Backstage with Disney’s Aladdin at the NAC
Disney's Aladdin, one of the most famous Disney stories of all time, has arrived in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre.
On Thursday, CTV News Ottawa had the exclusive opportunity to tour behind the scenes of this musical courtesy of Broadway Across Canada.
Senzel Ahmady, who plays Jasmine in the production, showed off her wedding dress, which is also the heaviest costume of the show.
"This skirt alone is 18 pounds," she said.
Ahmady’s role as a real life princess is a dream come true, but comes with pressure.
"It definitely is a lot of pressure being in a show that people know so well. You know, they expect a lot when they come to watch the show, but I love our musical because it is for everybody. It is for people that grew up with Aladdin. It's for kids that are just now learning what the story of Aladdin is."
Disney's Aladdin Wardrobe Supervisor, Élisè Packee, is in charge of the 236 costumes in this production.
"All of these are hand-sewn and require a lot of maintenance. All of these crystals, all of the sequins hand-sewn. You'll notice that we have cute little dangles on the pants, kind of one of my favorite details," Packee said.
During the show, 38 of the 236 costumes are changed in less than a minute.
Ahmady explained the quick-change process back stage.
"Okay, so the quick change starts and I'm running off stage and then I come in here and I undress and I get into my new costume. Then I change my shoes and then I walk over here. I’ll sit down at this seat right here, and I will get my wig changed or my crown changed, whatever the quick change calls for. And then I'll run back out here and go back on stage."
Packee added, "Think of it like NASCAR and the pit crew. Only people, not cars."
The production requires 75 cast and crewmembers to keep the two and a half hour show entertaining for audiences.
"I've been doing musical theater and singing my whole life and I went to college for musical theatre," Ahbady said. “And so it definitely was a trek to get here but I'm so happy that I'm here now."
Over 10 million audience members have watched this Broadway musical show over the course of its tour.
Disney's Aladdin takes the stage at the NAC until Sunday, March 26.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.
DEVELOPING Israel says Hamas deal is 'far' from meeting its demands as Rafah offensive looms
Israel said the terms of a ceasefire deal Hamas accepted on Monday remained 'far from' meeting its demands and warned its military operations in Rafah would continue, even as it sent negotiators to talk to mediators.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion's biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.