Japanese Version of ALADDIN Will Open in Tokyo in Spring 2015

Disney Theatrical Productions and Shiki Theatre Company just announced the first international production of Disney's Aladdin, the smash Broadway musical comedy. Performances will begin in May 2015 at The Dentsu Shiki Theatre Umi in Tokyo.

"The heart and wit of the timeless tale of Aladdin, the Genie and those 3 wishes are beloved by cultures across the globe," said Thomas Schumacher, President and Producer Disney Theatrical Productions. "We look forward to bringing Casey Nicholaw's joyous, spectacular production to Japan in partnership with our valued friends at Shiki."

"I am very honored to be able to bring Aladdin to Japan as its first production outside of Broadway. Shiki Theatre Company and Disney will celebrate our 20th year of partnership next year. Aladdin is sure to open a door to 'a whole new world' for the live entertainment industry in Japan," said Chiyoki Yoshida, president and representative director, Shiki Theatre Company.

Produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Productions, Aladdin opened to critical acclaim at the New Amsterdam Theatre on March 20th, 2014. The show features music by Tony Award® and eight-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), 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 two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). Lyrics will be translated into Japanese by Ms. Chikae Takahashi, who worked on the Japanese translation for Disney's animated feature film, Frozen.

The Tokyo production will be cast locally in Japan and will be performed in Japanese.

Aladdin will mark the fifth collaboration between Disney Theatrical Productions and Shiki Theatre Company following the successful and current runs of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, AIDA and The Little Mermaid. 16 million people have seen a Disney musical produced by Shiki, resulting in cumulative runs of nearly 5000 performances for Beauty and the Beast and a staggering 9000 performances for their two concurrent produtions of The Lion King.

DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, was formed in 1994 and operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. Worldwide, its eight Broadway titles have been seen by over 128 million theatergoers and have been nominated for 57 Tony Awards®, winning Broadway's highest honor 20 times. With 15 productions currently produced or licensed, a Disney musical is being performed professionally somewhere on the planet virtually every hour of the day.

The company's inaugural production, Beauty and the Beast, opened in 1994. It played a remarkable 13 year run on Broadway and has been produced in 28 countries worldwide. In November 1997, Disney opened The Lion King, which received six 1998 Tony Awards including Best Musical and is now the highest grossing show in Broadway history. In its 17th smash year, it has welcomed over 70 million visitors worldwide to date. The Lion King can also currently be seen on tour across North America, the U.K., and Japan, and in London's West End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid, Sao Paulo, and Brisbane, Australia, a total of ten concurrent productions worldwide. Among the most successful titles of all time, The Lion King's worldwide gross exceeds that of any film or entertainment title in box office history.

Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida opened on Broadway next, winning four 2000 Tony Awards, and spawning productions around the world. Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, opened in London in 2004 and established itself as one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge in recent years, launching seven productions on three continents. Following a six year Tony-winning Broadway run, the title is now being licensed to professional theatres worldwide.

Tarzan®, which opened on Broadway in 2006, is now an international hit with an award-winning production in its 6th year in Germany. In January 2008, The Little Mermaid opened on Broadway and was the #1-selling new musical of that year. Its success continues with a new production in Japan.

Disney Theatrical Productions opened two critically acclaimed productions on Broadway in 2012, receiving seven Tony Awards between them: Newsies, which played over 1,000 performances on Broadway and is currently on tour throughout North America, and Peter and the Starcatcher, which enjoyed a two year New York run.

Other successful stage musical ventures have included King David in concert, the national tour of On The Record, several touring versions of Disney's High School Musical, and Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin. DTP has collaborated with the country's leading regional theatres to develop new stage titles including Mary Zimmerman's adaptation of The Jungle Book and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Aladdin is the most recent Tony Award-winning Broadway hit; its most recent London production is the critically acclaimed comedy, Shakespeare In Love.