Local Student Lands Leading Role in Aladdin

By Tanya Dev

Copy Editor SCL Local 

Cover Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

In 8th grade, Adi Roy was stoked to receive the lead role in his school play, Aladdin. For hours every day leading up to the show, Adi would attend rehearsals, memorize lines, and rehearse scenes to ensure everything went smoothly during the performance. His practice, dedication, and love for acting was evident the day of the show. Adi stole the audience’s hearts and received a standing ovation. Little did Adi know that nearly six years later at the age of 20, he would again land the role of Aladdin, only this time on Disney’s National Broadway Tour!

Growing up in Chatham, Adi took part in the annual musicals and plays held at school. Initially, Adi participated to have fun with his friends. However, after taking a rigorous and high-level acting class at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, Adi fell in love with acting and set his sights on pursuing a career in acting.

Adi is enjoying his last few weeks in Chatham, before he has to leave for tour, traveling the country performing nearly every day for an entire year! We had the opportunity to interview Adi to learn more about this hometown star before his departure!

What was your first acting role?

“I did a few shows that my theater arts teacher had scripted back in elementary school. The first role I ever played was in my seventh-grade production as Prince Eric in the show Little Mermaid Junior. It was a great introduction to acting!”

Tell us a little about your first Broadway debut.

“I was a part of the post-opening cast for the musical, Jagged Little Pill. The opportunity opened up when the previous actor dropped out. I played Phoenix who is the love interest in the show. I had a lot of fun singing, meeting new people, and making new friends. Sadly though, after about two months the show closed down due to COVID-19. My contract was for a year and this was tough on me. I leaned on my family and friends during that time to provide emotional support.”

How are you going to approach the lead role in Aladdin?

“We have a six-and-a-half-week rehearsal from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. which includes technical and dress rehearsals towards the end. I would approach it as I would approach any other role. I make sure I understand the essence of the character, essentially re-living the role and putting as much as possible into the character that’s what makes a character come alive on stage. Ultimately my goal as an actor is to make my performance look real. Other than the emotional piece, it is also physically intense which means I am frequently working out and doing cardio to help build my endurance for the show.”

What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?

“I am pretty young so I’m very fortunate and grateful to say that I haven’t had too many obstacles. If I had to choose, the biggest obstacle was probably the decision to become an actor. I say this because I come from an immigrant household where acting is usually not considered as a viable long-term career. In the end, as a family, we decided that acting was something I could succeed at and so far, it’s working!”

What do you enjoy most about acting?

“Acting brings me a lot of happiness and joy. I definitely feel the happiest when I’m on stage and when I’m hanging out with people who love acting and performing just as much as me. Adding on, this might sound like a cliche but it’s fun to become someone you’re not. When I’m auditioning for a play, I always like to choose characters that aren’t like me because while it may be a challenging role, I get to be in someone else’s shoes and see how life is for them!”

What will you miss most about Chatham when you’re on tour?

“I’m definitely going to miss my family. It was hard to say goodbye to them but I’m sure they’ll come visit me. I’ll also miss my friends. While they enjoy summer together, I will be on tour the whole year. I’m hoping they will come visit me while I’m on the road.”

The North American Tour of Disney’s Aladdin begins in October 2022. Please use the following link to book your tickets to see Adi in action: https://aladdinthemusical.com/tour.

Adi’s success is no accident. It is the result of years of hard work, self-discipline, and dedication. The Chatham community is proud to have Adi represent us and we will continue to cheer him on! We can’t wait to see Adi make his mark in the world!

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