It’s Braxton — Not Williams — Who Will Be Disney’s Next Aida

By Andrew Gans
15 Apr 2003

Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton

Michelle Williams — of “Destiny’s Child” fame — will not be joining the Broadway company of Aida<Aidathis summer.

Although an interview on mtv.com with Williams said the singer-actress had landed a role in the New York production of Aida, a spokesperson for the Disney musical said that information is not correct. “[Williams] has seen the show, and she’s expressed interest in playing the role [of Aida]. We would be very excited to have her join the cast [at some point], but right now Toni Braxton is our [Aida].” Grammy Award winner Braxton, in fact, joins the award-winning musical June 30 and will stay with the production through November 2003.

Aida — at the Palace Theatre — features a book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang, sets and costumes by Bob Crowley, lighting by Natasha Katz, choreography by Wayne Cilento and direction by Robert Falls. The company currently features Adam Pascal as Radames, Felicia Finley as Amneris and Simone as Aida. Former Full Monty star Will Chase will replace original cast member Pascal in June.

The Palace Theatre is located at Broadway and 47th Street, and tickets are available by calling the Disney hotline, (212) 307-4747. A Dutch language production of Aida opened in Amsterdam in the fall of 2001, and a touring company is currently making its way across the country. On Broadway, Aida plays Tuesdays at 7 PM, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8 PM with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 PM and Sundays at 3 PM.