Brow Beat

Aladdin’s Broadway Cast Gave a Beautiful Tribute to Robin Williams

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Broadway will dim its lights for Robin Williams Wednesday night, but it will not be its first tribute to the entertainer (who staged his own Broadway show in 2002). James Monroe Iglehart, who is currently playing the Genie in Aladdin, joined the rest of the cast of that show Tuesday to honor Williams in their own way. In the video below, taken at the performance, Iglehart reveals the tremendous influence Williams had on him as a kid, from his first appearance as Mork on Happy Days to his role in the Disney animated classic.

And then he leads the cast and audience in a touching rendition of “Friend Like Me.” For me, as for so many for whom Robin Williams’ Genie was an indelible part of their childhood, it’s a beautiful tribute.