James Monroe Iglehart in Aladdin.Cylla von Tiedemann
The cast of the current Broadway production of Aladdin delivered a moving tribute to the late Robin Williams.
Following Tuesday night's performance of the lavish musical production, stage star James Monroe Iglehart – a Tony-winner for his portrayal of the big blue genie originally voiced by Williams in the 1992 animated hit – led his fellow performers and audience in a touching version of the showstopper song Friend Like Me.
"When I was 17 years old, I had watched every Disney cartoon in the world and they had put [Williams] in a Disney cartoon to play this iconic role of the Genie," Iglehart told the crowd. "And he sang [Friend Like Me] and I looked at my mom and I said, 'If I could just do something like that…' "
The show's Playbill had thoughtfully included the song's lyrics for the singalong.
Earlier this week, Iglehart told E! News, "Although I never got to meet him in person, Robin Williams has influenced my life greatly; his performance as the Genie, of course, and his entire career as a great performer and actor."
The Broadway community bonded to honour Williams this week by dimming marquee lights for one minute on Wednesday evening.