New York City Broadway Theater Guide

Aida

Broadway Musical

Previews  February 23 2000
Opened March 23 2000
Closing September 5 2004

Run 30 previews | 1,852 performances

Running Time  2 hrs 30 mins | 1 intermission

Tickets  $55 to $100

Prices do not include any taxes, service charges or other charges

Creative  Linda Woolverton book | Elton John music | Tim Rice lyrics | Wayne Cilentro choreographer | Robert Falls director

Cast  Deborah Cox | Will Chase | Lisa Brescia | Micky Dolenz | Eric Summers | Robert Jason Jackson | Tom Nelis

Note Adam Pascal, originator of the Radames role, will replace Will Chase from June 28th thru the show's closing on September 5th

Opening Night Cast  Heather Headley | Adam Pascal | Sherie Taylor Dane | John Hickok | Damian Perkins | Tyrees Allen | Graem Malcolm

Review  Heather Headley's Aida is not a cartoon character. The exciting young actress steals the show in the title role of Disney's adaptation of the Verdi opera classic. The show itself could have benefited from a couple of years development from Disney's imagineers. All of the typical characters in the Disney stable are represented in this adaptation -- villain, heroine, tragic hero, mugging sidekick -- and you find yourself wondering how they would have been portrayed in a cartoon feature such as Aladdin

The story is simple, tragic love. Up and coming military man Radames (played by Mr Pascal) is engaged to the Pharaoh's daughter (Ms Scott) when he falls -- heavily and impossibly -- for the captured Aida. Atop this five-minute plot the Disney folks pile on effects that will either delight or confuse youngsters and bore adults. The Elton John-Tim Rice score doesn't have a toe- tapper or a hit; you might leave humming a few bars from the finale but you'll forget all by morning. The dialogue is up-to-date and understandable by young and old, though its campy quality might cause snickers among adults

Ms Headley is a delight and her next role should be a star turn (a la Audra MacDonald in Marie Christine) to cement her claim to Broadway diva-ship

TheaterScene Review

The very qualities which make this production of the Verdi classic objectionable to adults make it perfect for young people. Disney's traditional cartoonization of the classic has added a happy ending to the poignantly tragic opera about an Egyptian princess hopelessly in love with her country's military hero...

Visit TheaterScene.net to read Jeannie Lieberman's complete review of Aida 

Bottom Line  Worth it to see Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child or if you can't get the kids into The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast

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