The magic continues: Aladdin celebrates 9th Anniversary...

performed as Aladdin and Princess Jasmine (definitely not at the same time; Arielle joined the cast from her stint in Australia and Adam already left the cast).

He says that it is also special to represent himself as one of the handful of Filipino Americans performing on stage. He mentions that it inspires him to be the best version of himself possible and he still gets excited to scan the audience and see someone that looks like him.

Soriano says that most of the time, he sees his cast mates more than he sees his actual family or his wife at home. He explains that they are a closely knit company, and what we see on his social media posts is what it is. Soriano mentions that it is a privilege to be a part of the Aladdin family, and he feels lucky to have been a part of the show for eight years. He adds that the show has been an amazing journey for him, and he is excited to see where it will take him next.

Michael Malakiel made his Broadway debut as Aladdin about a year and a half ago. He expressed his gratitude for being part of a show that has stood the test of time and has a loyal audience, acknowledging the rarity of being part of a show.

He credits the show’s success to the amazing people who come together to tell the story every night.

“Having someone that looks like me in a leading role on Broadway is huge,” he said. “Representation really matters.”

He believes that representation is not just about checking the diversity box but ensuring that all identities are valued in the industry, which was built and supported by mostly white folks. He credits Disney on Broadway for leading the charge on diversity and allowing actors of color to support themselves in the business.

Dennis Stowe, who plays Jafar, talked about his experience of being the only person of color in earlier shows that he had been part of and how it is important to be that representation for one little child who is looking at them from the audience.

“It made me realize how important it is, you know, representation for them to see themselves and to feel included in this world, it’s so very important,” he said.

He believes that representation can help people respect even those whose cultures they may not see or interact with daily, like the show’s fictional Agrabah. He also thinks that Disney on Broadway is doing better when it comes to representation but acknowledges that there is always room for improvement. He would like to see the industry move towards a time when the most equipped person gets the role regardless of their identity.

Malakiel on the other hand shared his family’s experience of seeing Aladdin as a movie and being excited to see a story that was about people who looked like them.

“It was hands down my favorite Disney movie growing up and I had two brothers and we were just obsessed with the film and played it on repeat for hours on end,” he shared laughing.

They were so obsessed that they would recreate the marketplace scenes in their living room and jump off buildings and pretend to be Aladdin.

“It was completely surreal flash forward many years that I finally got to perform this role on Broadway. I mean, it was something that I never even dreamed it might be possible and to have that happen,” he explained. “And to be flying a carpet every night and someone’s actually paying me to do, I mean all of it feels completely insane.”

That is why these cast members’ hearts are full of gratitude for being part of a show that tells a story that people love and enjoy. For them, it’s a gift that keeps on giving. n