(Photo courtesy Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra)
Michael James Scott is Broadway royalty at this point in his career. He has appeared in some of the stage’s biggest musicals including “Mamma Mia!,” “Something Rotten!” and “The Book of Mormon” to name a few. There is one character though that he has continued to come back to time and time again, and the one that he is currently playing on Broadway — the Genie from “Disney’s Aladdin.”
Scott first came to the big, blue behemoth of a role as the standby in the original Broadway show, but he would go on to originate the role in Australia and perform as the Genie on the North American tour, in London and then finally on a Broadway stage.
The Orlando native has something new up his fashionable sleeves that he is premiering in his hometown May 17. Scott is bringing “A Dream is a Wish: Michael James Scott’s Broadway” to the Dr. Phillips Center’s Steinmetz Hall with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. This “magic carpet ride through the American songbook” will showcase the immense talent of not only Scott but of the city’s orchestra.
Scott was gracious enough to take some time ahead of the show to chat with Watermark.
You are still playing the Genie in “Aladdin” on Broadway. How has that been going?
Yes, it truly is the most unexpected journey, my genie journey. They let me go and come back. I go do concerts, I do TV shows and I come back. It’s just so amazing. I have such a wonderful relationship with them and they let me go and do my thing, but yes, I am still currently the Genie in “Disney’s Aladdin” on Broadway.
What is it about that show and that character that keeps you coming back to it?
It’s the joy, especially right now in our world, we need as much joy as possible and the center of our story is joy. It has the most incredible heart and it is such a blessing to be able to get to bring that to audiences every night. It’s truly a gift. That’s why I keep coming back and that’s why it’s still a part of my life. It is a true honor to get to tell a story rooted in joy and rooted love and heart every night.
The Tony Award nominations were recently announced and this year there are a lot of great shows that everyone is talking about. Other than “Aladdin,” what Broadway show do people need to run out and see now?
There’s so many shows right now, which is so exciting and Broadway is thriving. It is bringing it in terms of brand new shows and musicals. I mean, it’s crazy. I want everybody to see everything. You’ve got to go see “Sunset [Boulevard].” Nicole Scherzinger is amazing. You’ve got to see Audra [McDonald] in “Gypsy.” “Rose’s Turn” alone is worth the ticket price.
Natalie Venetia Belcon is the lead in “Buena Vista Social Club,” and that show is incredible. She is amazing in it. There’s also “Dead Outlaw” and “Operation Mincemeat.” I feel like those shows need to be seen right now, also “Purpose” is a play out now and also “Good Night, and Good Luck.” There’s so many amazing things but those are the big shows I would say go and see if you can.
Just go and see a show, there’s so much to choose from, and obviously you got to put “Aladdin” on your list.
Last year you performed on “Dancing With The Stars” for the show’s Disney-themed episode. There are a lot of celebrity reality competition shows on TV, so if you had your pick, which one would you go on and just crush it?
I mean, literally “Dancing with the Stars.” I’m such a big fan of the show so when I got the opportunity to open the Disney night for “Dancing with the Stars” last season, it was literally like such a pinch me moment and I could not believe that it was getting to do it.
It was so incredible — the cast, the team, everyone — they took such care of all of us with the Disney Theatrical team coming out there and really making a beautiful partnership to really do their version of what would the “Dancing with the Stars” version of “Friend Like Me” be, and that’s what was really cool.
Then we got to work with the legendary Mandy Moore, who is the choreographer of “La La Land,” she worked on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. It was just insane to get to work with her. So for me, it was a dream come true and it would absolutely be the show that I would go on.
I feel like I would do pretty well. I would go for it and just, I mean I’m not a ballroom dancer obviously, I’d have to learn the technique like everybody else but why not.
I saw on Instagram that you went to Sundance with your husband earlier this year, your first time there. What did you think of it and what was your favorite part?
Sundance was so fun. Honestly, I think it was the it was the energy. There was just sort of this amazing, a buzzing energy in that city. That is so cool and you’re meeting so many filmmakers who are just excited to talk and share what they’re doing. That was just really, really cool. It’s such a beautiful town. And you know, they spark City. It’s just really, really beautiful, so? About that. I love. I love pulling on my like ski outfits. I like snow outfits. Um, I think it was the community. Yeah, about it. That was just really, really, really cool.
This is the fifth interview that I have done with you for Watermark, and it will be our last since I am leaving and going to New York City next month. Do you have any advice for me as a fellow Orlandoian who moved to the Big Apple?
When I first came to New York City, I felt like I was home. I remember calling my mom, back then it was collect, and she accepted my call. I just said, “Wow, it feels like home.” It’s just the buzz of the city. Orlando, obviously, is my home but it felt like I was in a city, in a place where it was non-stop. And I love that, I love that part of city living. It’s important for me to have that aspect of it.
The best advice, specifically with New York, is it’s big and it can be an intimidating city in the sense that it’s just so full of people and full of non-stop action. However I would say allow yourself to not get caught up in feeling like you have to be in the hustle and bustle at all times. Allow yourself to experience the quieter moments. Allow yourself to really take it in. Not just what we think is the center of the city, but really allow yourself to go out and take in the whole city.
I think I found myself in the beginning going 95 at all times, and what I didn’t allow myself to do was just sort of take a breath. So I’ll say just take a breath. New York City is a very chaotic and beautiful place. Just don’t feel like you have to be chaotic as well.
Also, there’s so much that you can do and so many things you can get yourself involved in and new people to meet. Allow yourself to say yes. Allow yourself the New York City experience, because there will be many, many of them.
“A Dream is a Wish” is your all new show that you are performing here at the Dr. Phillips Center May 17. How did this show come about for you?
This has been in the works for quite some time. This will be my first time doing a full show concert with the Orlando Philharmonic, and it has been something we’ve been wanting to do for quite some time. My music producer, Nathan Padgett, brought it to them and we all had a great chat about what we could do to build a show. I’ve been talking about doing a symphonic show for quite some time and I thought, if I’m going to do it, I want to do it at home and I want to start with the Orlando Philharmonic.
It was a no-brainer that that’s where I would start. That would be where the foundation of the show starts and we build it there in Orlando. I will take this show to other cities but Orlando gets it first. That’s how it came about and it’s a beautiful working relationship. I’m thrilled to be able to get to do this with the Philharmonic and bring in more audiences to be able to be exposed to the Orlando Philharmonic. They have their loyal subscribers and their loyal audiences. But I’m also excited to be able to bring in another layer of audience to expose them to this incredible orchestra right there in Orlando, Florida.
You have been performed at the Dr. Phillips Center several times, is this the first time you are performing in the center’s Steinmetz Hall?
I actually came back and I was a part of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” concert last year, and it was fabulous. It was just a real quick thing that I had done there. I got my feet wet but this is my first concert there and I’m just overjoyed to get to do it because that space is insanely beautiful. It’s really exciting that we have that in our city.
What can you tell us about the show?
“A Dream is a Wish: Michael James Scott’s Broadway” is really my playlist. It’s very Broadway, of course. There’s Disney, there is gospel, there is ’90s music, I am a ’90s kid. You’re gonna get some fun surprises and all of that. I’ve been saying it’s like the most intimate, epic musical spectacular you’ll ever see.
“A Dream is a Wish: Michael James Scott’s Broadway” plays at the Dr. Phillips Center’s Steinmetz Hall May 17 with a show at 2:30 p.m. and another at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $30 and are available at DrPhillipsCenter.org.
