An Indian adaptation of the Broadway musical Aladdin will begin performances in April at Mumbai’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, according to Variety.
The musical, based on the 1992 animated Disney film of the same name, will be reimagined to make it more relevant for audiences in India, though the essence of the production will remain the same. (Aladdin is set in the fictional Agrabah—not India—though designs in both the film and musical feature inspirations from Indo-Islamic architecture and culture.)
Shruti Sharma will direct a cast that includes Siddharth Menon, Taaruk Raina, Kira Narayanan, Mantra Chaturvedi, and Vikrant Chaturvedi. Shampa Gopikrishna and Bertwin D’Souza will choreograph with music direction by Dhruv Ghanekar.
The stage production, which expands the 90-minute film into a two-act format, features music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Tim Rice and the late Howard Ashman, and book and additional lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Casey Nicholaw directed and choreographed the original production, which continues to play the New Amsterdam Theatre after opening in 2014 and launching a national tour last year.
The Broadway cast is currently headed by Telly Leung in the title role, Major Attaway in his Broadway debut as Genie, and Arielle Jacobs as Jasmine.
Disney India previously presented Beauty and the Beast in 2015–2016.
SEE WHAT IS COMING TO BROADWAY IN THE NEAR FUTURE
Brad Weinstock, Steel Burkhardt, and Brian Gonzales take their bows in Aladdin
Dennis Stowe.
