Akron native Marcus Martin to star as Genie in 'Aladdin' tour

Akron native Marcus Martin has been dreaming about playing the larger-than-life role of the Genie in the musical "Aladdin" since he was 16.

Now, at age 25, he's landed that role in the 36-city North American tour of the Disney musical.

"I'd been listening to the cast album and learning these songs since I was 16" and saw the show's Tony Awards performance on TV, Martin said by phone from Harlem on Tuesday.

"The Genie is everything that I am. He's goofy. He's silly. He's larger than life. He's emotional."

The cast, whom Disney announced nationally Monday, will begin rehearsals in New York at the end of this month, followed by the tour launch Oct. 11 in Schenectady, New York. "Aladdin" will play March 8 through 12, 2023, at the Connor Palace at Playhouse Square in Cleveland.

Equity actor Martin, a graduate of Copley High School and Baldwin Wallace University, grew up doing theater at Weathervane Playhouse in Akron, where he wowed crowds as the title character in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in 2014 and 2015.

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He talked about being a highly energetic kid who was loud, used his outdoor voice and jumped around a lot. Becoming involved with theater at age 6 gave him a great way to channel his energy.

Now, that high energy that Martin had to tone down in his earlier school years will be channeled into the ultimate showman role as the Genie, whose famous seven-minute routine "Friend Like Me" is a big band showstopper that includes wailing like a human trumpet, scatting, tap dancing and working the crowd like a comedian.

Genesis for Genie

Alan Menken and Howard Ashman created the Genie with his big razzle-dazzle "Friend Like Me" number as a classic jazz showman in the tradition of Fats Waller and Cab Calloway. The number, a mix of Harlem jazz and Hollywood sparkle, regularly earned James Monroe Iglehart, who originated the Broadway role, a mid-show standing ovation.

"It's just full of joy, and you get the sense that this Genie is an entertainer and he's just big and warm," Menken said in a 2018 Playbill interview.

Martin described "Friend Like Me" as a marathon.

"It is a good old-fashioned Broadway spectacle," he said.

Iglehart, who won a 2013 Tony for his role as the Genie, is an inspiration to Martin. Martin saw him in the role of Bobby in "Memphis," the first Broadway show Martin ever saw.

Part of that is body representation.

"I'm a bigger guy and I was kind of a chubbier kid," Martin said. "So I was always under the impression that somebody with a body like mine, there wasn't a big lead role that I could do onstage."

But seeing a bigger actor like Iglehart not only create the Genie role but also dance really well onstage changed that for Martin.

"To see someone that looks like me, doing what he did onstage, getting that reaction from the audience, spreading that much joy, it just opened up my eyes to what was possible," Martin said.

Martin has since gotten to know Iglehart through mutual friends and has spent time talking with him about everything from the Genie to basketball.

Prep for the role

In preparation for his big role, Martin's been singing "Friend Like Me" while on the treadmill to build up stamina to perform eight shows each week. The actor, who grew up on jazz, gospel and blues music, has also been watching Calloway videos to see how he worked his crowds and has been watching video of a variety of standup comedians.

Martin, who has had fittings for his three Genie costumes and done a hair and makeup consultation, wears a blinged-out, heavily beaded blue Genie costume in "Friend Like Me."

"I'm out there bedazzled all out," the actor said.

Martin, who graduated from Baldwin Wallace's musical theater program in 2020, credits Victoria Bussert, who heads the program, as his "guardian angel."

"She really helped shape me into the performer I am today," he said.

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He also credits Weathervane Playhouse for teaching him how to behave in a professional manner at a young age: "Being nice to your dressers. Being nice to your crew. Showing up 15 minutes before rehearsal starts to stretch and warm up. All of those things I still take with me in my professional life."

Regional work

Martin, who graduated from college during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, has performed regionally at Great Lakes Theater in Cleveland and other regional theaters in Illinois, Idaho, Michigan and Massachusetts. It was a tough time to get a career started, and before he got the opportunity to audition for "Aladdin" Feb. 1 he was feeling dejected because a new musical he was in, "Goddess," had to be postponed until summer at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California due to the omicron outbreak.

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"I was at home (in Copley) and I got the email to audition for the Genie," Martin said.

His first audition was Feb. 10, followed by a work session with the musical's associate creative team Feb. 24, which allowed the team to see how Martin took direction and coaching.

"I just knew I had to go in there and show who I am and let God work out the rest," Martin said. "I could tell they were very engaged with me in the audition room, which was very exciting."

Martin was called back again to dance, along with about seven other auditioners. Finally, in late March, he had a final callback for the entire Disney creative team of more than 25 people, which included Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Group, and famed director Casey Nicholaw.

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The young actor spent the rest of the day on set for a yet-to-be-announced TV project he was working on, and saw when he got back to his trailer that night that he'd missed messages from his agents. That's when he found out he'd landed the role of Genie.

"I was so thrilled. I was just speechless," he said. "And it didn't set in for a little bit, too."

Martin is looking forward to going on tour and coming home in March to perform "Aladdin" for Northeast Ohio audiences, including friends, family and the many people who helped shape him as a performer.

"I grew up watching all the national tours at the Palace Theater. So now, ... playing one of the lead roles in a show on that stage, that's gonna be amazing. It's gonna be electric."

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron native Marcus Martin excited to play Genie in 'Aladdin' tour