Set in a world filled with swirling sands, genies and magic carpets, Aladdin is a prime example of what makes Disney princess movies so memorable to children throughout the world.
In a period when the entertainment industry greatly lacked diversity and representation, 1992's Aladdin became the first Disney animated feature to include people of color as main characters, including the studio's first non-white princess, Jasmine.
"Growing up, so many brown kids watched Aladdin and felt like it was their movie and it was their representation in the entertainment industry," says Senzel Ahmady, who stars as Jasmine in Best of Broadway's touring production. "Even if it wasn't the best representation, it was some representation."
On Broadway, Ahmady says casting POC actors and telling stories through non-eurocentric perspectives is still a new shift that's emerging on stage.
"It definitely started out as a thing where there weren't very many POC actors on Broadway to begin with, so anybody that wasn't white was pretty much cast in Aladdin," she says. "We finally saw our first brown actors, Michael Maliakel playing Aladdin and Shoba Narayan playing Jasmine, and since then we've seen more and more come from that, so it's exciting in that sense, and I hope that it continues after this."
Ahmady dreamt of playing Jasmine since she was 6 years old. She auditioned for and booked the role during her sophomore year at New York University, where she studies vocal performance and musical theater, prompting her to take a year off to pursue her passions.
"I wasn't sure if I should leave school for it or not, but for me this is a dream role, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity," she says.
Jasmine embodies a sense of independence and spirit that sets her apart from other Disney princesses preceding her.
To Ahmady, Jasmine's determination to stand up for her beliefs and for what was right, even when that meant fighting with those close to her to create lasting change, was inspirational.
And while Aladdin centers on Jasmine and Aladdin's relationship, Jasmine maintains a strong desire to explore the world and breaks the traits of naivety and passivity present in many other Disney princesses.
"I love playing Jasmine because she's a role model for so many girls and for me," Ahmady says. "I'm also glad that Jasmine was the first POC princess that we got because I feel like she was the first princess overall that Disney kind of gave some agency to."
While the Broadway version of Aladdin follows the same storyline as the original film, audiences can hear new songs that were originally intended for the movie but didn't make the final cut due to time constraints, says Ahmady.
"I like to think of this as kind of a grown-up version of Aladdin," she says. "It's a great show for all ages, there's definitely a lot of jokes in there for the adults. It's the perfect first musical for kids to come and see."
The production features an almost entirely new cast and crew, with only three returning members who worked on the tour prior to the pandemic.
"It was really fun to start this new tour up with brand new people and create this family on the road," she says.
To Ahmady, working on the show has been surreal. While she's performed on stage at New York University, this is her first ever professional production.
"I feel like so many of us who do musical theater grow up wanting to do it professionally, but you never really know if you're going to do it or not," Ahmady says. "To actually be doing it as a job and to get paid for it is sometimes such a crazy feeling, but it's so fun to be able to do what I love everyday."
Ahmady particularly loves the scene when Aladdin and Jasmine meet in the marketplace, which reminds her of Maria and Tony meeting in West Side Story, as well as flying around on the set's magic carpet while singing the iconic song "A Whole New World."
"They put so much time and money into these costumes and the set design and composing the music," she says. "When we're starting the show and everyone is ready, and you're just on the set, you're in your costume and the music starts, it seriously just feels like you're in the world of Agrabah and you're in the movie."
Every night, Ahmady sees young girls in the audience dressed up as Jasmine, and the excitement from playing her dream role and being a role model for future generations make the show even more meaningful for her.
"I always felt like Jasmine was my Disney princess," Ahmady says. "To be able to be her for so many other people is super exciting." ♦
Disney's Aladdin • June 27-July 2; Tue-Sat at 7:30 pm, also Sat at 2 pm and Sun at 1 and 6:30 pm • broadwayspokane.com • 509-279-7007
