?
For a musical based on an animated film, there is so much depth and nuance to this material. The writing is so very tight and clever, and I find my fresh take every night by digging further into the text and searching for what new story element we can tell.
Do you have a favorite moment in the show for Aladdin? What makes that part so special?
Yes! It’s a 45-second scene between Aladdin, Jafar, and Iago, called "Rocks and Sand." It’s three characters trying to manipulate and evade each other in a joyful tête-à-tête that makes me giggle. Blink and you’ll miss it in the grand scheme of the show, but it’s an important link in the narrative.
Tell me about sharing the stage with Jasmine Amy Rogers in BOOP! Were you disappointed the joyful musical didn't have a longer run?
Jasmine is a superstar, it’s undeniable. And I love her! We had the most incredible time together on BOOP! And we walked away from it with a beautiful bond that will carry on. BOOP! was pure joy! Of course, I’m disappointed we didn’t get to share it for longer. I think, perhaps, its power and energy were underestimated. But I’m so deeply glad we had it for the time we did.
Looking back on your experience in BOOP!, do you have a favorite memory, either on stage or off stage?
The final performance was unforgettable—incredible love from the audience, an emotional performance for the cast, and a loving farewell to a show that only wanted to make people smile.
Do you have any dream stage roles and/or actors you would like to work with?
Where do I begin? Crazy for You. The Band’s Visit. White Christmas. And I’d be thrilled to stand beside icons like Beth Leavel, Jane Krakowski, or Martin Short.
What do you consider your big break?
Aladdin was my big break, back home in Australia. It was my mainstage debut, and I was leading that company at just 25 years old. And, ultimately, it’s what brought me to Broadway.
Tell me about a job/opportunity you really wanted but didn’t get. How did you get over that disappointment?
I auditioned for Singin' in the Rain, straight out of college, for an ensemble track. I thought I was a surefire hire, being a tapper from when I was very young. But it did not go my way. I moved through that disappointment by getting back into the studio and honing my skills further.
What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
Just lean into that which is unique to you. For so long I tried to guess what casting directors wanted to see. Now I just offer up what I have within me.
In such difficult times in this country and around the world, how do you think theatre can play a positive role, either for yourself and/or the community at large?
The arts have always been a medium through which we can speak up, through which we can change minds, through which we can provide escape. We need all of these things right now. A place to raise our voices, a place to come together, and a place to feel safe, even for a moment, from the adversities we are navigating.
