Sherri Shepherd to Make History as Broadway’s First Female Genie in Aladdin
The Daytime Emmy winner begins a limited engagement at the New Amsterdam Theatre on October 16
(Photo: Matthew Murphy © Disney)
What to Know
- Sherri Shepherd joins Broadway’s Aladdin as Genie on October 16, becoming the first woman to play the role
- The Daytime Emmy-winning host and comedian will play a limited engagement at the New Amsterdam Theatre through January 3, 2027
- Shepherd returns to Broadway after making her debut in Cinderella; current Genie Caleb A. Barnett will serve as standby during her run
Hey, family! And if you don’t know what I am talking about, ask your mama. Daytime Emmy-winning talk show host, comedian and actress Sherri Shepherd will return to Broadway this fall. She joins the cast of Aladdin as Genie beginning October 16, making herstory as the first woman to play the role. She will perform for a limited engagement through January 3, 2027. Caleb A. Barnett, who currently plays Genie, will remain in the company as the Genie standby during Shepherd’s run.
“Joining Aladdin on Broadway is an absolute dream come true—and an incredible honor,” said Shepherd in a statement. “The Genie is such an iconic character, and I’m beyond excited to bring my own energy, humor, heart and a little bit of magic to this role. I hope audiences see themselves in this Genie and leave the theater feeling so much joy and inspired to believe in the impossible. To step on that stage as the first woman to ever play the Genie is something I don’t take lightly. I'm ready to rub the lamp, unleash some magic and have the time of my life on Broadway.”
Shepherd won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2009 for Outstanding Talk Show Host as a co-host of The View. She most recently hosted her solo show, Sherri, for four seasons. Shepherd made her Broadway debut in Cinderella and has appeared off-Broadway in Love, Loss, and What I Wore and Joy Behar's My First Ex-Husband. Shepherd’s additional television credits include 30 Rock, Friends and Sex Lives of College Girls.
Aladdin stars Rodney Ingram as Aladdin, Sonya Balsara as Jasmine, Dennis Stowe as Jafar, Don Darryl Rivera as Iago, JC Montgomery as Sultan, Jacob Ben-Shmuel as Omar, Colt Prattes as Kassim and Ryan Gregory Thurman as Babkak.
Based on the Oscar-winning animated film, Disney's Aladdin opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre on March 20, 2014. It features music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin with a book by Beguelin. The show is directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw.
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