Youth Theatre Northwest's production of "Aladdin Jr.", adapted from the popular Disney animation and featuring the talents of local youth and music by Alan Menken, runs through Feb. 10.
The lavish production whisks the audience away to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where, according to the playbill, "every beggar has a story and every camel has a tale."
The musical promises magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, "where every wish is possible."
Disney’s "Aladdin Jr." is best for ages 3 and older and performs on YTN’s Mainstage Jan. 25 – Feb. 10; Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 pm, with Matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm.
Youth Theatre Northwest is located at 8805 S.E. 40th Street on Mercer Island. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for youth/seniors, and may be purchased by calling the Box Office at (206) 232-4145, ext. 109, or online at www.youththeatre.org.
Remaining Performance Schedule:
- Friday, February 1 7:00 pm
- Saturday, February 2 2:00 pm
- Saturday, February 2 7:00 pm
- Sunday, February 3 2:00 pm
- Friday, February 8 7:00 pm
- Saturday, February 9 2:00 pm
- Saturday, February 9 7:00 pm
- Closing Sunday, February 10 2:00 pm
The cast of Disney’s Aladdin Jr. features some of Youth Theatre’s brightest young talent. The cast of 30 actors are from Mercer Island, Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah and Newcastle. The musical's lyrics are by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, book adaptation and additional lyrics by Jim Luigs and musical adaptation and arrangement by Bryan Louiselle. Aladdin Jr. is directed by Isiah Anderson Jr. with musical direction by Heather MacLaughlin Garbes.
Disney’s Aladdin Jr. comes to life through the creative talents of its dynamic production team; including Scenic Design by Craig Wollam, Lighting by Chris Frickland, Costumes by Janessa Styck, Properties by Amanda Lee Williams, Choreography by Sonia Shaw, and Stage Management by Michael Yakovich.
Released in 1992, Aladdin was the 31st animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, based on the Arab folktale of Aladdin and the magic lamp from One Thousand and One Nights, and was the most successful film of 1992, earning over $217 million in revenue in the United States, and over $504 million worldwide.
The film also won many awards, most of them for its soundtrack. In November 2010 Alan Menken announced that the popular animation was being adapted for musical theatre with a book written by Chad Beguelin. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, the show premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre from July 7–31, 2011. Jonathan Freeman, who voiced Jafar in the film, played the role in the stage adaptation. Another production of the musical played at the Muny Theatre in St. Louis from July 5–13, 2012.
According to Disney, the show will play on Broadway beginning Spring 2014 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, taking the place of "Mary Poppins".
