Disney's ALADDIN Will Fly to Sydney in 2016

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the classic Academy Award-winning animated film, will open in Sydney at the Capitol Theatre in August 2016.

Tickets will go on sale in March 2016.

The New South Wales Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, is proud to be a strategic partner of Disney's Aladdin.

NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres, said today "This is a real coup for NSW and we anticipate Aladdin will bring more than 120,000 visitors to Sydney, generating $39 million for the NSW economy. Disney Theatrical has a long and successful history of producing first-rate musical theatre productions here in Australia and we are thrilled to announce that Sydney's magnificent Capitol Theatre will be the venue for the Australian premiere of this huge Broadway hit."

President and Producer, Disney Theatrical, Thomas Schumacher, said today "We are very excited to be partnering once again with the New South Wales Government and Destination NSW on Aladdin, our third production to premiere in Sydney. Director Casey Nicholaw and his team have created an entertainment as full of heart as it is joy and I cannot wait until we get to play it in Sydney, one of the world's great theatre cities."

Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act, Little Shop of Horrors), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and four-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer). With a book by Beguelin, Aladdin is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Something Rotten).

Aladdin, adapted from the Disney film and centuries-old folktales including "One Thousand and One Nights," is brought to fresh theatrical life in this bold new musical. Aladdin's journey sweeps audiences into an exotic world of daring adventure, classic comedy and timeless romance.

This new production features a full score, including the five cherished songs from the Academy Award-winning soundtrack and more written especially for the stage.

Aladdin opened on Broadway to critical acclaim on March 20th, 2014 and quickly established itself as the biggest blockbuster in recent years, already welcoming over one million people and breaking eight New Amsterdam Theatre house records.

The animated film Aladdin was released by Disney in 1992 and was a critical and box office smash, grossing over $500 million worldwide (not adjusted for inflation) and becoming the highest-grossing film of the year.

The film won the Oscar for Best Original Score and introduced the hit song "A Whole New World," which won the second of the film's two Academy Awards as Best Original Song. The Peabo Bryson/Regina Belle recording of the tune soared to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Aladdin is designed by seven-time Tony-winning scenic designer Bob Crowley, five-time Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, two-time Tony-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis.

The production team also includes illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer, hair designer Josh Marquette and makeup designer Milagros Medina-Cerdeira. The music team is headed by music supervisor and music director Michael Kosarin, who also created the vocal and incidental music arrangements, joined by orchestrator Danny Troob and dance music arranger Glen Kelly.