Sherri Shepherd Becomes Broadway Genie | Durham News

0:00It's September 8th. I'm Corey with the story. This is Durham News Today, driven by AI, Sherry Shepherd. You know, the daytime Emmy winner is stepping into a whole new world, literally. She's set to play the genie in the Broadway musical, Aladdin. This isn't just a quick cameo. She's booked for the role from October 16th through January 3rd. She's expressed how surreal this is, having taken her family to see the show before, and now becoming part of that magic. She's really leaning into the preparation, hitting the books and the vocal cords. We're talking dance and voice lessons, and she's even practicing friend like me on her walks. It sounds like she's embracing the challenge, saying that if something scares her, she says yes, and this is definitely outside her usual lane. This isn't her first rodeo on the great white way, though. Back in 2014, she played the stepmother in Cinderella. She's also got credits in off-Broadway productions. It's clear she's got a solid theater background, but this genie role is a whole different

1:01energy. She's been reaching out to her Broadway buddies for advice, name-dropping folks like Kristen Chenoweth and Wayne Brady. It's good to know even Season Pros ask for help when they're tackling something new and big. She's really trying to soak up all the wisdom she can get. The big picture here is what she hopes this brings to the audience, especially the kids. She wants them to see that they can be anything, not just the princess, but the powerful genie who makes things happen. It's about showing them the possibilities and inspiring them to chase their own dreams, whatever they may be.