Thursday, March 4, 1993
Ventura County Edition
Section: Ventura County Life
Page: J-4
THEATER REVIEW / 'ALADDIN AND THE MAGIC LAMP';
Genie Genius; The company retains some traditional elements, uses some from the
Disney version and adds a few touches of its own.
By: TODD EVERETT
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Never afraid or too embarrassed to capitalize on what's in the news, the canny proprietors of the
Magnificent Moorpark Melodrama & Vaudeville Company have switched their current production
from the initially announced "Ali Baba" to "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp." They thus manage to keep
timely while preserving the costume order. Tim Kelly's script under the direction of Steve Robertson
retains some elements of the traditional tale, some from the Disney version, and adds a few touches
of its own. The result last rainy weekend was, for what it's worth, the biggest audience and strongest
response of any first-Saturday matinée performance in recent memory. As in the Disney version, the
Genie of the Lamp gets most of the opportunity to show off. Chris Carnicelli takes the opportunity
and runs with it, evoking the spirit of the Robin Williams portrayal without copying it and winning
plenty of laughs in the process. William Shupe II stars as Aladdin, the quick-witted--and quite
lucky--street urchin who eventually wins the hand of Princess Jasmine (Jennifer Tash), despite the
machinations of evil wizard Jammal (James Harlow). Instead of a parrot, this Jammal's
partner-in-crime is his sister, the equally malevolent Halima (Mary Valmonte). Ancillary human
characters include Aladdin's mother (Susan Sexton) and sister (Alisa Nelson), Jasmine's parents
(Robert L. Plunkett and the very funny Fae Simmons), and various dancing girls. There's also
Aladdin's monkey, Alakazam (KC Coleman), a fire-breathing dragon (Jason Rasmussen, aided by the
Melodrama's nervy special-effects department), and two more genies than the Disney version, the
Genie of the Ring (Deborah Webster) and the remarkably similar-looking Genie of the Jewels (also
Deborah Webster). The songs are all evidently original, save Aladdin's heartfelt rendition of the old
Tony Bennett hit "Rags to Riches." A revue of songs with an Arabian Nights theme follows each
performance.
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