July 5-13: Thom Sesma, Francis Jue, Robin de Jesus and John Tartaglia set for @The Muny's Aladdin

The Muny has announced principal casting for the third show of its 94th season, Disney’s Aladdin (July 5-13), directed by Gary Griffin, and choreographed by Alex Sanchez.

Thom Sesma (Photo by Lia Chang)

Tony® Nominees Robin De Jesus and John Tartaglia star as Aladdin and the Genie, respectively. Joining them will be Jason Graae as Omar, Curtis Holbrook as Iago, Francis Jue as Kassim, Eddie Korbich as Babkak, Samantha Massell as Jasmine, Ken Page as the Sultan, and Thom Sesma as Jafar.

Based on the Disney film by the same name,Aladdin features a book by Chad Beguelin, music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, with additional lyrics by Chad Beguelin. The Disney film was written by Ron Clements, John Musker, Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, and directed & produced by Ron Clements& Jon Musker.

The Muny’s production features scenic design by Michael Anania, sound design by Jason Krueger, lighting design by Seth Jackson, and costume design by Mara Blumenfeld. Greg Anthony serves as the musical director, and the production stage manager is Nevin Hedley.

Thom Sesma (Jafar) just participated in the all-star Shinsai: Theaters For Japan benefit at Cooper Union’s Great Hall in NYC, in memory of the tragic events of March 2011 and in tribute to the heroic recovery efforts of the Japanese people. In May of this year, he was the keynote speaker at the Library of Congress’ Asian American Pacific Islander Collection honoring Asian-Americans in the performing arts.

Thom Sesma in the Asian Division Reading Room of the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. on May, 17, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

In January 2012 he returned to New York from Las Vegas where he played Scar in Disney’s The Lion King for a two and a half year run at The Mandalay Bay Theatre. On Broadway he starred in the Twyla Tharp-Bob Dylan collaboration,The Times They Are A Changin’. Other credits on and off-Broadway and in national tours include leading roles in Miss Saigon, Titanic, Search & Destroy,Man of La Mancha (2003), and in Ivanov, Rashomon, Baba Goya, In a Pig’s Valise, As Thousands Cheer, A Hard Heart, Cymbeline, and Othello. Other credits include Durango, Dinner With Friends, The Molly Maguires, Romeo & Juliet, The Normal Heart, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Twelfth Night, The Winter’s Tale and The King and I, at some of America’s leading theatres including Yale Rep, The McCarter, The Old Globe, Arena Stage, Baltimore Centre Stage, Berkeley Rep, and others. TV and film credits include guest starring roles on “Person of Interest,” “Third Watch,” “Law & Order,” “Whoopi,” “Trinity,” “Lay the Favorite,” “Over/Under,” among many others and daytime soaps. He trained for several years with the late Uta Hagen, with Sam Waterston, and voice with Joan Lader. His directing credits include Jennifer Camp’s Natural History, (Walnut Street Theatre), LIFE (x) 3 (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), and Outcry (NAATCO), along with Hair,Lend Me a Tenor, The Drawer Boy, Once in a Lifetime, Waiting for Lefty and others in various regional and stock theatres across the country.

Francis Jue © Lia Chang

Francis Jue (Kassim) returns to The Muny, where he has appeared inThe Little Mermaid, Damn Yankees, Miss Saigon, Peter Pan, The King & I,and Mame. On Broadway, Francis originated the role of Bun Foo inThoroughly Modern Millie. Other Broadway credits: M. Butterfly andPacific Overtures. Francis won Obie and Lucille Lortel Awards (plus Drama Desk and Drama League nominations) for Yellow Face. Other favorite NYC credits include Love’s Labour’s Lost, Coraline, Falsettoland,A Language of Their Own, No Foreigners Beyond This Point,Hamlet,and King Lear. Francis has won regional theatre awards for In the Next Room (or the vibrator play), Cabaret, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Into the Woods, The Illusion, Pacific Overtures, Miss Saigon,and Red. TV: “The Good Wife,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Law & Order.” Film Debut: Joyful Noise. Francis Jue, At Home on the Stage

Robin De Jesus (Aladdin) is a two time Tony® Award Nominee for the Broadway Musicals In The Heights and La Cage Aux Folles. He was also seen in the Broadway musical Rent. Robin has worked at Papermill Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, McCarter, The Public, NYTW, The Barrow Group and more. He has a appeared on TV in “Law and Order: SVU” and “How to Make It In America.” He is best known for his role in the movie Camp. Other films include Gun Hill Road, Fat Girls, Pet the Goat and the upcoming films Elliot Loves, Bert, Arnie’s Guide to Adventure and Hairbrained, in which he stars alongside Brendan Fraser and Alex Wolff.

John Tartaglia (Genie) is known to millions of families around the world as “Johnny” from Disney’s Johnny and the Sprites, for which he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series. John made his Tony® Award nominated Broadway debut in Avenue Q, creating the roles of Princeton and Rod. John was also seen on Broadway as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast and originated the role of Pinocchio in Shrek: the Musical. He joined PBS’s Sesame Street as a puppeteer at only 16 years old, where he performed for over 10 seasons and continues to guest star. Other television appearances include “Ugly Betty,” “The Today Show,” and several children’s series. Films include starring in the upcoming Hotel Arthritis. He will be hosting a new weekly Broadway show on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. John is a recipient of the Theatre World Award, Backstage Award, and a Broadway.com Award. He recently conceived, hosted and directed Jim Henson’s Musical World featuring the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Johns voice can also be heard on several commercial campaigns. John’s latest project, ImaginOcean, is currently on international tour. While off-Broadway at New World Stages, ImaginOcean was nominated for Unique Theatrical Experience by the Drama Desk Awards. It’s currently being developed with the Jim Henson Company for television utilizing their revolutionary Digital Puppetry Studios system. John is currently serving as resident director for Avenue Q, playing off-Broadway at New World Stages. He will be directing the upcoming Broadway musical, Because of Winn Dixie, written by Nell Benjamin with music by Duncan Shiek.

Curtis Holbrook (Iago) received the 2012 Kevin Kline Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical for his performance as Cosmo Brown in the Muny’s production of Singin’ in the Rain. Other roles at The Muny include Ren McCormack in Footloose and Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me Kate. On Broadway, Curtis most recently recreated the role of Action in the Broadway revival of West Side Story. His other Broadway credits include: Xanadu (Sonny Malone), All Shook Up (Dean Hyde),The Addams Family, Taboo, The Boy From Oz, Follies, Fosse and Footloose. Off Broadway: Frog Kiss (NYMF-Outstanding Individual Performance Award),Saved (Playwrights Horizon), Radiant Baby (Public Theater). Regional: It Shoulda Been You (George Street Playhouse: David Hyde Pierce, Dir.) Film: Hairspray and Across the Universe. TV: “Smash,” “Nurse Jackie,” “Law and Order: SVU,” “All My Children,” “As The World Turns” and “Sesame Street.”

Eddie Korbich (Babkak) returns to The Muny where he was last featured in the 2003 production of Show Boat. Broadway credits include The Little Mermaid,The Drowsy Chaperone (Drama Desk Nominee), After The Night, Wicked, Seussical, Carousel (Lincoln Center), Singin’ In The Rain andSweeney Todd (Circle in the Square). Off-Broadway he appeared inAssassins, Godspell, The Gifts of the Magi, Flora The Red Menace, A Little Night Music, and Eating Raoul. Regional credits include The Gamester at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Dracula at North Shore Music Theatre,3hree at the Ahmanson, George M! (George), Tintypes (Charlie), and Man of La Mancha (Sancho). National tours include Showboat (Frank) directed by Harold Prince. Television: guest-starring roles on “Law & Order,” “New York Undercover,” and “Out Of The Box.” Cartoon fans may recognize his voice as a regular on Nickelodeon’s “Doug and PB & J Otter.” He may also be seen in the feature films Jennifer 8 and Quiz Show. Eddie received the 2000 Obie Award for his performance in Taking A Chance On Love at the York Theatre. He is also the voice of TiVO.

Samantha Massell (Jasmine) is thrilled to return to The Muny where she most recently played Ursula in Bye Bye Birdie. On Broadway, Samantha was seen in Baz Luhrmann’s production of La Boheme and the 2003 Tony®Awards telecast. Other Muny credits include Kiss Me Kate, Show Boat, Singin’ in the Rain, Sound of Music, and Titanic. Samantha recently graduated from the University of Michigan’s musical theatre program and her favorite U of M credits include Natalie in Next to Normal, Meg in Little Women, and Sheila in Hair.

Ken Page (Sultan) was last seen at The Muny as King Titan in the 2011 production of The Little Mermaid. His New York credits include: Broadway: Nicely-Nicely in Guys and Dolls (1976 All-Black Revival), Lion in The Wiz,Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Original Cast 1978, 1988 revival), Cats (Old Deuteronomy-Original Cast), It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues (Lead Player); Off-Broadway: Lincoln Center Theatre: Maurice in Happiness, etc. International: West End: Father in Children Of Eden (Original Cast), Rev. Montgomary in My One & Only, Cats(Film-Adelphi Theatre). Paris: Harlem Swing- Ain’t Misbehavin; Canada: Theatre Royal Manitoba: Chuck inGrumpy Old Men-Musical. FILM: Torch Song Trilogy (Murray), Dreamgirls(Max Washington),The Nightmare Before Christmas (V.O. Oogie Boogie)All Dogs Go To Heaven, (V.O King Gator) etc. Television: Several credits. Awards: New York-Theatre World Award (Guys & Dolls), Drama Desk Award–(Best Actor-Ain’t Misbehavin), Drama League Honoree, Kevin Kline Award (Jesus Christ Superstar-Herod), Joseph Jefferson Award Nominee (Wizard of Oz), Kevin Kline Award Nominee (Thenardier- Les Miserables, V.O Audrey II -Little Shop of Horrors). Other Directing: San Diego Rep (Storyville), Fantasticks (L.A. Ovation Award), To Sir With Love (Musical),Ain’t Misbehavin, Nightlife (Westbeth Theatre N.Y, etc.).

To purchase Season Tickets by phone, call (314) 361-1900, extension 550, or order online atwww.muny.org. The Muny Box Office is now open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
The 7-show line-up is:
Thoroughly Modern Millie June 18 – 24
Chicago June 25 – July 1
Disney’s Aladdin July 5 – 13 Dreamgirls July 16 – 22
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor®Dreamcoat July 23 – 29
Pirates! (or, Gilbert & Sullivan Plunder’d) July 30 – August 5
The King and I August 6 – 12

Season Ticket buyers will enjoy their reserved seats for Aladdin from July 5 – 11. Additional performances (July 12 and 13) are non-subscribed, and offer exceptional seating opportunities for groups. The Muny’s group sales office offers a 20% discount for groups of 20 or more, and is taking orders now. For more information or to make reservations, call (314) 361-1900, extension 308. Single tickets will be available beginning Saturday, June 2 at The Muny Box Office in Forest Park, online or by phone. For more information, call (314) 361-1900 or visit www.muny.org.

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Lia Chang. Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist.