QSaltLake Magazine - 299 - May 2, 2019

Page 27

MAY 2, 2019  |

A&E   |  QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE  |  27

Issue 299  |  Qsaltlake.com

‘Aladdin’ grants the wish for thrilling theater BY TONY HOBDAY

Like

millions (a rounded number) of people, I’ve seen the 1992 animated Aladdin movie — and while I found the story engaging and kind of sweet, I’m honestly just not a big fan of animation; give me actual pixelated humans or actual 3-D humans on a stage. So, when Broadway at the Eccles opened a musical adaptation of Aladdin last week, I was gung ho to see it. A condensed version of the story line of Aladdin goes like this: Aladdin is a poor yet care-free street rat in an Arabian city. One day he meets Princess Jasmine, the daughter of the Sultan of the land, and falls madly in love. However, the evil Jafar, the Sultan’s sorcerer, imprisons Aladdin and manipulates him into working for him. Unknown to Aladdin, he is the only one

who can enter and unlock the treasures of a secret cave, including a magical lamp. Aladdin finds the lamp and releases the genie trapped within. The genie offers to grant him three wishes. Meanwhile, Jafar wants the lamp and the Princess has to be married within three days. Yes, it’s a standard Disney fantasy love story. But director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw stages a Las Vegas-esque treat, complete with over-the-top costume designs by Gregg Barnes, overthe-top (as in animated) performances, particularly the part of a (genderqueer) Genie, performed by Major Attaway, and colorful stage and lighting designs by Tony Award-winning Bob Crowley and Natasha Katz. And if you’re asking yourself, “I wonder how they’re going to make a believable flying carpet?”, well

that means you definitely should go see it because it’ll knock your genie shoes off. Yes, Aladdin is a little schmaltzy and a little disproportionate with the story but the audience will forgive that because everything is so colorful and we are swept away with its beauty.  Q Aladdin is currently running through May 12, tickets at arttix.artsaltlake.org.


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Articles inside

The tale of the beauty and the beast

3min
page 50

5 problems with living in the future

2min
page 46

Treatment is prevention

5min
pages 44-45

Get active

2min
page 38

Lasciviousness to lasagna: Caff\u00E9 Molise

1min
page 34

Deep Inside Hollywood

2min
page 33

Molly Shannon Queering a Literary Icon

9min
pages 30-32

\u201CSissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story\u201D

2min
page 29

Scottish Ballet joins Ballet West\u2019s Choreographic Festival

2min
page 28

\u2018Aladdin\u2019 grants the wish for thrilling theater

1min
page 27

Tony's Gay Agenda

2min
page 26

The 1993 March on Washington, and ... Logan

4min
pages 24-25

Thank you for 50 years of Happy Pride

3min
page 23

Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman

3min
page 22

Cupcake Warrior

2min
page 21

Pride around the globe

2min
page 18

Pride across the state

1min
page 18

The makers of Five Wives Vodka announced a special Utah Pride Festival label \u2014 Five Husbands Vodka.

2min
page 16

A Sneak Peek at Utah Pride

3min
page 15

Qmmunity

1min
page 14

Utah Leather Pride, May 19

1min
page 14

Summer Sports

2min
page 13

byu valedictorian to his graduating class: \u2018I am proud to be a gay son of God\u2019

7min
pages 10-12

News

5min
pages 8-9

Deciding to Dance the Dance

1min
page 6

BYU valedictorian to his graduating class: \"I am proud to be a gay son of God\"

7min
pages 10-12
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