When I was a little girl, if you'd have granted me three wishes, I would've asked for:
- A field full of miniature ponies
- A complete set of limited edition Spice Girl Barbies
- The chance to be a great big Broadway star
Sadly, my life has remained largely pony-less, and my dog once bit the heads off the two Spice Girl dolls I was lucky enough to acquire.
Don't cry for me, though, because Aladdin has just arrived in town, and with it the chance to make my most ambitious wish yet come true.
The beloved musical spectacular has swept into Auckland's Civic Theatre in a cloud of pyrotechnic smoke, along with a dizzying dose of talent and glitter.
The very friendly but perhaps ill-advised team behind the show agreed to let me in on the magic, to see if I had what it took to make the big time.
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The journey began with a trip to the show's "second Cave of Wonders", as head of wardrobe Darryl described it - an incredible costume bunker where a single pant leg can boast up to 1500 Swarovski crystals.
Many of the 34 cast members undergo quick costume changes that see them transform in less than a minute, but I opted to just prance around in some sparkly headpieces.
Then I stopped in on Princess Jasmine, AKA Shubshri Kandiah, chilling in her dressing room while - I kid you not - being adorned with jeweled tiara. She revealed that despite being an enchanting, multi-talented star of the stage, she's also slipped and "stacked it" several times while in character.
With that comforting image in mind, it was time for me to get tap-dancing.
Having recently held an unofficial and unsolicited twerking workshop (or twerkshop) at Christmas lunch, I felt confident learning some moves from Priscilla and Anthony, two glittery and gorgeous ensemble members.
Did I match their precise steps, endless energy and flawless high-kicks? Who's to say, really.
Out of breath and sweating quite profusely, it seemed as good a time as ever to take center stage for my big duet with Aladdin himself.
Graeme Isaako, along with his ability to impeccably rock a fez/waistcoat combo, is a very patient Broadway star. When it comes to Disney vocal ranges, I generally consider myself more of a Mufasa than a Jasmine, but Aladdin was undeterred.
Still, for some reason, we only got through a few lines of the absolute banger that is 'A Whole New World' before it was time to go.
I can only imagine my powerful stage presence and pitch-perfect singing was making Jasmine uncomfortable, and she asked to have me removed.
And although the metaphorical magic carpet ride was over, it felt as though my musical theatre career had just begun.
Disney's Aladdin - The Musical is playing at the Civic Theatre in Auckland until March 3.
As for my first official stage debut, the director said they'd totally call me, so I'm thinking any day now.
Newshub.
