“Letters of Suresh” play by ReACT Theatre & Pratidhwani. Extended one more week till 5/18/24! Stay tuned for my full review. #showsiveseen #theatre #origami
Rosie Narasaki’s “Unrivaled” play opening night by Seattle Public Theater & SIS Productions. Performing until 6/2. Stay tuned for my full review! #poetry #haiku #asian #japan #japanese
Stefano Massini’s “The Lehman Trilogy” opening night and last ACT Theatre play directed by John Langs. Performing until 5/19/24. Stay tuned for my full review! #showsiveseen #theatre #LehmanBrothers #jewish #BaruchHashem #capitalism #bank #banking #finance
Vida Oliphant Sneed’s The Lion Tells His Tale world premiere at Intiman Theatre featuring Delbert Richardson’s American History Traveling Museum: The Unspoken Truths. Don’t wait for my full review to buy tickets if you want to see this show since there are only 3 more performances left and it’s nearly sold out. Rush tickets available even in sold out performances. #theatre #showsiveseen #bipoc #black #poc #history #africa #dance
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Disney’s Aladdin musical at Paramount Theatre w/ Seattle Theatre Group & Broadway Across America starring Adi Roy & Senzel Ahmady. Marcus M. Martin’s Genie gave Robbin Williams a run for his money. Clever comedic relief jokes with Middle Eastern references.
Recommendation See it, especially if you enjoyed the movie.
Synopsis from the Theatre: Discover a whole new world at Disney’s Aladdin, the hit Broadway musical. From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of Aladdin, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It’s an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite.
Attended Performance Date: 4/24/24 – Get you tickets now since the tour is only in-town for one week till 4/28/24.
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Static (Stationary) Set? No
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’d probably appreciate this more if you’ve seen the original film.
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Equity Actors: All
Total Number of Actors: 31
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to fast speed
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.5 hours
Was there an intermission? Yes
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? No, I saw the national tour in 2017, also at Paramount Theatre. Plus, I saw the movie countless times.
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Two times seeing the national tour is probably enough for me. But obviously, the production value is inherently good since it’s a national tour.
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above
Cave of Wonders: The show’s energy felt off a couple of times in the beginning until the cave of wonders segment. The scene had a dazzling set, an alluring premise, and tap dance! It was an entertaining introduction to the Genie character (played by the delightful Marcus M. Martin).
Comedic Relief: The jokes were funny … if not a bit corny. One of my favorites was “She [Princess Jasmine] is a beauty what with the hair and the belly button.” Most other jokes were Middle Eastern-themed (like “Tom, Dick, and Hassim”) that frequently mentioned Arabic food.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
“Price Ali” Song: This would have been a better pre-intermission showstopper than a second act opener.
“Proud of Your Boy” Song: Every time they sang this song, I kept thinking about how the Proud Boys adopted it as their anthem. It’s ruined for me!
Dance Synchronicity : Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the last national tour (MJ: The Musical) that I saw at the Paramount Theatre, but it felt like the choreography could have been tighter.
Honest Guards: The guards could have rubbed the lamp when it was handed to them at the end!
“A Whole New World” Song: It was definitely not as epic as the movie’s classic hit song. But the magic carpet stage effects was pretty cool to see. Side note, the magic carpet could be likened to a car. How high school cliche is it for a girl to fall for a guy after she finds out he has a new fancy car!
Theatre Company: National Tour Brought by Seattle Theatre Group and Broadway Across America
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 911 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
Ticket Affordability Options: Seattle Theatre Group might partner with an organization you’re affiliated with for discount tickets. For example, I believe UW employees/students are eligible for an organization discount.
Dates: April 24 – 28, 2024
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking: Paid street parking and paid garage parking. The best parking garage is under the convention center w/ the entrance on Pike around the Pike and Terry intersection. Last I checked, this is one of the cheapest, least busy, and closest garages. Alternatively, you can probably find street parking as you move closer to the West Precinct (810 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101). Do NOT park where the Paramount subscribers park. Last I checked, they usually park in the garage attached to the Cheesecake Factory. It’ll take you at least 30 minutes to exit that garage after the show.
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