I Dream of Genie
Dallas-Fort Worth actor gets called up to Broadway for major Disney musical
Wish: granted. Actor Major Attaway, who was born and raised in Fort Worth and performed extensively throughout the DFW area, has joined the cast of Broadway's Aladdin.
It was announced on February 22 that Attaway will become the standby for the Genie, a standby being like an understudy except the actor is not otherwise in the show in other roles. James Monroe Iglehart won a Tony Award in 2014 for his portrayal of the magical character, which was voiced by Robin Williams in the Disney animated film on which the live stage musical is based.
Attaway will also be the standby for the roles of the Sultan and Babkak — the latter of which is currently being played by another DFW veteran actor, Brian Gonzales, who moved from Dallas to New York in the early 2000s. Just three blocks away, Dallas actor Akron Watson is appearing in his recent Broadway debut, The Color Purple.
He was recently seen throughout Dallas-Fort Worth in The Hot Mikado and Hands On a Hardbody at Theatre Three, Stagger Lee at Dallas Theater Center, and Ain't Misbehavin' at Jubilee Theatre.
"It is time. I'm finally free to announce that I've moved to Agrabah!" Attaway wrote on his Facebook page. He noted that "as of tomorrow, I could go on any time." A photo posted to Instagram of himself getting fitted for his Genie costume also announced the big news.