Tuckered Out with Ami Thakkar
Michael Maliakel and Sonya Balsara: Breaking Barriers on Broadway
Episode Summary
We're going to Broadway! Today, I am talking with the two South Asian leads in a very beloved Broadway show: Michael Maliakel and Sonya Balsara, who play Aladdin and Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin on Broadway. Michael made his Broadway debut with Aladdin in September 2021. He has had theater experience, including being part of the national tour of the Phantom of the Opera. Sonya also made her Broadway debut as Jasmine in Aladdin and has recently worked on the pre-Broadway lab of The Karate Kid, Sense and Sensibility, and West Side Story in Tokyo, Japan..
Episode Notes
We're going to Broadway!
Today, I am talking with the two South Asian leads in a very beloved Broadway show: Michael Maliakel and Sonya Balsara, who play Aladdin and Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin on Broadway.
Michael made his Broadway debut with Aladdin in September 2021. He has had theater experience, including being part of the national tour of the Phantom of the Opera. Sonya also made her Broadway debut as Jasmine in Aladdin and has recently worked on the pre-Broadway lab of The Karate Kid, Sense and Sensibility, and West Side Story in Tokyo, Japan.
In this episode, we talk about South Asian representation, what working on Broadway has really meant to them, and they also share some super fun behind-the-scenes stories.
What we talked about:
- Broadway Journey: Michael describes auditioning during COVID with a flying carpet on Zoom + how the Aladdin cast is more ethnically diverse post-George Floyd + Sonya relates her excitement on getting her first break on Broadway. (01:49)
- History of Aladdin on Broadway: How the show was adapted from the original movie + how the leads put their unique spin on the beloved Broadway hit (06:59)
- South Asia Takes On Hollywood: Michael and Sonya describe their unusual position as South Asian leads in a Broadway hit + the expansion of South Asians into the entertainment industries compared to the 1980’s and the reduction of stereotyping and typecasting. (10:35)
- Wow Moments: Sonya describes the inspiration and lessons learned from playing the Girls Scout Convention on Disney Broadway + Michael talks about performing Aladdin for his parents + South Asian parents’ fears for their children’s career paths (16:08)
- Bollywood on Broadway?: How Bollywood shaped the leads’ childhood + the possibility of Broadway incorporating Bollywood in the future (21:19)
- Daily Grind of Showbiz: The unique challenges of needing to sing, dance, and act and having to do each performance as if for the first time (26:52)
- Looking to the Future: The leads describe the rare good fortune of being in a long-running show + becoming a first-time Dad mid-show (31:34)
- Growing up South Asian: Sonya opens up about being half-Indian half-white and not totally belonging + Michael reveals how growing up Indian Catholic led to him being teased by fellow Indians + the importance of accepting and celebrating your identity (36:29)
- Fast Fun Round: Pet peeves, celebrity crushes, greatest bloopers, ultimate professional collaboration (45:59)
Connect with Michael:
Connect with Sonya:
Let’s talk Connect:
This podcast is produced by Ginni Media