Marcus M. Martin has big wish granted as Genie in 'Aladdin'

As the Genie in the national touring production of the musical Disney's "Aladdin," Marcus M. Martin gets to grant three wishes.

The way Martin sees it, he's already been granted one big one himself.

After all, Martin's playing the Genie in that national tour of Disney's "Aladdin." It's his first national tour with a show and he has one of the big lead roles.

Originally from Akron, Ohio, he had graduated from the Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre Program in Berea, Ohio, in 2020 as the pandemic was moving into full throttle. Theater prospects seemed dim for a while, but he kept his spirits, including being in a production of "A Christmas Carol" as the Ghost of Christmas Present at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly in 2021.

When he was cast as the Genie last year, "I was absolutely speechless. I was thrilled. It was something I was dreaming of and praying for for so long," he said.

Because he is playing the Genie, "people always ask, 'If you had three wishes ... ' " he said. "Honestly, I got my wish granted."

The new national tour of the musical launched in Schenectady, New York, in October. Martin was speaking on the phone recently when the show was in Huntsville, Alabama.

Disney's "Aladdin" will be at The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Worcester March 15-19 as part of The Hanover Theatre's 2022-23 Broadway Series.

"It's going great. We're having a really fun time. So many audiences have a connection to the show and are having a blast. We're having a blast," Martin said.

Set in the fictional Arabian city of Agrabah, the story of Aladdin, based on centuries-old folktales including "One Thousand and One Nights," follows a poor young man who is granted three wishes by a Genie in a lamp. Two of those wishes have to do with wooing the lovely Princess Jasmine and thwarting the Sultan's evil Grand Vizier. After Aladdin asks what Genie would wish for, Genie muses that he would wish for freedom, since he is a prisoner of his lamp, so Aladdin promises to use his last wish to free the Genie.

Disney's "Aladdin" the musical is based on the 1992 Academy Award-winning animated Disney film and features favorite songs from the film as well as new music written by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, and book writer Chad Beguelin. The Genie in the film was voiced by Robin Williams.

The musical opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre to critical acclaim in 2014, and quickly established itself as one of the biggest new blockbusters in recent years, breaking 14 New Amsterdam Theatre house records. The show received five Tony Award nominations. James Monroe Iglehart, who played the Genie, won a Tony for Best Performance By a Featured Actor in a Musical. Disney's "Aladdin" has now been seen by audiences around the world.

As the pandemic eased, the show reopened on Broadway in September 2021. When the new tour got underway last year it was the first time Disney's "Aladdin" was seen anywhere in North America outside New York since March 2020. The lavish-sounding "reimagined" production boasts a renowned design team, with sets, costumes and lighting from Tony Award winners Bob Crowley ("Mary Poppins"), Gregg Barnes ("Kinky Boots") and Natasha Katz ("An American in Paris").

'Old-fashioned Broadway spectacle'

"It's a huge production. An old-fashioned Broadway spectacle, as I like to call it," Martin said.

The cast also includes Adi Roy as Aladdin and Senzel Ahmardy as Jasmine.

In terms of how Martin portrays the Genie, "the creative team really enabled me to make the role my own. They didn't pressure me to recreate what had been done before," Martin said, noting the previous efforts of Robin Williams and James Monroe Iglehart.

"I can bring what I call all my Marcus-isms to the role. I'm able to add my own flow to the mix and I'm having a great time."

In particular, "the word that comes to mind is joy," Martin said. "He (the Genie) has a lot of joy but he has a lot of wisdom as well."

While the Genie has a big set piece razzle-dazzle number such as "Friend Like Me," Martin said he also enjoys getting deeper into the character. The Genie's trapped in a lamp, wanting to be free. "Really digging into that has been my favorite part of the role."

A review of the show in Broadway World said, "The scene-stealer is Marcus M. Martin as the Genie. He has big shoes to fill with the Robin Williams-originated role, but he brings an undeniable energy to the part. He's a jazzed-up genie with a great sense of humor and heart."

Entertaining from a young age

Martin said he had been interested in musical theater "from a pretty young age ... I've always been an energetic kid, a kid that loves entertaining people."

As an only child he was "put in the context of other kids" so he wouldn't feel isolated. At first that was in sports activities. "I love sports but suck at them," Martin said.

Then he said his mother suggested, "Let's try theater camp to see if that sticks."

Martin was 7 and took to it "right away."

He grew up doing theater at Weathervane Playhouse in Akron, where lead roles included "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

Other regional theater credits have been "Little Shop of Horrors" (as Audrey II), "The Wiz" (The Lion), "Carousel " (Enoch Snow) and "The Music Man" (Marcellus Washburn).

After graduating from Baldwin Wallace, Martin was ready to move to New York City but the pandemic kept him at home for a little bit, he said.

Pandemic poses challenges

"It was definitely frustrating," he said. "It was not ideal at all, but I tried to make the best of it. I spent a lot of time practicing the audition material for this show ('Aladdin'). I went live on Instagram and sang a few songs for my friends. I had to make lemonade out of the lemons."

He was cast in what was North Shore Music Theatre’s 30th anniversary production of “A Christmas Carol.' But early in 2022 a new musical he was scheduled to be in, "Goddess" at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California, was postponed due to the omicron outbreak.

The pandemic had also played havoc with his planned in-person showcase before producers and casting directors in New York City put on by Baldwin Wallace. But the college did arrange for an online showcase, and it caught some eyes because Martin secured representation.

When he heard that "Aladdin" was auditioning last year for a new national tour, he pushed his agents to get himself seen.

"Aladdin " was a longtime favorite musical. "This was a show I had wanted to play for a long time." And Martin said he had always wanted to go on a national tour right after college when "you're young enough to do it."

There was an audition, a work session and two callbacks.

He said his home base is now New York, "but I'm never there."

Martin said he's become friends with fellow cast members and wife and husband Angelina Mullins and Colt Prattes. Mullins, who is originally from Marshfield, is a member of the ensemble, and Prattes, who hails from Atlanta, plays Kassim, one of Aladdin's friends. Both have Broadway experience.

"They're great. They've been fantastic. It's great to have veteran leadership for someone like me on my first big gig," Martin said.

Beyond "Aladdin," Martin said he would like to appear in the musical "Hamilton," and he has also had thoughts about having "an impact on the other side of the table" as a producer. "Making the theater industry an equitable space and inclusive space."

However, "for the moment I'm enjoying this," he said of the run of "Aladdin." "I'm really allowing myself to relish this accomplishment in the moment."

While he has visited Massachusetts before with "A Christmas Carol" in Beverly, "Aladdin" will be taking him to The Hanover Theatre and Worcester for the first time.

Snow was in the forecast for Worcester the night following the telephone interview.

But Martin said the Genie can grant weather wishes for March 15 to 19 while "Aladdin" is here.

"I can make it (the snow) go away," he joked.

Disney's 'Aladdin'

When: 7:30 p.m. March 15 and 16; 8 p.m. March 17; 2 and 8 p.m. March 18; 1 p.m. March 19. ASL interpretation is available at the 8 p.m. March 17 performance. Please contact the ticketing office to reserve tickets to ensure you are in the section of seats in front of the ASL interpreter. Audio Description services are available at the 1 p.m. March 19 matinee performance

Where: The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester

How much: $28 to $108 depending on seat location and performance. 877 571-7469; thehanovertheatre.org

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Marcus M. Martin has a big wish granted as the Genie in 'Aladdin'