蜜柚直播

It鈥檚 from a McDonald鈥檚 Happy Meal he got not long after he saw the Disney film on the big screen when it was released in 1992.

鈥淚 must have been 8 or 9. I was at my peak Disney age,鈥� the Chicago native recalled. 鈥淚t really resonated with me strongly. Something I didn鈥檛 clock at the time was here is a Disney movie and all of the characters look like me.鈥�

That realization hit home when he took on the role of the villainous Jafar last October in the North American tour of Broadway In 蜜柚直播 brings the show to Centennial Hall Sept. 5-10.

鈥淚鈥檝e been carrying (the toy) around with me and keeping it in the dressing room because it really drives home for me what a journey I鈥檝e had with this story,鈥� Nagraj said during a phone call in early August when the show was starting its run in San Francisco. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize what a profound impact it had on me until I was working on it and a flood of memories come back to you.鈥�

Nagraj, whose father is from India and mother is from Iowa, is among a diverse cast that includes actors of Indian, Afghani, Korean and Armenian heritage, as well as Hispanic and African-American.

鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be reaffirmed what a universal story this is,鈥� said the veteran of regional theater who is making his Broadway tour debut with 鈥淎laddin.鈥�

This is the longest time Nagraj has spent with a character, not counting the four years he鈥檚 spent voicing and providing the body imaging for Kellogg鈥檚 Frosted Flakes mascot Tony the Tiger. He and the 鈥淎laddin鈥� cast launched the tour last October and are expected to continue through May 2024.

鈥淚 feel like I know this role obviously better than anything I鈥檝e worked on in my life,鈥� said the veteran actor whose career has included acting in small independent films, guest roles on 鈥淐hicago Fire,鈥� 鈥淐hicago P.D.鈥� and 鈥淧roven Innocent鈥� and several national commercials. 鈥淎t this point, it gets to feel like second nature. My previous theater experience, you rehearse a show for four weeks, you run it for maybe five, six weeks if you鈥檙e lucky, and then onto the next thing under the regional theater model. ... To live with a role this long is a real gift.鈥�

Nagraj plays the villain in 鈥淎laddin鈥� 鈥� 鈥淚鈥檝e dabbled in the villainous arts before,鈥� he joked. Jafar is the evil sorcerer determined to stop the loveable street urchin Aladdin and the genie Aladdin conjured from the magic oil lamp from their journey to save Princess Jasmine.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really the most fun,鈥� Nagraj said of the role. 鈥淥ne of the first things that comes to my mind is 鈥榙elicious.鈥� It鈥檚 really, really tasty every night. I don鈥檛 get too many boos at curtain time; it happens from time to time. I definitely relish my particular part in this story. I think this story is a such beautiful and important one that you need a bad guy to help Aladdin get to where he鈥檚 getting along the way.鈥�

If the audience does boo him, Nagraj said, 鈥淚 believe that means I鈥檝e done my job very well.鈥�

Since the tour鈥檚 launch, the 鈥淎laddin鈥� cast has performed the show around 300 times before audiences that range from people Nagraj鈥檚 age 鈥� mid- to late-30s 鈥� to young kids who weren鈥檛 around when 鈥淎laddin鈥� came out.

鈥淭here are kids in the audience experiencing the story for the first time, but it is definitely a musical for people like me who have very strong memories of this movie. ... It鈥檚 a very wonderful thing to be a part of,鈥� Nagraj said, ticking off a list of his favorite tunes from the show including the iconic 鈥淲hole New World鈥� and 鈥淎rabian Nights.鈥�

鈥淚 think 鈥楩riend Like Me鈥� is one of the best showtunes you could possibly want to see,鈥� he added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a brilliant number, fueled by who plays Genie but also by our fabulously talented ensemble (cast).鈥�

Disney鈥檚 鈥淎laddin鈥� opens Broadway In 蜜柚直播鈥檚 2023-24 season of musicals that includes the return of 鈥淭he Book of Mormon鈥� on Sept 15-17, the legendary jazz musical 鈥淐hicago鈥� next February and 鈥淢rs. Doubtfire鈥� to close the season next May.