As per usual, Northwest Drama delivered a remarkable show last weekend. With a dash of drama, a zest of suspense, and a heap of comedy, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp hooked the audience with its twisting story. 

Stage crew, led by technical director Lilly Greenlee, made the stage look fabulous. The lights, the fog, and the music enhanced the viewers’ experience. The set designs were detailed and beautiful. Although the background set with the king’s throne and the townspeople’s seating was on stage the majority of the time, it added to the story-telling concept of the show. The set was covered in decorative, colorful pillows that created a sense of culture. One confusing aspect of the story was the setting of the story. The Aladdin story was set in China, but it is puzzling where the king and townspeople are from. However, the costumes were vivid, colorful, and beautiful nonetheless. 

One bit of the play that complemented the story was the dancing. Although it wasn’t a musical, the dancer’s sequences added some pizazz and helped the audience enjoy it more. Choreography by Shawn Cosby was dazzling, and the dancers’ personal touches to the dances elevated the sequences even more. 

By far, the acting was the best part of the show. Each character, whether a main role or ensemble, played an important part in the show. When the townspeople were in the background most of the show, they added to the entertainment by reacting to the scenes. In addition to that, the storytellers were fascinating and made the story easy to follow along with. 

The main roles of the show made the story even more exciting. Played by Ben Molina, the character of Aladdin was supposed to be silly and childish, and Molina could not have played this role better. His high-pitched screams and confused facial expressions truly portrayed the character and his personality. Although Will Smith is hard to beat as the genie, Andre Lewis came pretty close with a magical performance. He was hyper, hilarious, and interactive with the audience. Malena Belloburgos, portraying Aladdin’s mother, was perfect for the sassy but wise mother character. Radha Patel made Jasmine a lovable yet determined persona. Taylor Cross as the jester was amusing and witty with her huge dictionary and stuffed dog. The Grand Vizier, played by Maya Gensler, was represented flawlessly as a manipulative and wicked character. 

It is obvious that the amount of work that was put into this production by the cast and crew was plenty, especially by director Sherion Cosby, who the show would be nothing without. 

If you missed Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp this past weekend, make sure to watch the drama program’s spring musical for an even more marvelous experience.