Reviewed by Joe Blenkle/Sacramento Stage & Theatre
After Elton John and Tim Rice teamed to write the music and lyrics for Disney's THE LION KING, it didn't seem like a totally bad idea for the duo to try again - this time producing the songs and lyrics for Disney's newest musical - AIDA. But musically, lightning didn't strike twice. Unlike THE LION KING, which has people still humming or singing its two mainstay tunes - "Can You Feel The Love Tonight," and "Circle Of Life," AIDA's tunes, while not bad, are much less memorable. Only a few days after seeing the production, much of the music and most of the words have already faded from my mind.
Elton John (second from right) with "Aida" stars Patrick Cassidy, Kelli Fournier and Simone. Photo: Kevin Mazur.
But while the John/Rice tunes don't quite make the grade, AIDA's story and simple, but dazzling sets, more than make up for its musical shortcomings. AIDA weaves an interesting love story set in ancient Egypt with a result that transcends all time.
Patrick Cassidy stars as Radames, captain of the Pharaoh's army, who has just returned from a mission of conquest from the land of Nubia with which Egypt is at war. Among his trophies is a beautiful woman known as Aida, who Radames presents to his betrothed, the Princess Amneris (Kelli Fournier).
Unknown to Radames, Aida is really a Nubian princess, and Radames is taken with her fiery spirit. Despite his impending wedding to Amneris, he soon falls in love with her.
His secret love is only the beginning of his problems. His father Zoser (Neal Benari), the prime minister, is poisoning the Pharoah so Radames may take his place, and Aida, while returning Radames' love, is determined to free all her people who are being kept by the Egyptians as slaves.
The three leads in this production, Cassidy, Simone and Fournier are what make it work so well. From Fournier's opening "Every Story Is A Love Story," Cassidy's "Fortune Favors The Brave, " and Simone's "The Past Is Another Land," the audience is overwhelmed by the powerful emotion of this story. It quickly has you identifying with the characters and despite their impossible and interwoven relationships, you want them all to get what they want in the end. They do...in a way...although in the case of Radames and Aida - as Radames says, "we'll be together even if it takes a hundred lifetimes."
AIDA will touch your heart like no other musical that has appeared in Sacramento ever has. And if you can judge by audience response - opening night saw the audience jump to its feet as the curtain came down in the quickest standing ovation I have ever seen.
AIDA continues in Sacramento through Nov. 4 at the Community Center Theater. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday nights at 8 p.m., Thursday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. and Sunday, October 28th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are still available at the Community Center box office at (916) 264-5181, Tickets-com outlets at select Raley's/Bel Air, or the Wells Fargo Pavilion box office at (916) 557-1999. For special group rates on 12 or more people, call (916) 557-1198. For more information on AIDA, visit
www.disneyonbroadway.com or www.CaliforniaMusicalTheatre.com
