lifestyle SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 These images released by Disney Theatrical Productions show scenes from the production of the musical “Aladdin.” — AP Adam Jacobs is seen as Aladdin. Disney hits magic again with ‘Aladdin’ he Genie in the big new Broadway musical on a stage surrounded by high-energy dancers: trayed on film? You apparently hire Iglehart, a cart- “Aladdin” opens the show with a bang, sets up “Even our poor people look fabulous! And everybody wheeling, high kicking big man who can sing and Tthe story and then - poof - he’s gone. “Try not to has a minor in dance!” goof. His extended scene in a cave prompts some miss me too much!” he says, tauntingly, as he leaves. The key Alan Menken songs from the film - theatergoers to give him a standing ovation - and the The trouble is, it’s hard not to. James Monroe Iglehart including “Friend Like Me,” “Prince Ali” and “A Whole show’s not even half over. is just so magically delicious as the guy in the lamp New World” - are back, as well as songs dropped That moment is a wonder to behold as Iglehart that the show sometimes feels like its holding its along the way - “High Adventure” and “Proud of Your performs “Friend Like Me” during a dozen or so skits - breath until he reappears. That’s not a knock on this Boy” - that get well-deserved rebirths. New songs game show host, magician and then, hysterically, perfectly lovely adaptation of the 1992 movie that include the nice “Diamond in the Rough” and “A does a medley of other Disney hits including “Beauty opened Thursday at the New Amsterdam Theatre Million Miles Away,” which sounds and functions a lit- and the Beast” and “Under the Sea.” Disney badly with a score that’s already won an Oscar. It’s just that tle too much like “Santa Fe” from nearby Menken needed a friend like this. Other smart touches Iglehart is on a different planet. show “Newsies.” The lyricists are the late Howard include Don Darryl Rivera stepping in for the parrot It’s spritely directed and choreographed by Casey Ashman, Tim Rice and Beguelin. Iago as Jafar’s wisecracking aide, and three thieves - Nicholaw, well sung by a huge 35-person cast wear- Adam Jacobs stars as a sweet, hunky Aladdin - or Brian Gonzales, Brandon O’Neill and Jonathan ing an alarming number of harem pants, and hits “Al” as he’s called - and Courtney Reed is his stun- Schwartz - as Aladdin’s pals and comic relief. (“I feel that sweet spot Disney Theatrical Productions do so ning-looking Jasmine, in a little need of some theatri- awful,” one says. Replies another: “Falafel? Did some- well, a saccharine fairy tale for the kids cut by some cal seasoning but with grooming seemingly straight body say falafel?”) In comparison to the zany side- sly, vinegary quips for their parents. The story by off Bravo’s “Shahs of Sunset.” A welcome bit of casting kicks, the lovers are kind of milquetoast. Chad Beguelin hews close to the film. A street urchin is having Jonathan Freeman return as Jafar, the same Bob Crowley delivers on another dazzling Disney finds a genie in a lamp and hopes to woo a princess role he voiced in the animated film. He is simply deli- design, this time a whimsical set of movable pieces that while staying true to his values and away from palace cious, relishing his evilhood. echo Islamic geometric designs and Middle Eastern and the dancing, which leans heavily on traditional bel- James Monroe Iglehart intrigue. Or, as Beguelin acknowledges: “It’s the plot One of the biggest obstacles into turning this marketplaces. He does a thrilling Cave of Wonders, and ly dancing and “Walk Like an Egyptian” moves. But for all is seen as the Genie. that you knew/with a small twist or two/but the property into a stage musical has been the blue ele- there’s a flying carpet that moves nicely in front of a star- his skill, he must have rubbed his own magic lamp to changes we made were slight.” phant in the room, the Genie. How can you possibly ry night sky, though the princess seemed a little freaked get this Genie. — AP Full credit to Beguelin for gently mocking musical have a real actor play the shape-shifting, manic talk- out. Director Nicholaw juggles all of this with supreme theater throughout, as when the Genie comments ing spirit that Robin Williams so wonderfully por- skill, perfectly pacing the romantic with the comedic Cat behaviorist heading to Oregon after attack Word lovers rejoice as he large cat that attacked a baby and trapped an Oregon the cat had a history of violence, but the family kept Lux until family in a bedroom touched off an Internet uproar that Monday, when they turned him over to a Portland-area shelter. OK celebrates 175 years Tworries Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet’s “My Cat But the family assured Animal Planet they were going to keep from Hell.” Cats don’t become ferocious felines that turn on the cat and agreed to therapy with Galaxy. Palmer didn’t return their families for no reason, says the cat behavior expert, who is a call from The Associated Press seeking comment Tuesday. hatever you’re doing today, wherever Webster dictionary. “I’m OK, You’re OK,” pub- heading to Portland soon to work with the 4-year-old part- There are many reasons a cat can turn aggressive, and there is you might be, take a moment to reflect lished in 1967, remains one of the best-selling Himalayan pet named Lux. Galaxy will film the visit for his no universal way to deal with it, Galaxy said. But the star feline Won the most popular word in the self-help books of all time, while Rodgers and show’s fifth season, which kicks off April 26. behaviorist provided five ways to tame out-of-control cats: English language, OK? It will be 175 years since Hammerstein declared Oklahoma in song to be “Every parental site on the Internet blames the cat for this Never leave a young child unsupervised with a cat. OK-or, as some prefer, okay-first appeared in OK! in their eponymous 1943 musical. confrontation. Every pet site blames the family,” he said, adding Take it to a vet at least once a year. If a cat is acting suspi- print, on page two of The Boston Morning Post, There’s also the OK Corral in Tombstone, that something is wrong if the cat is acting out. “We need to ciously, the owner needs to pay attention. “Know what suspi- then one of the most popular newspapers in the Arizona-but in this instance, OK stands for Old step away from the hysteria. There is a story behind all this. cious looks like,” Galaxy said. “If they’re not feeling well, cats will United States. “I think OK should be celebrated Kindersley and the infamous 1881 shootout that Don’t assume anything.” Lux became a worldwide phenome- socially withdraw themselves, or they will lose weight, or they with parades and speeches,” Allan Metcalf, an supposedly took place there but actually will gain weight, or they’ll be howling in the middle of the English professor in Illinois who is the world’s occurred down the street. Internationally, OK has night when they never did before. “I’ve known cats who acted leading authority on the history and meaning of traveled remarkably well on the wings of out similarly to Lux because of an abscessed tooth, a brain OK, told AFP. “But for now, whatever you do (to American popular culture-and found a niche in tumor, hyperthyroidism or diabetes.” Make sure cats can literal- mark the anniversary), it’s OK.” In his 2001 book, the digital era, fitting easily into 140-character ly climb out of a situation. Having a space up high, like a cat “OK: The Improbable Story of America’s Greatest Twitter and text messages. Using Google Glass condo, to get away from children and other pets is crucial, Word,” Metcalf calls OK “the most frequently spo- eyewear, in fact, calls for a voice command that Galaxy said. “Make sure the cat can make the choice to get ken (or typed) word on the planet”-used more begins: “OK, Google Glass.” away from the kid,” he said. often than “Coke” or an infant’s “ma.”Concise and Timeouts are good things. “We associate timeouts with utilitarian, it’s quintessentially American in its punishment, but in the world of cats, timeout is not a punish- simplicity. Etymologically, it has no direct rela- ment.” They can go to a designated place where they can settle tionship with Latin or Greek or any other ancient down, come back to a peaceful moment or ground them- tongue. selves, he said. Oxford Dictionaries, on its website, rejects Stop fights between felines with “timeout drills.” With sim- speculation that OK is derived from the Scottish ple pieces of cardboard, left strategically around the house, expression “och aye,” the Greek “ola kala” (it’s you can stop a fight between two cats. Put the cardboard good) or the French “aux Cayes,” which refers to a between them, blocking their vision and providing a moment Haitian port famous for its rum. Rather, it favors a of disorientation when you can lead them to their timeout theory-shared by Metcalf-that it’s an abbrevia- spot. It’s especially important to have the drills with aggressive tion of “orl korrekt,” a derivative of “all correct” cats.