Fil-Am actor Adam Jacobs to soar on Broadway as Aladdin

Filipino-American stage actor and singer Adam Jacobs is set to light up the Great White Way as the titular street rat in Disney’s Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, which begins performances at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theater on Feb. 26, and officially opens on March 20.

It’s the same musical in which Tom Rodriguez played the title role when staged here two years ago before Tom was turned into an overnight star by the hit GMA series My Husband’s Lover.

“Another reason for Pinoys to troop to Broadway and witness how world-class Filipino talent shines,” Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre quoted Deputy Consul General Zaldy Patron.

Adam, who is inching his way to becoming one of Broadway’s biggest names, previously played Simba in The Lion King and Marius in Les Miserables, two of Broadway’s top moneymakers. His other notable credits include lead roles in the national and regional tours of Zorro, Once On This Island, Ordinary Days, Mamma Mia! and Cinderella, among others.

Said Edmund, “Like many other Fil-Am artists, Adam is active in the Filipino community and performs for charitable events when his schedule permits. The son of a Filipino mother and Russian-Dutch-Polish father, he takes pride in his ethnic backgrounds, Filipino especially. This is not the first time the hunky actor is playing Aladdin. He originated the role in 2011 in its Seattle, Washington production.”

As Aladdin, Adam enlists a genie’s help to win the heart of Princess Jasmine (played by Courtney Reed who also appeared in In The Heights and Mamma Mia!) and the genie by James Monroe Iglehart (Memphis, The 25th Annual Putnam County and Spelling Bee) who, according to critics who caught the musical’s pre-Broadway run in Canada last year, delivers a scene-stealing performance. Jonathan Freeman, who voiced the nefarious villain Jafar in the 1992 animated film version, is reprising his role for this Broadway production.

Added Edmund, “One of Aladdin’s most anticipated production numbers is A Whole New World, that ‘shining, shimmering, splendid’ piece sung by one of Disney’s princesses, Lea Salonga, and Brad Kane in the animated feature.”

Lea and Brad performed the song at the 65th Academy Awards when it won the Best Song in 1993. Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle also released a single version which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, replacing Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You which had spent a then record 14 weeks at the top of the chart.

“How Adam and Courtney will soar and tumble through the endless diamonds sky as they fly on a magic carpet is something theatergoers are just thrilled to see,” said Edmund. “They’ll be glad to know they’re in for a treat.”

According to the Vancouver Sun, which reviewed Aladdin’s premiere in Toronto late last year in anticipation of its Broadway engagement, “A Whole New World forms the basis for the stage show’s most eye-popping scene: A gorgeously rendered magic carpet replete with twinkling stars and colorful planets.”

Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions and featuring the classic score of Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies), the late Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), and Tim Rice (Evita, Aida), Aladdin uses a new book and additional lyrics by Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer).

In addition to its spectacular music, the production brings new life to the story, including a more “sophisticated” relationship between Aladdin and Jasmine, according to its Tony Award-winning director and choreographer, Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).

Meanwhile, a whole new world has literally opened for Adam as he and his wife of seven years, actress Kelly Jacobs, have announced the birth of their twin boys — Jack Loren and Alex Gregory — early Monday morning of Jan. 27. Adam described them as “my two Aladdins.” The twins, weighing in at five lbs., 12 oz. and four lbs., 11 oz., were born after a 25-hour labor.

“Kelly and I are so incredibly thrilled to welcome two healthy boys into our life,” the handsome new dad said as he shared the good news to the world. â€œMy wife just amazes me. I couldn’t be more proud of my beautiful family.”

In a separate interview, Adam said, “It’s not going to be cakewalk, I know that, but it’s something we’ve wanted for a while so we’re up for it.” 

Adam was raised near San Francisco in Half Moon Bay. His younger sister, Arielle Jacobs, is also a rising musical theater artist, with a Broadway credit for In the Heights. A gifted pianist, young Adam studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for eight years and flirted with the idea of becoming a concert pianist. 

   He told the Associated Press that he fell in love with musical theater after seeing the Filipino-American actor and singer Paolo Montalban on tour as the Prince in Cinderella. 

   “I think I can do that,” Adam recalled telling himself.

   Adam added that he found his mixed ethnicity useful in landing all sorts of parts.

“He’s very humble and accommodating and never sees himself as a star,” says LP Pelayo of the New York-based The Filipino Reporter. “You’ll normally see him in a corner, quiet and cool, with no pretensions. But once he takes the stage and hear his exceptional voice, you will see that he’s larger than life... he’s a star.”

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