Winner of four Tony Awards when Disney’s Hyperion Theatricals group first brought it to Broadway, Aida features music by pop legend Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice (who wrote the lyrics for hit shows like Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita). After their successful partnership writing the score for The Lion King, they teamed up again to pen Disney’s first Broadway musical for grown-ups — and Aida was born!
Set in ancient Egypt, the story focuses on the Nubian princess, Aida, who is captured by an Egyptian captain, Radames. He saves her from a life of hard labor by giving her as a handmaiden to the Egyptian princess Amneris, his future bride. Amneris and Aida become close friends, even as Radames and Aida secretly fall in love. When this dangerous love triangle clashes with a plot to kill the Pharaoh, it shakes the ancient world to its core. A tale of love, loyalty and betrayal, Aida is ultimately the story of three people who are forced to make difficult choices for love — choices that will alter the course of history forever.
Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida is based on the 1871 opera of the same name written by Antonio Ghislanzoni with music by Giuseppe Verdi. This stage-musical version originated from a children's storybook version of Verdi's opera that was written by the legendary soprano Leontyne Price and published in 1990. The rights to the book were acquired by The Walt Disney Studios in 1994 for a proposed animated feature film. Development on the film was shelved, however, and the source material evolved into the stage version. A first reading was presented to Disney executives on April 1, 1996.
The first version of Aida was originally titled Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida and had its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. The production ran from September 16 to November 8, 1998. The Atlanta production featured Heather Headley as Aida, Hank Stratton as Radames, and Sherie Rene Scott as Amneris. A new, revised production opened on November 12, 1999, at the Cadillac Palace in Chicago and ran through January 9, 2000. Adam Pascal joined the cast as Radames for the Chicago run. The musical, now renamed Aida, made its Broadway premiere at the Palace Theatre on March 23, 2000, and closed on September 5, 2004, after 30 previews and 1,852 performances. The original Broadway production won four Tony Awards: Best Original Musical Score, Best Lighting Design, Best Scenic Design, and Best Actress in a Musical (for Heather Headley in the title role). Aida also received a national tour from 2001 to 2003 (with stops at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square in March of 2002 and at Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall in April of 2003). The musical has been produced in over 20 countries across the globe and has been translated into 14 languages (including Japanese, Croatian, and Hebrew).
Anna Liggett | …… | Amneris |
Brandon Alexander-Smith | …… | Radames |
Brooke Jai | …… | Aida |
Kodee Williams | …… | Mereb |
Jordan Potter | …… | Zoser |
Brad Rito | …… | Pharaoh |
Geriece Drone | …… | Nehebka |
James Boyd | …… | Amonasro |
Karina Moran | …… | Aida Alternate |
Isaiah Blue | …… | Mereb Alternate |
Elijah Chase | …… | Amonasro Alternate |
Jerald Lynn Beard
Makenna Bird
Isaiah Blue
Tiffany Crabtree
Elijah Chase
Charone Frankel
DeAndre Karim
Vic Heatherson
Elai Houpt
Bria Kastner
Courtney Libby
Gia Maglione
Karina Moran
Gabrielle Morris
Samaria Murry
Alysa Musselman
Cayla Napoleon
Bernard Richards
Brad Rito
Carston Stiggins
Music Director/Keys 1 - Edward Ridley, Jr.
Keys 2 - Steven Miller
Guitar - Trevor Wozniak
Bass - Toussaint English
Drums - Dylan Gomez
The Egyptian Wing of a major museum and Ancient Egypt
Set Construction Crew
James Boyd, Jr.
Dale Gilbert
Kathy Kohl
Dave Moledor
Richard Morris, Jr.
Michael Slane
Kodee Williams
Costume Construction Crew
Catherine Chambers
Beth Desberg
Diane Geiger
Ellen Hunton
Millie Keyser
Lindy Lincicome
Sterling Perry
Jasen Smith
Costume Inventory Crew
Jenny Banker
Robe Painting Crew
Tari Bergoine
Jack Clymire
Tiffany Crabtree
Karen Fratz
Amanda Holman
Isla Holman
Ellen Hunton
Jill Judge
Marissa Leenarts
Sebastian Leenarts
Jasen Smith
Emily Sullivan
Backstage
Patti Alderson
Ozzie Casino
Jeannie Clarkson
Kenneth Hardman
Jeremy Kastner
Natalie Kastner
Kyle Means
Irene Storm
Robin Ungerleider
Sean Vollman
Front-of-House
Jenny Banker
Mary Lu Barbour
Steve Brown
Eleanor Campbell
Jeannie Clarkson
Ksan Cooper
Scott Davis
Ellen Garrett
Pamela Groom
Tonya Gulley
Jeremy Kastner
Natalie Kastner
Patti McCoy
Paul Means
Diane Novak
Annabelle Otto
Marci Paolucci
Katherine Peck
Bess Raines
Mega Rankin
Katie Rito
Nancy Shorts
Eric Steckel
Verna Vander Kooi
Sara Vollman