BUFFALO, NY (WKBW-TV} — He is only twenty-five years old, but Marcus M. Martin has been dreaming about playing the Genie in Disney's Aladdin for a long time. He says "This has been my dream since I was sixteen years old when I saw the original Genie on Broadway James Monroe Iglehart"
Marcus sings, dances and acts his way through the role in the National Touring Company of the popular production that plays this week at Shea's Performing Arts Center. The actor says "It was a challenge, but a challenge I knew I could rise to."
Five months before rehearsals were to begin for the production, Marcus says he started training "I was singing Friend Like Me while running on the treadmill. So I could build the stamina and build the endurance to do the show eight times a week."
The cast got into town on the heals of our major November snow storm. Marcus says that growing up in Akron, Ohio, he was totally prepared for lake-effect snow. He adds "Snow storms like this I grew up on it, so I had my coat ready, I had my boots ready."
The cast will enjoy Thanksgiving Day off, but then back to work with two shows on Friday. A total of eight performances will run this week at Shea's. Marcus says "Eat turkey, watch the Bills win and then come see us."
You can get more information at theShea's website.
