"Aladdin" coming to Broadway

A stage musical of the animated film "Aladdin" is riding a magic carpet to Broadway and the president of Disney Theatrical Productions promises it will be "a full-length, big song musical with big dance numbers."

Thomas Schumacher said in an interview that the final two-act "Aladdin" will build on the 1992 film blockbuster with new songs by Alan Menken, additional characters and, appropriately, some magic tricks.

"If I look around Broadway right now, what I want to see is big production numbers. I want to see lush environments. I want surprise," Schumacher said Friday. "You want a lot of humor, which we will do. And you want heart."

"Aladdin" will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw, whose previous hits include "The Book of Mormon" and "The Drowsy Chaperone."

The musical will first be staged at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre this November for nine weeks with an eye to bringing it to Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre (the current home of "Mary Poppins) in 2014.

The animated version of "Aladdin" starred Robin Williams as the voice of the big blue genie and earned $500 million worldwide. Menken won the 1992 Oscar for best original musical score and the film's hit song, "A Whole New World," won a Grammy and Oscar.

Disney has some 10 projects in development, including musicals made from "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame," "Dumbo," "Father of the Bride" and "Freaky Friday," and a play adaptation of "Shakespeare in Love."