Jamie Anderson

The State University Theatre will be presenting Aladdin Jr. starting April 23 in Doner Auditorium.

The story of Aladdin is a classic tale of a poor boy who falls for a princess and tries to win her affection with the help of a genie. The play is the traditional story of Aladdin, but it is a condensed version of the movie and is called Aladdin Jr. because it is geared towards children.

Aladdin Jr. has the same characters as the movie minus Abu and a couple added ones such as some narrators. The guards in the play are also more prominent and are the comedic relief.

J.D. Ackman, who is directing the show, said, “If it’s a really good children’s show, then adults will love it too.”

The theater department at SDSU does a children’s story every couple years to spark interest in the arts at a young age.

Emily Humke, a senior music education major, said, “I have a great passion for doing children’s theater. Bringing so many magical moments to life for children, hearing the laughter in the audience and seeing the awe on the kids’ faces is truly an awesome experience.”

The show is filled with laughs, spectacle, animated characters and includes all the favorite Aladdin songs like “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me.” There are a couple new songs in Aladdin Jr., and the song “Arabian Nights” serves as a recurring song to help narrate the story.

Wes Haskell, a junior communication studies and theater major, said, “I’m excited because I’ve wanted to be Aladdin since I was a little kid. What little boy doesn’t want to take a magic carpet ride with a princess and have a blue genie as a friend? It has always been my favorite Disney movie, and now I’m having fun performing it on stage.”

Humke also said, “Aladdin was always one of my favorite movies, so being able to play Princess Jasmine has been like a dream come true.”

Last week, Aladdin Jr. performed matinees for school-age children across the region. This allows them to see it before it opens to the public and for the kids to enjoy it with their peers.

Aladdin Jr. will play April 23 to 26. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. every night with a matinee on April 26 at 2 p.m.

The show is free to SDSU students with ID. Tickets for adults are $16, faculty and staff tickets are $10 and non-SDSU students and children are $9.