# Aladdin (2011 musical)
**Aladdin** is a musical comedy produced by [Disney Theatrical Productions](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-theatrical-productions), adapted from Disney's 1992 animated film and from centuries-old folktales including *One Thousand and One Nights*. It has a book by Chad Beguelin, music by [Alan Menken](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-menken), and lyrics by [Howard Ashman](https://www.edgepedia.org/howard-ashman) and Tim Rice, with additional lyrics by Beguelin.[1](https://www.broadway.org/shows/aladdin?l=1) • [2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/aladdin-495244) After a world premiere at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in July 2011, the show opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre on March 20, 2014, and became one of Broadway's longest-running productions.[3](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Seattles-5th-Avenue-Theatre-Premieres-ALADDIN-7731-20110113) • [4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/aladdin/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Source material | The 1992 Disney animated film (written by Ron Clements, John Musker, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio) and folktales including *One Thousand and One Nights*[1](https://www.broadway.org/shows/aladdin?l=1) |
| Creative team | Book by Chad Beguelin; music by Alan Menken; lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice; directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw[1](https://www.broadway.org/shows/aladdin?l=1) |
| Premiere | 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, July 7 to 31, 2011, produced as a pilot intended for licensing to professional and regional theaters[3](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Seattles-5th-Avenue-Theatre-Premieres-ALADDIN-7731-20110113) • [5](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Confirmed-Disneys-Aladdin-to-Play-Seattles-5th-Avenue-in-July-2011-20110112-page2) |
| Broadway opening | March 20, 2014, at the New Amsterdam Theatre, after previews from February 26; run time 2 hours 30 minutes with one intermission[4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/aladdin/) • [1](https://www.broadway.org/shows/aladdin?l=1) |
| Restored songs | Numbers cut from the film's early drafts, including "Proud of Your Boy", "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim", "High Adventure" and "Call Me a Princess"[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-ComposerLyricist-Chad-Beguelin-on-New-ALADDIN-Musical-20110623) |
| Genie and Tony | James Monroe Iglehart originated the Genie on Broadway and won a Tony Award for the role in 2014[7](https://apnews.com/article/2d4f4f8befc79492352a3cfc4a40ce16) |
| Scale | By its 4,000th performance the Broadway production was the 15th longest-running show in Broadway history; the franchise has launched eleven productions on four continents and been seen by more than 21 million guests[8](https://www.alanmenken.com/work/aladdin) • [9](https://whartoncenterassets.com/wcpa/program/2025-2026/Beauty-and-the-Beast.pdf) |
## Development from film to stage
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken wrote an entire version of the *Aladdin* score for the animated film that was shelved and put back into development; when it re-emerged, only two of those songs remained in the film, "Friend Like Me" and "Arabian Nights". Menken then collaborated with [Tim Rice](https://www.edgepedia.org/tim-rice), who wrote the lyrics for "One Jump Ahead" and "A Whole New World".[8](https://www.alanmenken.com/work/aladdin) When Ashman and Menken first began work on the story, they wanted it to have the feel of an old [Bing Crosby](https://www.edgepedia.org/bing-crosby) and [Bob Hope](https://www.edgepedia.org/bob-hope) "Road to Morocco" movie, an influence partly lost in the film version.[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-ComposerLyricist-Chad-Beguelin-on-New-ALADDIN-Musical-20110623)
In 2009, Disney Theatrical Group decided to bring the property to the stage as a full-length musical and enlisted Beguelin, a Tony-nominated lyricist, to weave some of the original Ashman and Menken elements back into the story audiences knew from the film.[10](https://broadwaygps.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Aladdin-Broadway-StudyGuide.pdf) The first production was a pilot: after its Seattle premiere in July 2011, followed by runs in Utah and Missouri, Disney began work on an entirely new version for Broadway, with a new script, reordered songs, and an original set design.[4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/aladdin/) The pilot ran July 7 to 31, 2011, replacing a scheduled production of *Oklahoma!* on the 5th Avenue Theatre's calendar, and at the time was stated to be intended for licensing rather than a Broadway tryout.[3](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Seattles-5th-Avenue-Theatre-Premieres-ALADDIN-7731-20110113) • [5](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Confirmed-Disneys-Aladdin-to-Play-Seattles-5th-Avenue-in-July-2011-20110112-page2)
A pre-Broadway engagement ran at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto from November 13, 2013, before the Broadway transfer.[4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/aladdin/)
## Songs
All of the songs from the film appear in the stage musical, alongside material cut from the original treatment and new songs written for the stage.[11](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/theater/disneys-aladdin-the-broadway-musical-vs-the-animated-film-97881.html) The restored Ashman and Menken numbers include "Proud of Your Boy", a ballad Aladdin sings to his mother, "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim", "High Adventure", and "Call Me a Princess".[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-ComposerLyricist-Chad-Beguelin-on-New-ALADDIN-Musical-20110623) Beguelin wrote new songs with Menken, including "A Million Miles Away", "Somebody's Got Your Back", and "A Royal Wedding".[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-ComposerLyricist-Chad-Beguelin-on-New-ALADDIN-Musical-20110623) The stage version's plot draws on both the released film and the earlier Ashman-Menken treatment, and the cut characters Babkak, Omar and Kassim, Aladdin's street-performing friends, were added back into the story.[11](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/theater/disneys-aladdin-the-broadway-musical-vs-the-animated-film-97881.html) • [6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-ComposerLyricist-Chad-Beguelin-on-New-ALADDIN-Musical-20110623)
Restoring "Proud of Your Boy" was a particular priority for Menken. The song had been written before the decision to make Aladdin an orphan, and Menken described it as "supposed to be a kid shrugging going 'Well mom, I wasn't born perfect like you but I want to make you proud'".[12](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/i-remember-when-we-wrote-it-there-was-a-huge-amount-of-excitement-it-gives-such-a-lift-to-the-whole-project-basically-saying-thats-the-dna-were-going-to-be-build-from-alan-menken-looks-back-on-his-biggest-disney-movie-compositions) • [13](https://www.denvercenter.org/news-center/alan-menken-the-musical-maestro-behind-aladdin/)
## Broadway production and reception
The Broadway production previews began on February 26, 2014, at the [New Amsterdam Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-amsterdam-theatre), with the official opening on March 20.[4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/aladdin/) It was the fifth Disney animated film adapted for the Broadway stage, after *[Beauty and the Beast](https://www.edgepedia.org/beauty-and-the-beast-musical)*, *The Lion King*, *Tarzan*, and *[The Little Mermaid](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-little-mermaid-musical)*.[11](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/theater/disneys-aladdin-the-broadway-musical-vs-the-animated-film-97881.html) Reported production costs were projected between $12 million and $15 million.[14](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-aladdin-disney-broadway-20140321-story.html)
Critical reaction was warm rather than adoring. Reviewers called the show solid entertainment while noting it did not match the creative innovation of *The Lion King*.[14](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-aladdin-disney-broadway-20140321-story.html) Charles Isherwood of *The New York Times* wrote that the show "defied my dour expectations" and had "an infectious and only mildly syrupy spirit".[14](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-aladdin-disney-broadway-20140321-story.html) [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hollywood-reporter)'s David Rooney described it as "sweet, silly fun" that was "not the most sophisticated entertainment".[14](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-aladdin-disney-broadway-20140321-story.html) A consistent critical thread concerned the Genie: the biggest challenge of the adaptation was finding a way to reproduce [Robin Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-williams)' manic vocal performance from the film, and [James Monroe Iglehart](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-monroe-iglehart)'s showstopping "Friend Like Me", performed with a tap-dancing, gold-plated backup chorus, was widely identified as the production's centerpiece.[15](https://time.com/36156/aladdin-broadway-show-review/) Iglehart won a Tony Award for the role in 2014.[7](https://apnews.com/article/2d4f4f8befc79492352a3cfc4a40ce16) Beguelin was nominated for the 2014 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical.[16](https://time.com/80803/the-2014-tony-awards-nominations-see-the-full-list/)
**Casting.** The Seattle and Broadway productions starred Adam Jacobs as Aladdin and [Jonathan Freeman](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonathan-freeman-actor) reprising his film role as Jafar.[4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/aladdin/) Later Broadway principals have included Rodney Ingram in the title role and Sonya Balsara as Jasmine.[1](https://www.broadway.org/shows/aladdin?l=1) In September 2026, the daytime talk show host [Sherri Shepherd](https://www.edgepedia.org/sherri-shepherd) was announced to join the Broadway production as the Genie from October 16 to January 3.[7](https://apnews.com/article/2d4f4f8befc79492352a3cfc4a40ce16)
## Commercial performance and international productions
The Broadway production has broken 16 New Amsterdam Theatre house records and spawned additional productions on four continents; worldwide it has welcomed more than 16 million people as of 2023.[17](https://www.overture.org/media/vx5p22za/disneys-aladdin-on-sale_082323_approved.pdf) A later Disney Theatrical figure put the total at more than 21 million guests across eleven productions on four continents.[9](https://whartoncenterassets.com/wcpa/program/2025-2026/Beauty-and-the-Beast.pdf) When the Broadway production reached 4,000 performances, it stood as the 15th longest-running show in Broadway history; the milestone fell on what would have been Howard Ashman's 75th birthday.[8](https://www.alanmenken.com/work/aladdin)
A North American tour launched in October 2022 and played in over 40 cities to more than half a million people in its first year.[17](https://www.overture.org/media/vx5p22za/disneys-aladdin-on-sale_082323_approved.pdf) Productions have also run in Japan, Spain, and the United Kingdom; the show came to London's Prince Edward Theatre in 2016, where reviewers praised its stage magic and the performance of [Trevor Dion Nicholas](https://www.edgepedia.org/trevor-dion-nicholas), imported from the 2014 Broadway production, as the Genie.[18](https://apnews.com/article/4cd2d3168e5568c760ec017231bcffbd) • [19](https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jun/15/aladdin-review-disney-musical-west-end-prince-edward-theatre)
## References
1. [Aladdin – On Broadway, Broadway.org (The Broadway League)](https://www.broadway.org/shows/aladdin?l=1)
2. [Aladdin – Broadway Musical – Original, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/aladdin-495244)
3. [Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre Premieres ALADDIN, 7/7–31, BroadwayWorld (2011)](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Seattles-5th-Avenue-Theatre-Premieres-ALADDIN-7731-20110113)
4. [Aladdin, D23](https://d23.com/a-to-z/aladdin/)
5. [Confirmed! Disney's Aladdin to Play Seattle's 5th Avenue in July 2011, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Confirmed-Disneys-Aladdin-to-Play-Seattles-5th-Avenue-in-July-2011-20110112-page2)
6. [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Composer/Lyricist Chad Beguelin on New ALADDIN Musical!, BroadwayWorld (2011)](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-ComposerLyricist-Chad-Beguelin-on-New-ALADDIN-Musical-20110623)
7. [Sherri Shepherd to join Broadway's 'Aladdin' as the Genie, The Associated Press (2026)](https://apnews.com/article/2d4f4f8befc79492352a3cfc4a40ce16)
8. [Aladdin, AlanMenken.com](https://www.alanmenken.com/work/aladdin)
9. [Disney Theatrical Group program copy, Wharton Center (2025–2026)](https://whartoncenterassets.com/wcpa/program/2025-2026/Beauty-and-the-Beast.pdf)
10. [Journey to the Stage: Aladdin study guide, Broadway GPS](https://broadwaygps.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Aladdin-Broadway-StudyGuide.pdf)
11. [Disney's 'Aladdin': The Broadway Musical vs. The Animated Film, Cartoon Brew (2014)](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/theater/disneys-aladdin-the-broadway-musical-vs-the-animated-film-97881.html)
12. [Alan Menken looks back on his biggest Disney movie compositions, MusicRadar (2026)](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/i-remember-when-we-wrote-it-there-was-a-huge-amount-of-excitement-it-gives-such-a-lift-to-the-whole-project-basically-saying-thats-the-dna-were-going-to-be-build-from-alan-menken-looks-back-on-his-biggest-disney-movie-compositions)
13. [Alan Menken: The Musical Maestro Behind Aladdin, Denver Center for the Performing Arts](https://www.denvercenter.org/news-center/alan-menken-the-musical-maestro-behind-aladdin/)
14. [Disney's 'Aladdin' opens on Broadway to warm critical reception, Los Angeles Times (2014)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-aladdin-disney-broadway-20140321-story.html)
15. [REVIEW: Aladdin: More Magic From Disney, TIME (2014)](https://time.com/36156/aladdin-broadway-show-review/)
16. [The 2014 Tony Awards Nominations: See the Full List, TIME](https://time.com/80803/the-2014-tony-awards-nominations-see-the-full-list/)
17. [Disney's Aladdin on sale announcement, Overture Center (2023)](https://www.overture.org/media/vx5p22za/disneys-aladdin-on-sale_082323_approved.pdf)
18. [The 'Aladdin' stage musical turns 10 this month, The Associated Press (2024)](https://apnews.com/article/4cd2d3168e5568c760ec017231bcffbd)
19. [Aladdin review – Disney musical is a magic carpet ride to panto land, The Guardian (2016)](https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jun/15/aladdin-review-disney-musical-west-end-prince-edward-theatre)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Compositions and songs › Musical theater works › Contemporary book musicals › 2010s and later musicals*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license