‘Aladdin’ star James Monroe Iglehart switches to ‘Hamilton’

NEW YORK (AP) — Tony Award-winner James Monroe Iglehart is trading in his genie bottle for a place in American history onstage.

Iglehart, the star of “Aladdin” on Broadway, will join “Hamilton” in the dual roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson starting in mid-April. It’s the joint role Daveed Diggs won a Tony in last year.

Iglehart made his Broadway debut in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and originated the role of Bobby in “Memphis” on Broadway before taking over the role of Genie in the “Aladdin” musical. Robin Williams voiced that role in the 1992 animated movie.

In the wake of today’s news, Iglehart will not be joining the North American tour of Disney’s “Aladdin” which begins performances April 11 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago.

Major Attaway, the current Genie standby in the Broadway company of “Aladdin,” will take over for Iglehart starting Feb. 21.