Sherri Shepherd is preparing for a limited Broadway run in Aladdin, taking over the role of the Genie from Oct. 16 through Jan. 3. The Daytime Emmy Award-winning host and NAACP Image Award winner is returning to the stage for her second Broadway appearance and training for the demanding musical role.
Key Takeaways
- Sherri Shepherd will play the Genie in Broadway’s Aladdin from Oct. 16 through Jan. 3.
- The role is Shepherd’s second Broadway appearance after her 2014 performance in Cinderella.
- Shepherd is taking dance and voice lessons to prepare for the high-energy character.
- She has sought advice from Broadway performers including Kristin Chenoweth, Steven Boyer and Wayne Brady.
- Shepherd has said she wants young theatergoers to see possibilities for themselves through her performance.
Sherri Shepherd Begins Preparation for the Genie Role
Shepherd is preparing for the Genie by taking dance and voice lessons and practicing the character’s signature musical number, “Friend Like Me.” The role requires a high-energy performance as the wisecracking Genie, a character who plays a central part in the musical adaptation of the 1992 animated film.
The Genie was played on Broadway by James Monroe Iglehart, who won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for the role in 2014. Shepherd is taking on the character for a defined period, with her scheduled run lasting from Oct. 16 through Jan. 3.
Shepherd has described the role as outside her usual comfort zone. She said her career has often involved accepting opportunities that frightened her and that she is approaching the Genie role in the same way.
Her preparation includes combining vocal work with physical training. Shepherd has been singing “Friend Like Me” during walks through New York City as she works on the material for the production.
The character’s performance demands are different from the television work for which Shepherd is widely known. Her credits include hosting, acting, podcasting and writing, while the Genie requires singing, dancing and sustained stage performance.
A similar television-to-stage crossover has recently appeared elsewhere in Broadway coverage, including a recent Broadway debut by Bob the Drag Queen in Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
Broadway Return Marks Shepherd’s Second Stage Appearance
The Aladdin production will be Shepherd’s second Broadway appearance. Her first came in 2014, when she played the evil Stepmother in Cinderella.
Shepherd’s theater credits also include off-Broadway productions of Love, Loss and What I Wore, Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words and Joy Behar’s My First Ex-Husband.
Her Broadway return follows a career that has included several television roles. Shepherd was a co-host of The View and later hosted her own daytime talk show, Sherri. She is also an author and podcaster.
For Shepherd, the Aladdin role combines her television and theater experience with a character that requires a different type of live performance. Her preparation is focused on the musical requirements of the Genie rather than simply adapting an existing television performance style to the stage.
The production is based on Disney’s 1992 animated film, which starred Robin Williams as the voice of the Genie. Broadway’s Aladdin retains the central story of a young street urchin who discovers a genie in a lamp and hopes to win a princess while remaining true to his values.
The stage musical has become a production that families attend together, making the Genie one of the principal roles encountered by young audiences seeing the show.
Broadway productions adapted from established entertainment properties also remain part of the publication’s theater coverage. Earlier this year, a family musical heading to Broadway was announced for a 2027 opening at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
Genie Role Brings a Demanding Performance Schedule
Shepherd’s limited engagement runs for more than two months, from Oct. 16 through Jan. 3. During that period, she will perform the Genie as part of the Broadway production of Aladdin.
The role requires Shepherd to combine comedy, singing and dance within the same character. Her preparation with both dance and voice instructors is intended to address those separate performance requirements.
“Friend Like Me” is one of the Genie’s principal musical numbers and will be part of Shepherd’s stage responsibilities. Her current preparation includes repeatedly singing the song while walking through the city.
The Genie also requires a fast-paced performance style. Shepherd described the character as a wisecracking and high-energy role, making physical and vocal preparation an important part of her work before the engagement begins.
The role previously earned Iglehart a Tony Award, establishing a demanding performance benchmark for actors taking on the Genie. Shepherd is approaching the assignment with assistance from performers she knows from Broadway.
Her scheduled engagement also gives audiences a defined period in which to see her interpretation of the character. The production’s story remains centered on Aladdin, the princess and the Genie, while Shepherd’s casting adds a new performer to the Broadway production.
Shepherd Seeks Advice From Broadway Performers
Shepherd has contacted Broadway performers for advice as she prepares for the role. She said she has reached out to Kristin Chenoweth, Steven Boyer and Wayne Brady, among others, asking for help with the transition into the demanding musical performance.
Chenoweth has Broadway experience that includes her Tony Award-winning performance in Wicked and other stage roles. Boyer appeared in Kimberly Akimbo, while Brady has performed extensively on Broadway as well as in television.
Shepherd’s outreach reflects the specific preparation required for her return to Broadway. Rather than approaching the Genie role only through her previous theater experience, she is seeking guidance from performers familiar with the physical and vocal demands of Broadway productions.
Her previous Broadway role was in Cinderella, where she played the evil Stepmother in 2014. Her additional off-Broadway credits give her theater experience, but the Genie represents a different type of role because of its combination of comedy, singing and dance.
Shepherd has also connected the role to her own experience as a theater audience member. She recalled taking her family, including her nieces and nephews, to see Aladdin before she had imagined becoming part of the production.
That experience has influenced the way she views the upcoming role. She has said she wants children watching the show to experience the same sense of possibility she felt as a young audience member watching Stephanie Mills in The Wiz.
‘Aladdin’ Connects Shepherd With Young Theater Audiences
Shepherd has specifically discussed the effect she hopes her casting will have on children attending the musical. She said she wants young audience members to see possibilities for themselves beyond the traditional image of a princess.
Her comments focused on the idea that children can imagine themselves in different roles after seeing performers onstage. She cited her own childhood experience watching Mills in The Wiz as an example of the influence a theater performance can have on a young viewer.
Aladdin is based on the story of a street urchin who discovers a magical lamp containing a genie. The character helps drive the story as Aladdin attempts to pursue a relationship with a princess while navigating palace intrigue and remaining true to his values.
The Broadway production adapts the 1992 animated film for the stage while retaining its central characters and story. The Genie remains one of the production’s major roles, with the character providing the musical and comedic material associated with the part.
Shepherd’s engagement gives her an opportunity to bring her television audience and theater experience to the production during her scheduled run. Her preparation currently includes dance and vocal training, while her conversations with Broadway performers are providing additional guidance before performances begin.
The Oct. 16 start date will begin Shepherd’s limited engagement as the Genie, with the scheduled run continuing through Jan. 3.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Sherri Shepherd join Broadway’s Aladdin?
Sherri Shepherd is scheduled to begin playing the Genie in Aladdin on Oct. 16. Her limited engagement is scheduled to continue through Jan. 3.
What role will Sherri Shepherd play in Aladdin?
Shepherd will play the Genie, the magical character who helps drive the story of Aladdin. The role combines comedy, singing and dance.
How long will Sherri Shepherd play the Genie?
Shepherd’s scheduled Broadway engagement runs from Oct. 16 through Jan. 3. It is a limited run within the production.
Has Sherri Shepherd appeared on Broadway before?
Yes. Shepherd previously appeared on Broadway in Cinderella in 2014, playing the evil Stepmother. She has also appeared in several off-Broadway productions.
How is Sherri Shepherd preparing for the Genie role?
Shepherd is taking dance and voice lessons and practicing “Friend Like Me,” the Genie’s signature song. She has also sought advice from Broadway performers including Kristin Chenoweth, Steven Boyer and Wayne Brady.
