One of the biggest changes to Broadway in the last 25 years was when Disney began to expand its entertainment behemoth onto the live stage. Following the success of its first Broadway production (Beauty and the Beast, opening in 1994) and most famous & successful so far (The Lion King, which has been running for over 20 consecutive years now), Disney has been adapting many of its beloved animated classics for the stage in recent years. One of Disney’s more recent additions to the Broadway scene was Aladdin the Musical. With an accessible story, fantastic music, and breathtaking set & costume design & staging (not to mention help from the original movie’s popularity), Aladdin was a big hit on Broadway, as well as on national tours. It should come as no surprise, then, that the production had a featured performance at the 2014 Tony Awards. (You can view the performance from the telecast of the Tonys here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UL0CDMhjj4)
For the performance at the Tony Awards, the Aladdin company performed “Friend Like Me”, Genie’s show-stopping introductory number. Taking place in the Cave of Wonders, the set certainly delivers on the expectations for what that might entail—with dazzling gold- and jewel-covered pillars and a menacing stone background, it’s a very detailed set that’s even more astounding when seen live. The set prepares the audience excellently for the spectacle about to unfold as Genie begins to sing. Throughout the number, all sorts of factors come together to make the performance stellar. Various jokes in the words, music, and staging—some obvious in the scene and some in reference to outside things, including a nod to the fact that the performance is at the Tonys (“Dance like you’re holding a Tony!”)—keep the audience laughing; some magic tricks and pyrotechnics (although much less than in the context of the full show!) wow the audience; the dance breaks give great, extended opportunities for the orchestra and the chorus (as well as Genie & Aladdin) to shine (literally, to an extent); the lighting cues add to the changes in pace throughout (with the most noticeable moment being when the lights go blue for Genie’s moment to rest from dancing to sing some “classics”—excerpts of songs from other Disney shows); and the music itself is just a blast.
It’s interesting to consider what the thought process was behind this song being selected for the Tony Awards performance. Most people wouldn’t argue with selecting this song to represent the production as a whole, and there are several good reasons for that. In my opinion, the number is representative of what the show appeals to in the audience: there’s an element of awe to it, it’s funny and over-the-top, and Genie steals the show. (Oh, and apparently the actor for Aladdin is good-looking, for what that’s worth from the comments on the video.) Having seen the production when it was on tour in Chicago, the scene in the Cave of Wonders was the one that stuck with me the most, so from that experience I would say it’s a great number to show off the show.
The number is also a great choice for performing at an awards show because it’s a spectacle number and a show-stopper. What makes it even more applicable to this particular awards show is that the actor featured most prominently in the number was nominated to receive an award for that year. Genie’s actor, James Monroe Iglehart, was nominated for (and actually won) the 2014 Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for his portrayal of Genie, and this number shows why. Iglehart sings or dances (often both simultaneously) for almost the entire four-and-a-half minutes of the number, and he hardly seems to break a sweat! Commenter Mica Xoxo points this out, stating “How does he move around that much AND sing at the same time and not pass out[?]” Needless to say, Iglehart also sounds and looks great the entire time, adding to the impressiveness of his endurance.
The only dissent to be found anywhere in the comments section regarding the quality of Iglehart’s performance is based solely on the popularity (and impression left on people’s hearts) of Robin Williams’s portrayal of Genie in the original animated movie, which, as commenter Kat Holland expressed, “is a shame…[because] these are two entirely different versions of the same song with different goals and different target audiences.” (Kat Holland’s comment was actually on the video with the Broadway cast album recording of the song, accessible here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HdwdptrmQQ)
As great as Williams’s performance is, one can’t deny that Iglehart has a lot more work to do in bringing the role to life than just voice acting. The two mediums require very different things of the actors, and the stage has very different limitations (as well as benefits) from animation’s limitations (and benefits). If this were a live-action movie instead of a live performance, there would be yet more completely different aspects available for comparison, but even as commenters discuss how everything seems to look for the upcoming Aladdin movie (featuring Will Smith as Genie), it’s not completely fair to judge them against each other as “better” or “worse” without addressing the differences in art form. (Anyone wanting to watch the version of the song from the original animated movie can do so here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99Op1TaXmCw)
Often just as noteworthy as what a chosen number to perform at the Tonys does showcase is what the number doesn’t showcase about the production. There are a lot of leading and supporting characters who don’t participate in this number, with Jasmine & Jafar being the main two. In this particular case, there is no reason for me to question the validity of the decision considering everything said above, but it’s still interesting to point out (and perhaps someone else would want to expand on it).
Having seen the touring production on Broadway in Chicago twice during the summer of 2017, I can say with complete sincerity that this scene was even more spectacular live. The Cave of Wonders and the scene taking place inside it took my breath away and stuck with me both times. Commenter Caleb DeLaBruere agrees with me, stating: “I got to see this show live on Broadway, and let me say, the video doesn’t do it justice. It’s even better in person, and I’ve heard of instances when the genie gets a standing ovation at the end of this act.”
“I got to see this show live on Broadway, and let me say, the video doesn’t do it justice.” – Caleb DeLaBruere, commenter
Commenter mermermer123 brought to the attention of those reading the comments that “they made the song shorter for the Tonys!!!”, supporting how Iglehart’s performance is even more impressive in the context of the show by virtue of there being more that he does during the number. The number was indeed reduced to fit the slot for the Tony Awards, as is made evident by the length of the cast recording of the song. The Tony Awards performance is greatly reduced in length from the 7’35” recording, which itself is also cut down (as big numbers frequently are on Broadway cast albums) from the full version performed in the show.
