So today is the first read-thru for the 2009/10 Season Opener for Fantasy Theatre for Children, Aladdin.
It isn't the typical Aladdin with all the Disney jazz, it's more the traditional version, with two genies (genie of the lamp AND genie of the ring), and the villain is The Evil Magician. Although with my love of all things Disney, and with my love for acting, in a play that was done as a movie and stage-show in Disneyland, I like to think of the role as Jafar. After all, he's a tall, skinny, greedy man with a low voice, who wants the lamp, princess, palace, and power!
Upon finishing college in May 2007 I was looking for theatre companys to join. When I read one was auditioning for Aladdin, I immediately memorized the monologue of the opening beggar for Disney's Aladdin, and landed the role of the bad guy right away.
Since then, I've been cast in the same company as a sword-fighting, angry pirate...an evil king (twice, in two different shows!) and The Grinch last Christmas. Seperately - in a different theatre company after my initial Aladdin run in 2007 - I've been cast as a greedy, borderline-psychotic Las Vegas hotel owner, and a retired, short-tempered military sargeant. Is there a trend of evil going here or is it just me?!
Anyhow...as Tony, the director, first told me...villains are the most fun to play. And what is exciting for me this time is to play the role AGAIN. Getting a second chance nearly two years after the first run will be so much fun. You get to develop the character more, become the character more. I remember the entire crowd of 150-200 kids yelling at me as I kept saying, "The whole world will be MINE!" The audience went, "NO!"...and it went over and over....I sing a song at one point, and that specific audience booed at the end of it...talk about them hating me, rather, the character, lol. It's an amazing adreneline rush! I am going to blog every week about rehearsals and how they are going, and I hope you'll enjoy what I write.
Tonight is the first read-thru for selected individuals for the show. The rest of the show has to determine their characters...I'm the only one pre-selected for this show. Oh, and I get to try on the official Disney-licenced adult-sized Jafar costume tonight for this run! It's going to be absolutely amazing!
And...of course getting the chance to do this for a second time? It's like....a dream come true...and for audiences to see it again? Heh...just wait til they see how sssssssssssnake-like I can be, THIS time!
Chris
1)Congratulations!
ReplyDelete2)Is this the show where Jasmine has friends too?
If so, I did this production in Middle School and was Sheba :)
Thank-you!!!
ReplyDeleteNope, there must be several versions of Aladdin then! There is the princess, two genies, the 'evil magician', sultan and even a Mime!! lol :) oh and of course...Aladdin!