A box office spokesperson for the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta told Playbill On-Line that the new Disney musical, Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida, scheduled to start previews there Sept. 17 for a run through Nov. 8, is already "almost sold out up through Halloween (Oct. 31)," leaving only one week when tickets are still available.
Hank Stratton plays the male lead, Radames, in this new musical by the Lion King team of Elton John and Tim Rice. Their adaptation of the "Aida" story also features Heather Headley as Aida and Sherie Rene Scott as Princess Amneris.
Following the example of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, Disney has opted for relatively unknown actors, Headley -- the original Nala of The Lion King -- being the best known. Stratton's credits include Joey in Misalliance at Arena Stage, Ben in the 1994 Encores production of Lady in the Dark, and Witwoud in The Way of the World at Huntington Theatre Company.
Other Elaborate Lives roles recently assigned include Zoser, a high priest and religious advisor to the princess, to be played by Rich Hebert, according to Alliance spokesperson Lee Davis. Also, Aida, a servant of Amneris, will be joined by two fellow hand maidens: Nehebka, played by Mary Bentley-Lamar; and Shu, acted by Pamela Gold. Davis said the cast of Elaborate Lives will number 28.
The tale of Aida, made famous by Verdi's 1871 opera, concerns an enslaved African princess, Aida, and her doomed love for the captain of the Egyptian guard, Radames, who is in turn desired by Aida's royal mistress, Amneris. Headley drew applause every night at the New Amsterdam Theatre with her impassioned delivery of the ballad "Shadowland." Prior to making her Broadway debut as The Lion King's main lioness, she understudied and performed the role of Sarah in Ragtime. Other credits include leading roles in Pippin, Dreamgirls, and And The World Goes 'Round.
Scott appeared in the recent Broadway revival of Grease! as Marty. Her other roles include Martha in the La Jolla Playhouse production of Randy Newman's musical Faust in 1995, and, most recently, a turn as Maureen in the Broadway production of Rent.
Elaborate Lives has been described as a more intimate show than Disney's previous efforts, Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. Alliance spokesperson Stephanie Lee said there was no further information as to the nature of the plot or what approach to the classic tale librettist Linda Woolverton and composers John and Rice would take. She said the script was not finalized and some tweaking was expected when rehearsals begin in July. Beast director Robert Jess Roth will pilot the production.
The musical's design team reads like Beauty and the Beast II. Scenic designer Stanley A. Meyer, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward, lighting designer Natasha Katz, and hair designer David Lawrence are all veterans or the original Broadway production. They are joined by sound designer Steve C. Kennedy and musical and vocal director Paul Bogaev.
The Beauty and the Beast connection flows through the entire creative team. Woolverton did the screen and stage adaptations of Beast, and Matt West, also from Beast, is the choreographer.
The Atlanta production is scheduled to run Sept. 11-Nov. 8, with an official opening tentatively slated for Oct. 7.
Individual tickets are now on sale. Elaborate Lives does not have the option of an extension at the Alliance, said Davis. For information, call (404) 733-4622.
