Top Hat Productions to open season with ‘Disney’s Aladdin’

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Top Hat Productions will open its season with “Disney’s Aladdin, which will start at 7:30 p.m. Friday and run for three consecutive weekends at the Fairview Arts & Outreach Center, 4220 Youngstown-Poland Road. Other performances will take place Saturday and Oct. 14, 15, 20 and 21.

The musical, with a score by Alan Menken, the late Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, is based on the iconic animated film about a street urchin who, after freeing a genie from a lamp, is granted three wishes with infinite possibilities. His wish to become a prince so he can wed the beautiful Princess Jasmine is granted, but he soon finds out that evil has other plans for the lamp.

Cast members include Aaron Franek (Aladdin), Brittany Leah Storey (Princess Jasmine), Alexander Lucas, William Marr, Ethan Montoya, Greg Endsley, Keyirra LaBooth, Ezekiel Ellis, Julie DeSalvo, Heather Jones and Tylor Zuniga. Six youngsters who participated in Top Hat’s Summer Youth Workshop are incorporated into the ensemble of townspeople and shop owners.

Choreographers Rachel Franek and Brian Palumbo were joined by Jennifer Mullaly of Kathi’s Dance & Gym Center, who worked with students Haley DiLullo, Hunter Lombard, Taylor Sackella and Hannah Weinwright, who appear as harem dancers throughout the show.

Tickets are $17.50 ($15.50 for seniors and young adults, and $14 for children 10 and under) plus fees, and are available at tophatproductions.org or by calling 800-838-3006.