Ebony

Babkak (One of Aladdin’s three pals)

1. Why did you want to be involved in this production?

I have always had a strong interest in musical theatre, so when I saw that Prospect was going to be putting on a production I signed up as soon as I could.

2. Who is your favourite character and why?

My favourite Aladdin Jr character is actually Omar (another of Aladdin’s friends). I greatly admire their ability to stand up for their friends, even when they’re afraid. Their loyalty to their friends is such a good quality, and it has been so cool to see them brought to life on stage alongside my character.

3. What is your role in this production and what are you enjoying about it?

I play Babkak, who is one of Aladdin’s three friends. I love being able to bring my interpretation of him to life and being able to be on stage with the rest of Aladdin’s little gang has been an amazing experience so far. Babkak is a kind of character that can be seen as one dimensional, so having the opportunity to give more character to him with the way I move, speak, and interact with the other people on stage, has been really fun.

4. What’s the biggest challenge been for you so far?

The biggest challenge for me so far was to be able to be onstage and perform in front of other people in general, due to struggling with anxiety. Being able to work with the other onstage members of the production took a while to get used to and be able to do easily, but I would say that the longer I work with these people, the easier it becomes.

5. What are you most excited for?

I am extremely excited to perform the production to the public in November. Everyone who is working on the production, both onstage and offstage, has been putting in so much effort to make this production the best that it can be, and I can’t wait to see what the finished product is going to be like.

6. What’s been the most enjoyable thing about production so far?

This is honestly a really hard question to answer, as I have enjoyed everything that we have done so far, but I would have to say being able to do my scenes with the people playing Omar and Kassim. I couldn’t think of anyone else as Aladdin’s two other friends, and being able to work with them has been great.

7. What would you say to people who want to be involved in production in future years?

Being in a production doesn’t mean that you must be onstage acting. If you want to join but don’t want to be onstage, you don’t have to be. You have the option to be a part of the team working on the props, costumes, set, lighting, publicity and more. You can even be a part of the band if that is what your heart so desires.